[helene_t]

---

matchpoints

[Lord Molyb]

4♦.

[mcphee]

I content myself with 4D as its pairs, not at all clear how much that QC is going to be. I will not be unhappy should partner continue that's for sure.

[1eyedjack]

I didn't vote for it at the time but the more I think about it the more I think that 4H and Pass are reasonable alts.

[c_corgi]

3♠. Partner can then choose the strain. If I choose the strain now I am guessing.

[gszes]

4d and at pairs pass as second alternative

P has shown 64 reds with extra values the problem is our 3d bid
was somewhat optimistic and we really do not have too many other
places to go now but diamonds with the choice being pass or 4d.

3s is a bad time to try and possibly play a 52 spade fit. 4h seems
misplaced since with 6 pretty darn good hearts p would have preferred
a 3h bid to a 2d bid. 3n is sort of other worldy optimistic given the
64 nature of partners hand and ummm speculative club stopper.

Sine this is MP I can try and imagine passing as a reasonable second
alternative to 4d but I think it more like 4d = 9 pass = 6 much else 3
less.

[lycier]

1- what's your choice?

3♠

2-which would be reasonable alternatives?

4♥

[whereagles]

I'll just bid 3NT, although 4D comes to mind... even 5D if you're feeling lucky.

I think pard has 2542 with good hearts. Maybe 1642. 3NT should be playable, as long as pard hasn't got a singleton club.

[helene_t]

Thanks all. I chose 3nt.
But afterwards I thought that it is quite hard to find a hand for partner with which 3nt is much better than 4h. If p has Kx of clubs it is close but 3nt needs to be in partner's hand. If he has Ax it is better in my hand but again 4h might be better especially at mp. And if he has a singleton clubs 4h is surely better.

[Fluffy]

If ·3NT is right it will often be better form partner's side. But it will be quite hard to scramble 9 tricks without developing hearts, so probably 4♥ is better.

But there is no need to obligue, bidding 3♠ partner will realice we have 1♥, 4♦, 5♠, so he will make an informed decision.

IMO 3♥ doesn't require a 6 card suit, a 3 honnor 5 card suit will also do the trick when there is a flaw for 3NT.

3♥ is accepting the invitation so pass is ou of the picture.

[jallerton]

If the auction starts 1♥-1♠-2♣-3♣, a 3♥ rebid by Opener shows 6/4 as 3♦ is available as a probe.

If the auction starts 1♥-1♠-2♦-3♦, there is less room. What does Opener bid on a good 2542 hand which wants to ask for a club stop?

[Zelandakh]

jallerton, on 2014-April-13, 15:19, said:

If the auction starts 1♥-1♠-2♣-3♣, a 3♥ rebid by Opener shows 6/4 as 3♦ is available as a probe.

If the auction starts 1♥-1♠-2♦-3♦, there is less room. What does Opener bid on a good 2542 hand which wants to ask for a club stop?

I see this similarly with the addition that 3♠ in the OP auction is a return grope. I also thought this was obvious and barely considered anything else (so I was surprised when it was such a minority choice).

[kenrexford]

Zelandakh, on 2014-April-16, 05:02, said:

I see this similarly with the addition that 3♠ in the OP auction is a return grope. I also thought this was obvious and barely considered anything else (so I was surprised when it was such a minority choice).

I also agree that 3♠ is a return grope. I would add that either side could bid 4♣ after 3♠ to offer spades.

Opener could have 3-6-4-0 shape. If so, he will not bid 3NT after Responder's 3♠ grope. However, Opener should be able to bid 4♣ to show a spade fragment in that sequence, as bidding a real club suit makes no sense.

If Opener bids 3NT, Responder is unlikely to want to reintroduce spades. But, suppose Opener has 2-6-4-1 with the club Ace and bids 3NT. If Responder has 5-1-4-3 with three small clubs and say AQJxx in spades, 4♣ to bring spades back in as a viable option makes sense.

So, 3♠ is a grope, but then 4♣ by either side shows spades. Obviously.

[mikeh]

I voted then read the answers...I think 4♥ is pretty clear, btw.

Partner should be showing an extra value 6-4 red hand, probably the values and suit to have jumped to 3♥ last time, but with decent diamonds. 3N will need some help in clubs, and even Kx won't usually be enough, yet would be a fine holding playing in hearts: x AQJ9xx AQxx Kx we can afford to lose a club and 2 hearts but we need hearts to come home for one loser in notrump on a club lead, or be very, very lucky.

I put 3♠ as a reasonable choice, to allow for 3N from the Kx club hand if he chooses, but I think 3N is a poor second choice....4♥seems clear to me

[Fluffy]

mikeh, on 2014-April-16, 21:51, said:

Partner should be showing an extra value 6-4 red hand

jallerton and me mentioned why 3♥ can be 5 cards here and there, it seems for you it cannot, what is your trick on those hands?

examples:

♠Qx
♥AQJxx
♦AQxx
♣xx


♠x
♥KQJ9x
♦AJxxx
♣Ax

[Cyberyeti]

Fluffy, on 2014-April-17, 03:20, said:

jallerton and me mentioned why 3♥ can be 5 cards here and there, it seems for you it cannot, what is your trick on those hands?

examples:

♠Qx
♥AQJxx
♦AQxx
♣xx


♠x
♥KQJ9x
♦AJxxx
♣Ax

This is also somewhat system dependent, we play 2♦ as "forcing if you had a real response", this causes some issues in that I probably have to pass 3♦ on the first, so I might rebid a slightly bent 1N to show my 15 points. On the second, as a consequence of the above, I can rebid 3♦ to show this type of hand with 5-5, 2 decent suits and no great hand (the really big hands go through an artificial 2N rebid).

[whereagles]

3♥ should be either 6 cards or reluctance to bid 3NT (in which case the hearts are probably very strong, similar to a 6-carder).

So you can assume pard has 6 hearts.

[HighLow21]

the only choices are 3♠ and 3♠. 3NT seems like giving up. Slam might be there and partner wants to know what you control. Play along.

[MrAce]

HighLow21, on 2014-April-17, 14:10, said:

Slam might be there and partner wants to know what you control. Play along.

Slam ?

I bet you are the only one in this topic who is concerned about slam, while everyone else is trying to find the best place to play game.