[Fluffy]

The blame here is for the light 3♥ overcall. Its true that with another ace 5♥ woudl still go down though.

[MickyB]

It wouldn't have occured to me to bid anything other than 3♥ on my partner's hand.

[Kalvan14]

No profit in being result merchants. 4♠ might have made, same as 5♥.
I'm more surprised hearing that in the other room they went up to 5♠

BTW, pard's 3♥ is fine with me: 4♥ shows a much stronger hand, and pass...well no comment on "pass"

[whereagles]

MickyB, on Mar 30 2006, 10:21 PM, said:

It wouldn't have occured to me to bid anything other than 3♥ on my partner's hand.

You could try

(2♠) 3♠

if you had agreed it shows a solid suit and asks for a stopper. Then South could bid 4NT over 4♠(!) Now opps cash AK of spades and continue with a 3rd spade and you make it!!!! LOLOLOL

[Codo]

MickyB, on Mar 31 2006, 02:52 AM, said:

Scoring: IMP

I took the push to 5♥, hating it -
I think I would have doubled if West had shown only 5-4.
East doubled for 1 off, 5♠ was 2 off at the other table.

---

Your hands exactly shows, why you should take the insurance and bid 5 ♥.
Give E a doubleton H or just one High spade Honour. The bidding had been the same and they had made it.
Too many ways to loose a double swing.

[whereagles]

Codo, on Mar 31 2006, 11:04 AM, said:

Your hands exactly shows, why you should take the insurance and bid 5 ♥.

I don't agree. It's true that 4♠ makes on some days, but it's also true actual pard's hand is quite low on the defensive potential. A more common hand type will be ♥AK 6th and 1-2 side tricks. Opposite that hand 5♥ rates to be an uphill battle when 4♠ is a heavy candidate to go down.

[Blofeld]

I was doubling, but I think I'd expect partner to bid 5♥ on his hand.

[mike777]

MickyB, on Mar 30 2006, 07:14 AM, said:

Playing in a pick-up partnership with a US star, against a top Israeli pair -

Scoring: IMP

2♠-3♥-4♠-?

2♠ shows a weak 5-5.

---

As a side note, at the table are we entitled to a fuller explanation of what 2spades shows or was this sufficient?

I ask since the other night this came up and the opp opened 2s with the same explanation:
AKxxx ...x...xx....Axxxx
which is a far cry from this hand.

It just seems to me the partnership sometimes understands what weak 5-5 means more than the opponents will which would make our 5 level decisions less informed but ok.

[Codo]

whereagles, on Mar 31 2006, 08:08 PM, said:

Codo, on Mar 31 2006, 11:04 AM, said:

Your hands exactly shows, why you should take the insurance and bid 5 ♥.

I don't agree. It's true that 4♠ makes on some days, but it's also true actual pard's hand is quite low on the defensive potential. A more common hand type will be ♥AK 6th and 1-2 side tricks. Opposite that hand 5♥ rates to be an uphill battle when 4♠ is a heavy candidate to go down.

If you give pd two side tricks, he makes 5 Heart easily. If you give him just one, the ace of Diamond, he still makes it after normal defence. So thanks for your support of my opinion, even if your first words did not sound like support to me.

[whereagles]

Codo, on Mar 31 2006, 02:09 PM, said:

If you give pd two side tricks, he makes 5 Heart easily. If you give him just one, the ace of Diamond, he still makes it after normal defence. So thanks for your support of my opinion, even if your first words did not sound like support to me.

no prob. If you wanna play 5♥ opposite

xx
AKJxxx
Ax
xxx

go ahead.

[ArcLight]

Does East really have the kind of hand that wants to rais eto the 4 level?
The double fit in diamonds worked out great, but if it was a misfit it would have been bloody.

Is this type of raise common?

[the saint]

I can't ever see myself passing with your hand. The big problem is you cannot diagnose if the minors are fitting as well. If they are then both sides may well make at the 5-level. If not then game may be too high for both.

Bidding 5H has so many more upsides than doubling. It can make, it can be a cheap save, opps can bid on to a non-making spot.

I'd like 5C if partner was going to understand it. If I had the opportunity to bid 4C I probably wouldn't have hesitated to do so, but game bids have a habit of being passed.