[han]

I must congratulate Gerben on a well chosen title, lots of confusion proves to exist in this area.

I'm also in the "bid what you have" camp... at least I try to be.

[luke warm]

kenrexford, on Feb 7 2006, 10:17 AM, said:

If you want to keep spades as the focus, no matter what, then do not bid 2H. If you want hearts to be the focus IF Opener has four-card support (but not three), then bid 2m and raise 2H from Opener.

with 3/5 in the majors, how can you possible know what the focus should be? is bidding a 3 card minor in lieu of the 5 card major likely to help?

honestly, that's the first time i've ever heard anyone recommending *not* bidding a 5 card heart suit with a game force hand, holding 3 spades and partner opening 1S... there's no way to know which major is the better trump suit, even (especially) when both are 5/3... you seem to be saying that with a 3532 game force hand you'd not respond 2h to 1s, because a later bid of 3s would be a cue and deny 3 cards.. i can't agree with that "logic"

[kenrexford]

I must concede that Justin is right as to my tone. I apologize for the manner of presentation and for the attitude shown. I realize that perhaps my views are not mainstream and therefore not indicative of supreme knowledge and wisdom.

I undoubtedly lost you and perhaps others by advocating theory with blinding sarcasm. Maybe I should try again, with a better tone.

It is entirely accurate that 3532 or 3523 presents a strange "problem" when partner opens 1S. Bridge is oriented toward major fits, and suddenly two major fits presentthemselves as possible, the known and the possible. If one starts the auction with 2H, several realities play out.

First, no fit can be established below 3H. Partner will either raise hearts (3H) or rebid something else, the latter forcing a spade preference at 3S. This obstructs cuebidding, but it also obstructs pattern bidding, if that is your style.

Second, if Opener raises hearts, bidding 3S to show a useful spade card seems vastly more important than showing three-card support. It seems like finding missing honors is usually more important than finding three-card support, especially is that support might be xxx as plausibly as AKJ.

Third, 1S-2H-3H creates a problem for Responder, who cannot set trumps in anything but hearts. Even if 3S reverts trumps back to spades, Responder could have predicted this problem at 2H. Thus, the auction is pre-determined to one major or the other at the point of the 2H call.

Fourth, the raise to 3H says nothing about heart length, except 3+. Thus, the act of bidding 2H reduces the chances for Responder to know the length of the heart fit. Granted, partner may know, but partner will not decide the trump suit in this auction.

With all of these issues, bidding 2H seems to commit, in a sense, to Responder taking charge of the auction, at a higher level, with insufficient information. Bidding the three-card minor, however, seems to be sound tactics, when spades is pre-determined to be the fit, for three main reasons.

First, it increases the odds of the ultimate decision-maker (Responder) of knowing that Opener HAS four-card support. Hence, there is useful information exchange for changing partnership direction.

Second, the minor call increases the chances of establishing fit and strength at the two-level.

Third, ambiguity between partners as to strain is eliminated.

The only problem with this approach seems to be pattern distortion. However, this objection is illusory. Pattern is only distorted if the partnership rules out the possibility of bidding a minor on 3532 or 3523 pattern. If not, then pattern is not distorted. It is no more distorted than is a minor opening on three cards with two four-card majors a distortion. Theory often calls for bidding shorter suits over longer suits. How many would bid a two-card minor after a forcing NT when 4522, to avoid a reverse? Would not partner expect that you might be 4522?

Many might find this position akin to masterminding. Thethought might be that not describing your hand removes partner from the equation and reduces him to a puppet. This is far from the purpose. As I tried to point out, any auction starting 1S-P-2H requires Responder to pick strain, if hearts are raised. Preparing for that decision by deciding immediately is not masterminding. Far from this, the mastermind usually wants to declare also. This type of bidding ensures that partner declares, whether in spades or in a re-emerging heart contract on a 5-4 fit. The purpose is to facilitate unambiguous partnership discussion at a lower level.