[temp3600]

You hold Jx Q98xx AJ9 ATx, Red vs White in third seat at IMPs, and the bidding goes
1H - (1S) - 2S - (4S)
p - (p) - ?

2S showed a game forcing hand ("it's our hand") with 4+ hearts. Partner's pass is forcing and has the standard meaning, that is no clear preference for either offense or defense, or about to make a strong slam try.

What do you bid ?

Thanks,
Michael

[mike777]

x
I like our chances if partner opens on 3QT .

[Kalvan14]

X. The 2 spades are ominous. If they make, I'm going to chew up the 2 minor aces

[adhoc3]

Hi, all

What does Pard has to make a forcing pass? He has no enough control in H/D/C, should have bid double to suggest defence. I guess pard is telling me that he has only 1 losser (at most) in Spade, and Kings in minors. The pass slightly suggest slam (in considering he has few Aces). I dont think pard will bid forcing pass with: xx AKJxx Kxx Kxx. I believe we can stand at level 5.

I will bid 5C -- hope this is pard's 2nd suit, if pard bid 5D, I will still back to 5H. He will know I'm trying test slam with limited strength. With void Spade, or 55 shape, he will jump to 6.

Worth to try.

Regards,

Jack

[HeartA]

5H for me.

[whereagles]

I would try 5♥. This will be wrong if pard has a doubleton spade, but in that case he might have doubled 4♠.

[inquiry]

I like my minor jack and ten, I don't like my two spades, the aces neihter favor offense nor defense. I agree that the heart queen and fifth heart looks offensive, the rest of the hand and shape does nothing for the offensive to defensive ration. So double seems right.

[mcphee]

I can't see partner passing with 2 S and no aces in the minor suits. The lack of aces suggests to me if I double he is not going to pull suggesting a slam.

I'm a bidder, if we go down I can always say "pard, how can you let me make these decisions when I am often wrong"?

[Al_U_Card]

A toughie. Those minor suit aces hold a lot of promise both ways. If 5H was a clear question about spade losers it would be nice but I like the 2 way shot for making 5H as we have trick source potentials in either or both of the minor suits.

I gather that pard's pulling of your double (defend!) is a clear show of offensive potential but he may not appreciate the offensive value of his Kxxx(x) or KQx(x) in a minor. So 5H it is for me.

[pclayton]

Interesting problem. At first I wanted to double, but then I started to consider some of the hand types pard rates to have.

With a minimum offensive hand and spade shortness, pard will to take the push. With a minimum defensive hand, pard will double.

If pard has the "I don't know what to do" hand, it should not be a minimum and makes a forcing pass. I would expect at least a King better than minimum for this call.

Last - if pard is in the pass/pull mode, we will hear about it whatever we do.

Thinking about pard's possible hands:

1. x, AKxxx, Kxxx, Kxx would be a minimum for me. 5♥ looks excellent vs a likely 300 vs. 4♠

2. x, AJxxx, KQx, KQxx seems to be prototypical. 5 is gin.

Of the big forcing pass types, I would expect variations of: void, AKxxxx, KQxx, QJx - 6 is cold, 7 in on a hook.

So I'm a bidder. To me, here's the real question. Does a cue bid by me suggest a slam interest, or is it just a courtesy in case pard is slamming? Is 4N by either of us key card (I would suggest yes, but I'm not as confident as responder).

5♣ or 5♥ depending on the above.

[temp3600]

Thank you for your replies !

Here's the full hand :

Scoring: IMP

---

I had the North hand and doubled for +100, which is probably a little unlucky. I'd expect +300 on the average. However, 5H is a very good contract, in spite of partner's fairly non-impressive hand.

I think pclayton's post is spot on, and I'm now convinced it is right to bid 5H.