[kgr]

Scoring: IMP

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How would you open this hand and how do you continue?
At our table the bidding was:
1D-1S
3C-3H
4C-4D
4NT-5D
5H-All Pass
I intended 5♥ as asking for ♦Q, but do I know enough to try for 7 or should I just bid 6...or pass 5♦?
Playing SAYC with an expert partner:
- 3♣ is GF: What is 3♥? Do you think it is 4SF or is it natural? Does it promise more then minimum? Does it deny 3 card ♦ or can it still be 5=4=3=1 or 5=4=4=0 and looking for a fit in the Majors?
- What do you think after 4♦? What do you expect your partner has now?
- Do you agree with the bidding of South?
Remark: After the bidding opps were so nice to ask for redeal, so I don't know the exact North hand. I think it was something like Axxxx=xxxx=Qx=Qx (Maybe some more honour(s) in the Majors). Do you want to be in 6 and do you agree with the bidding?

[luke warm]

i think 3H is a suit
i think 4D is a preference.. i'd expect 2/1 or 3/2 in the minors
i don't like the pass of 5H.. if opener was making a slam try in hearts, he could bid rkc over 3H

a plug for misiry.. 3C=♦ preempt or 2 suiter same rank, 3NT rebid shows this hand, a bid responder could actually pass (4 loser, both minor hand)

[kenberg]

After 3C partner is forced to bid (and to keep bidding) so we should just be expecting him to do his best. There is no reason to think he has anything extra. I imagine with a lot of spades and no fit for either minor, he would just rebid spades. 3H I take to allow you to show some modest spade support if you have it, or to bid 3N if you like, or to show your shape, as you did, by bidding 4C. He presumably has some hearts mostly because if he didn't, he would probably have a more descriptive bid.

After 4C-4D I think diamonds are trump. He doesn't have many, but you have said please choose and he has chosen. I really don't think he can pass 5H unless he wants to take a very deep position. In particular I think 5H does indeed ask about the Q (of trump, ie diamonds). Risky though.

I would not be seeking 7 on the actual hand. Partner agreed to diamonds only after you insisted. He hasn't shown extras. You have some losers to deal with. 6D is plenty high, and 5D may be right. To try for 6, I think that over 4D you could bid 4H (I suppose he will pass, but I really don't think he should), he can bid 4S, you can bid 5D and let him bid 6 if he has anything extra, or maybe 5C over 4S and then accept his decision. He could have some extras somewhere, but he hasn't shown them so let him choose between 5 and 6.

These things are tough for a casual partnership, and maybe you should just make your best guess. But I really think diamonds are trump after the 4D bid. If I had four hearts I would have bid hearts over 1S, and if I had three hearts I would have raised 3H to four (safe, since I cannot have four of them having not bid them earlier).

Ken

[han]

The following is my opinion, but I expect most experts to agree with this:

After 1D-1S-3C, partner should bid 3D a large percentage of the time, even on a doubleton. 3H should be a descriptive bid, which shows spades and hearts and tends to deny diamond tolerance.

It neither denies nor shows serious extras, but it does show serious majors. With Axxxx J10xx xx xx there is no need to introduce hearts, the correct bid is 3D.

[mikeh]

For me, 3♥ is a waiting bid: it allows opener to bid 3N or to own up to ♠ support: it denies as much as Hx in ♦ (that is not to say that 3♦ requires Hx... but with complex hands one might bid 3♥ with xx♦) or a rebiddable ♠ suit: a ♠ suit capable of being the correct trump suit opposite Hx. It also denies 4♣, so while it is not suggesting ♥ as trump (with 5-5 majors or better, responder can rebid 4♥ next and suggest trump that way) it will usually be based on some length. It may be a hand too good for 3N: maybe intending to raise partner's expected 3N.

However one treats it, it was a horrible, horrible bid on the given hand: 3♦ should be automatic.

[P_Marlowe]

3H is FSF (call it waiting bid, if you like),
asking for a heart stopper.
Since 3C was game forcing 3H could
still be minimum.
Does it deny a 3 card diamond suit?
No idea, but fairly likely.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Chamaco]

In my opinion, 3H is a waiting bid, which says little about hearts, but more about diamonds.

3D would be used to show real support for diamonds (at least xxx), suggesting the fit, so that opener might then either show belated spade support, or try 3NT, or investigate game/slam in diamonds.

[hatchett]

I would tend to bid 3♦ if I was unsure about strain, allowing the strong hand to complete its description.

[zasanya]

Why not open the hand 2♣?(21 points 4 loser hand with 5 quick defensive tricks)
Can make game opposite many hands which may pass 1♦ and 2♣ opening will discourage some opponents from overcalling. and I wish we were playing precision

[whereagles]

zasanya, on Apr 4 2006, 07:08 AM, said:

Why not open the hand 2♣?

Shhhh... be quiet ... around here people don't allow 2♣ openings on two-suited hands