[mike777]

Scoring: IMP

---

1S=P=1NT=4H
P=P=X=P
4S=P=5C=P
??

1) Do you agree with your bidding so far?
2) What do you bid now?

Assume 1nt is forcing 2/1 style.

[inquiry]

4!S? Never, ever. Partner wants me to choose a minor, or perhpas rebid a great spade suit. This is a good spade suit, but no way partner has three spades here, and on this auction, I don't want to be in 5-2 fit.

So the question is do I show my better minor (I have strong preference for clubs), or do I push the buck back to partner with 4NT? In clubs or diamonds, I don't really think there is an advantage to my being declarer (there rarely is,,, i play with better players so let them play the hand!!!)... so 4NT pick a suit looks about right.

On this auction, you got me. Partner asked me to pick, I picked spades, he said, no way, pick again. Is there a clue between his 5♣ and a 4NT pick a suit? Probably that his clubs are better, but since I am looking at four diamnods this is not encouraging news. I will pass 5 clbus.

[mikeh]

I also would bid 4N, not 4♠.

After partner pulls, virtually assuring us of at most a stiff ♠ opposite, the question is slam. Not grand: I have no assurance that grand has any play even opposite a max: x xx AJxx AQxxxx: sure, it has a play, but after the 4♥ bid, I would rate it as less than 50%. And why should partner not hold void Kxx Qxxx AQxxxx or the like. Even if we escape a ♦ lead, we need partner to hold short enough ♦ and ♠ that he can pitch most of his losers.

I pass 5♣: and I suspect that I am back to where I would have been had I bid 4N.

BTW, an interesting point about this auction is one that may escape many players.

Assume that you hold x J1098xx KQx xxx

Partner opens 1♠ and you make your forcing 1N bid only to hear a surprising 4♥ on your left. Partner passes to you. Your call?

The correct answer is pass. Yes, your LHO with xx AKQxxxx AJxx void has made a mistake, but you cannot punish him for it. Partner will/should pull with the posted hand and now what?

I suspect that most players would double

The rationale is frequency. You are far more likely to hold a decent 2=3=4=4 or 1=3=4=5 with say xx Qxx AJxx KJxx and now you need the double to announce cards, giving partner options. BTW, Ben, one of those options, and the one that will most often be selected, is, imho, Pass. Had partner wanted to insist on a minor, he would bid 4N, not double.

[dcvetkov]

yes, I dont agree with 4 spade bid too.

Just out of curiocity, what is partner double in this auction? Card showing, desire to compete on 5 level, or penalty? Is it possible he is loaded with hearts and wants a penalty? He also has 4NT bid available for minor suit takeout, does he not?

If partner has a lot of wastage in hearts, even 5 level will be too high, let alone slam and we may well turn some small plus into a minus.

[han]

mikeh, on Dec 13 2005, 04:02 PM, said:

I suspect that most players would double

That depends on how you count Mike.


I agree with all that has been said so far.

[bearmum]

mike777, on Dec 14 2005, 08:34 AM, said:

Dealer: South Vul: None Scoring: IMP

♠ AKQ75 ♥   ♦ T953 ♣ KJ73

1S=P=1NT=4H
P=P=X=P
4S=P=5C=P
??

1) Do you agree with your bidding so far?
2) What do you bid now?

Assume 1nt is forcing 2/1 style.

As I said in other thread I WOULD have passed 4♥X -- BUT if I really have to bid again I will but 4NT (pick a minor P ) not 4♠ NOW I will pass 5♣

[000002]

PASS partner‘S 4H-X Please

and pass 5♣ now

[Kalvan14]

bearmum, on Dec 13 2005, 06:47 PM, said:

mike777, on Dec 14 2005, 08:34 AM, said:

<!-- ONEHAND begin --><table border='1'> <tr> <td> <table> <tr> <td> Dealer: </td> <td> South </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Vul: </td> <td> None </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Scoring: </td> <td> IMP </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td> <table> <tr> <th> <span class='spades'> ♠ </span> </th> <td> AKQ75 </td> </tr> <tr> <th> <span class='hearts'> ♥ </span> </th> <td>  </td> </tr> <tr> <th> <span class='diamonds'> ♦ </span> </th> <td> T953 </td> </tr> <tr> <th> <span class='clubs'> ♣ </span> </th> <td> KJ73 </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td>  </td> </tr> </table><!-- ONEHAND end -->

1S=P=1NT=4H
P=P=X=P
4S=P=5C=P
??

1) Do you agree with your bidding so far?
2) What do you bid now?

Assume 1nt is forcing 2/1 style.

As I said in other thread I WOULD have passed 4♥X -- BUT if I really have to bid again I will but 4NT (pick a minor P ) not 4♠ NOW I will pass 5♣

Exactly my position.
Why should N double as take-out? I assume he has no fit in spades; with both minors 4n would have been clear.

Anyway, pass, pass, pass.

[arrows]

I couldn't understand 4♠ either.

partner could have bid 4S, 4NT, 5 of a minor, and pass
but s/he doubled, and how could one pull this out when one's
longest suit only has 5 cards?

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

I would have passed 4HX.

Partner should have the bal.
NT with 10-12 / 13-15 (?!).

And he has no fit.

With kind regards
Marlowe

PS: I think dreams about slam are quite
unrealistic, because you need partner to
hold fairly specifc card.

[Fluffy]

I'll bid 5♥ ,everythign is so crazy that noone can blame me for that bid

[pclayton]

Wow - I have to admit I wouldn't pull this double with a non-fitting 5-0-4-4 but I'm willing to listen to others.

This double is NOT takeout. Whether its penalty or cooperative is a matter of opinion. And if pard was really interested in our opinion about a minor, he'd bid 4N.

Pard doesn't have a spade fit so 4♠ is out; especially with this hand getting tapped at T1.

I think pard's mostly likely shapes are 1=4=4=4 and 1=3-5?-4?. Just from a total tricks perspective it seems wrong to venture for 11 tricks here.

Once we trot out 4♠ in the actual auction, it seems pard is 1=3=4=5 or so. This hand has really grown in size and its hard to imagine this auction without a diamond control across the table. But I'll just content myself with 6♣. 5♥ is reaching for moonbeams.

[Al_U_Card]

Hope you know your pard on this one.....that's the 2 edged sword of the forcing NT....Sayc gets a 2C response with the "magic" hand previously shown so what might pard have for his double? Not spades for sure....4S or 5H being available for that. A great minor 2 suiter? 4NT or 5NT covers that one.....A nice long minor? gee 5 m looks like the bid there so I go with pard has some nice 8-10 hcp with 4 or even 5 H and wants to punish the impudence of the opps.......

[flytoox]

Dbl has to be for penalty. If pd wants you to pick a minor, he should bid 4N over 4H, as 4N after 1N would be an impossible bid, hence must be artificial. What do you want pd do if he has sth like xx, QJT9, AKxx,xxx? Pass?

4S is really a horrible horrible bid. If you want pd bid, dbl 4H, pd will either pass or choose a minor.

[mike777]

---

[Fluffy]

At double dummy is obvious, but would you make 7♣ on ♦K lead?, going down when you would had made if you didn't had 'extra strrenght' is always embarrassing

[Kalvan14]

E should assume a 9 cards fit in hearts for NS. There is not a certainty of fit in clubs (W can have 6 spades and 4 diamonds quite easily), but IMHO doubling 4 ♥ is a strange choice (4♥X makes on this layout, or it might go 4♠-5♣-5♦).
I'd have bid 5♣ (and now W might think about slam - a small one )