[Al_U_Card]

Scoring: IMP

p-1♠-2♣-2♥
???

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Do you have any options on this hand?

[luis]

3♦, fit non-jump. Showing a fit to the 4 level in clubs a diamond suit, suggests a good lead and keeps 3NT or 5♣ in the picture.

Luis

[cherdano]

I bid 5♣ if 2♥ was forcing, but would bid 3♦ if it was NFB.

Arend

[Al_U_Card]

As a 7 loser hand for clubs, what about a major suit q-bid? Since they are likely to have a H fit, which major is safer for the q-bid?

[Walddk]

Jlall, on Jan 20 2006, 04:20 PM, said:

5C and I don't see why I would bid anything else.

I am surprised that luis, the one who is always preempting the opponents, doesn't do so here white/red with 3 major suit cards and 5-5 shape.

BTW as usual I am not willing to accept that 3D shows a club fit.

I don't disagree with 5♣, but it surprises me that Justin would not take 3♦ as a fit-bid by a passed hand. Which passed hand that didn't open 2♦ or 3♦ would bid a natural 3♦ now without a club safety net if partner has a misfit?

Roland

[Echognome]

I was debating between 4♦ fit jump and 5♣. I felt 4♦ lets partner make an intelligent decision whether to sacrifice. It also suggests a lead that might be critical if the opponents get to slam. However, any number of diamonds also lets the opponents make a more informed decision. I think blasting to 5♣ makes their life much tougher. It takes away any keycarding and limits their space severely.

[whereagles]

5♣ seems obvious... a fit-bid here is a technical error because you don't fit-bid on broken suits, especially if they're headed by a neutral holding such as an ace.

[Al_U_Card]

Scoring: IMP

p-1♠-2♣-2♥
5♣-p - p - 5♥
p - p - ???

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You heard the auction, pass or dbl or bid?

[mcphee]

While bidding 3D shows some C support I go the way of 5C the bid I expect to give me most help to our side. I only see bidding D as giving more help to the opps than to partner. I feel if he holds a stiff D that is the lead he will likely make to a 5 level contract anyway.

[Walddk]

Al_U_Card, on Jan 20 2006, 05:15 PM, said:

Scoring: IMP

p-1♠-2♣-2♥
5♣-p - p - 5♥
p - p - ???

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You heard the auction, pass or dbl or bid?

Double before partner gets strange ideas about "saving". I'll lead ♦K and take as much as I can against 5♥. I can't rule out that on some miraculous layout 5♥ is a make, but I doubt it.

Roland

[pclayton]

4♦ fitted.

I want pard to make an intelligent decision at the 6 level. We are always going to 5♣ on this hand.

I like a direct 6♣ too. Hopefully we have a negative or positive slam double in our arsenal.

[MickyB]

I'm a 5♣ bidder - I hate a fit bid on an ace-empty suit, pard is meant to think Qxx is a sign to bid on, although it is better than making a natural game-try in a similar suit. Are we red or green vul? At red I wouldn't have overcalled, but on this auction I'll double 5♥.

[Winstonm]

My first instict was to bid 4C to let partner judge whether or not to save but on further review there seems a strong case to take away the 4-level so that the probable double-double major fits must be found at the 5-level - however, this can still be a phantom save and isn't guaranteed to be right.

I hate to save without a known double fit and when I have some kind of defensive prospects so I'm sticking with my original plan and bidding 4C. After all, RHO's free 2H doesn't promise the world and partner did make a 2/1 overcall. There just isn't enough of a guarantee for me that this is the opps hand and game will make.

Winston

[kenrexford]

If 3D is not a fit bid (which I would use), then at least do partner the dignity of a 4NT call. This "should" be a raise to 5C without ability to handle an underlead of the Ace of clubs, a "Leaping Unusual Reverse Rosenkranz 4NT" call.

[Free]

5♣: preempt your opps, don't give the show away to opps by bidding 3♦...

[Kalvan14]

I like the suggestion of 4NT, which would combine the best of everything (pre-emption and indication of diamond holding, without committing to a broken suit).

On the other side of the table, 5♥ presents a tough problem, which obviously depends on the kind of oppos you're facing (and I'd like to know at least if 2♥ is forcing or not). 5♥ is a funny bid in this auction: oppos should have something like 20 HCP. Give the guy a good heart suit (7 or 8 cards), and you start wondering why he did not bid 4♥ immediately. Maybe because 4♥ would be understood as a splinter supporting spades (horrible treatment in a competitive auction), but I think that the only explanation is that the ♥ bidder has some fit inspades. If we assume 10 cards (or 11) in the majors, 5♥ makes more sense. If pard had bid 4NT, I think we should go for 6♣: maybe we have been suckered, but 5♥ can make. Strangely, I'm less convinced to go for 6♣ over 5♣ by pard. Now oppos might have more points and controls 9including the diamond ace), and 5♥ might go down. Still, the safer bid would be 6♣ at IMPS; at MP, it is much more debatable.

[benlessard]

w vs r bidding anything else then 5c or 4nt is a big mistake. Even if 2h is nfb. the cost of letting opps make a 3 or 4 level bid is more costly then the chance of missing a slam (wich is quite slim btw).

the only positive argument i see for bidding 3d,4d is if they bid a 5M confidently now maybe it will help my partner take a cheap save or X. but save over game at the 6level are not my cup of tea.

Ben