[tysen2k]

According to Lawrence's 2/1, a jump now to 3♥ should show specifically 5-5 with good suits. That seems like a good start. The continuations aren't that pretty if partner doesn't support though. I'll try 4♠ over a 3NT or 4♣ rebid by partner.

Tysen

[Al_U_Card]

Seems to me that there are more potential grannies here than at an old folks home.....lol I guess the 3S bid would show the solid suit but will rip up your bidding space. 2H seems reasonable (esp. when pard shows the S preference) If he just keeps bidding C then we will pattern out and q-bid to the appropriate slam.

[flytoox]

If 3H shows good two suiters, I will bid it. otherwise, i will just bid a simple 2H,

[Al_U_Card]

I think that the worst (point of view of utility) hand that he could have for us is like
-JxKxxxAKQxxxx. How to find the brakes at the 5 level.......

[cherdano]

4♣ Gerber, wtp?

[pclayton]

I kibbed this last night. I thought your pard's follow-ups were a bit 'redundant'.

I'd start with 2♥ and see if I catch a raise. You can always roll out BW later with the boss suit.

By the way, 3♥ with every single one of my pard's is a splinter raise of clubs.

If pard has 4 hearts, you probably want to be in hearts instead, since a heart ruff might be a threat to 6♠.

But....its a double-edged sword. By bidding hearts, you increase the chance they will find the heart lead from A-4th looking for the ruff.

So - no strong feelings here.

[mike777]

3S 100%

Picture bidding per Al Roth, rip up and consume that space.
At the time I thought most/many would disagree with the bid at the table.

BTW hard to see playing this hand in any suit outside of spades.

[Winstonm]

I think the start here must be to show the solid spades - so 3S. When I start keycarding I want to know aces, not club King. Over partner's next bid I will pull out our ace-asking bid. If pard shows 2, I will bid 6H, thinking partner will understand the choice. If he shows 3, I bid 7H, once again assuming he will understand this ain't splinter.

Winston

[han]

Also Gerber for me.

[mikeh]

2♥ for me. For one thing, I prefer to use 3♥ as a splinter. For another, I hate destroying my own bidding space.

So 2♥.

I admit that this may create a problem later, but it may also help... so much depends on partner's next bid.

I don't like 3♠ because it sets trump (for me), and now I can almost never find out what I need to know about the majors.

I do have some ♥ cards to deal with in ♠, unless his minors provide sufficient discards, and how can I find out about that by setting trump? If I bid 3♠, nothing he bids can be an effort to find another trump suit, so we are into control bidding, not source of trick bidding.

I am obviously going to keep on bidding with this hand for quite a while, so why not see what partner is able to say in an unforced, unconstrained, unlimited sequence?

As for my plan: well, that depends on what he bids, and the possibilities are varied: he may bid 2♠, 2N, 3♣, 3♥, or a variety of less-likely calls and my followups are not uniform

[FrancesHinden]

2H. See what happens next.
There are three things I don't like about 3S.

First, it is basically taking control so to my mind it is rather a mis-description, as you don't know at what level or what denomination you want to play. Partner won't know how important the HJ is compared to the DJ.

Second, you could easily want to play in hearts. If partner has 4-card heart support missing the ace then spades may concede a heart ruff, while hearts is less likely to concede a spade ruff.

Third, if you were to catch 4-card heart support the auction is easy, as if partner has the miracle 3 aces you can count 13 top tricks knowing the hearts will run; if he has two aces you are happy to be in 6H even missing the HJ.

If 3H shows a strong 5-5 then you'd better bid it now or you never will, but I'd think it was a splinter.

[mcphee]

I strongly prefer 2H and dislike jumping to show a 5-5 when a splinter is more useful information to partners, besides eating my own space when I have a slam going hand does not strike me as wise. I just fail to see how a simple 2H bid is going to harm me in any way.

I also agree that 3S sets S as the place to play and while this might be the case I have no fears what so ever.

How 4C can be gerber over partners 2C response will remain in the mystery group for me forever. 4C as Gerber would really get Roth in his grave fast!

[luke warm]

cherdano, on Jan 24 2006, 12:13 PM, said:

4♣ Gerber, wtp?

eh?

Hannie said:

Also Gerber for me.

eh?

jlall said:

I chose gerber at the table. It worked well, partner somehow didn't know it was gerber but her cuebid showed the right number of aces so we were ok.

what the hell is going on? am i in the twilight zone?

[han]

If I had not discussed Gerber in this auction then I wouldn't bid it. In that case 2♥ seems best, 3♥ does not show this hand and 3♠ is masterminding.

[inquiry]

Hannie, on Jan 24 2006, 02:18 PM, said:

If I had not discussed Gerber in this auction then I wouldn't bid it. In that case 2♥ seems best, 3♥ does not show this hand and 3♠ is masterminding.

I am confused.. if 3♥ does not show this hand (I assume if you played 3♥ as splinter you would have said 3♥ is splinter), what hand would 3♥ show?

I think the options (after opening 1♠) are 3♠ (self-supporting suit) or 3♥ showing at least 5-5 in majors and strong hand. The advantage of 3♠ is your partner will be able to visualize the trick taking potential in your hand. The advantage of 3H is you might find your second fit. I think at the table I would go 3♠... these spades are just too good to ignore, although I very much like Frances point about bidding hearts so partner can evaulate the heart jack.

Of course, who in their right mind would open 1♠... don't you guys recongnize a true 2NT opener (6-5, 3 losers) when you see one. I can imagine a quick auction...

2N-3C-3S where 3S shows major two suiter, 3 losers, at least one of which is in clubs. Not sure where the auction is going after that, also not sure partner will bid ony 3♣... :-)

[luis]

Somebody delete this thread please!!!
Somebody delete it!

Lock it,hide it, destroy it, do something!!! Now!!! please!!!!

[inquiry]

luis, on Jan 24 2006, 03:00 PM, said:

Somebody delete this thread please!!!
Somebody delete it!

Lock it,hide it, destroy it, do something!!! Now!!! please!!!!

Lol.... Don't worry.. i will not inflict any more misery, er misiry, on it... :-)

[dogsbreath]

hi..
Shame it's 6-5 rather than 5-6 ..

.. in which case we coud have used Flannery and Gerber on the same board

Rgds Dog (feeling better yet Luis?)