[Echognome]

I guess it's been too long since I played standard (i.e. not a strong club) to have a good idea about the strength of certain auctions. To me the auction 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♦ - 2♥ - 2♠ showed reversing or near reversing strength. Of course, it is NF, so that's taking two risks on the same hand.

Can we go back and open a strong club? Ah well, guess not.

[kenberg]

My choice was 3D.

Now about the 3H: I agree pard is not a minimum if he holds three hearts but the reason is not that he would jump to four with a non-minimum but rahter that he would, or at least I would, have simply raised 1H to 2H on round 1.

Anyway, I now bid 3S.


On some hands you primarily try to seek out what partner has, on others you try to show what you have. Once you jump shift, I believe you should then describe the remaining features of your hand as well as possible trusting partner to make the critical decisions. How many hearts does partner have? I don't know. I forced him to bid something and he is doing his best. But I am well on my way to showing him what I have. So far, after my 3S call, I have shown exactly three spades, five or more hearts, four diamonds and a big hand. Miracle of miracles, that's what I have. Partner is unlikely to be confused . This is good.

[cherdano]

I agree with 3D (I can't imagine anything else) and now 3S is obvious. Of course 3S is patterning out, not a cue-bid for hearts.

[HeartA]

3D without second thought.

After pd's 3H, I would bid 3S. Then I would bid 5C at next turn as exclusive RKC.

[mikeh]

FrancesHinden, on Oct 9 2006, 10:16 AM, said:

3S, patterning out. This round of the auction is easy, it's what we do next that's the problem!

Once again, ditto

[Walddk]

I agree with 3♠. Now ....

1♥ - 1♠
3♦ - 3♥
3♠

Consider the following 3 bids from responder:

4♥
4♠
5♠

Would you move over 4♥ and/or 4♠? And how would you interpret 5♠?

---

Let's turn our attention to the 2♦ rebidders (I am one of those I confess).

1♥ - 1♠
2♦ - 3♥
?

What is 3♠, and if natural, would you prefer 4♣, or even 5♣?

Roland

[FrancesHinden]

There's something inconsistent between your two auctions.

In the second auction, after the 2D rebid, responder has invitational 3H bid with 3-card support.

In the first auction, responder has 3-card heart support, invitational values and is opposite a 3541 (roughly) powerhouse, but bids 4H over 3S, which could be done on as little as Qxxx xx Kxx Jxxx?

I don't believe you are giving the same hand opposite in the two auctions!

[Walddk]

FrancesHinden, on Oct 9 2006, 07:59 PM, said:

I don't believe you are giving the same hand opposite in the two auctions!

I am indeed, because I suspect that some would bid 4♥ over 3♠. I am not saying I agree with 4♥ (no reason to reveal responder's hand just yet), but I would like to hear what your approach is over

4♥ or
4♠ or
5♠

Roland

[david_c]

It seems very important to know what 1♥ - 1♠ - 3♦ - 4♥ means. I feel this ought to be a picture jump, and in this sequence the implication is that responder holds a hand too strong to raise directly to 2♥ on the first round. IIRC the actual hand held by responder is absolutely perfect for this bid.

[FrancesHinden]

I am secure in the knowledge that partner will bid 4C with or without a control in clubs to show slam interest if she has good major suit cards and no minor suit control (I've already promised at least second round control with the patterning out).

I've given what I would consider a could be in a 4H bid - as game is poor opposite that, we can give partner quite a few more high cards before we want to be any higher, so it's clear to pass 4H.

4S sounds as if partner is suggesting playing in a 4-3 fit. With 5 spades and 2 hearts partner would have bid 3S over 3D. 4S is not showing any slam interest... it's tempting to bid over it anyway, because partner's spades should be fairly robust but I shall make a disciplined pass. The way I have bid so far, partner cannot possibly have the KQJ of spades and the either red suit King (the HK is too big a card; the DK I'm sure he would have cue bid). She needs all 3 spade honours to want to play in a 4-3 fit in slam.

5S still sounds like a 4-3 fit, but now I'm more interested. I know partner doesn't have the DK. She obviously didn't fancy a random-slam-try 4C, but must have something more than just good spades, so I reckon the only possible card is the HK which she didn't want to cue because I can pass it.

KQJx
Kx
xxxx
xxxx

is enough for slam.

I think I am just good enough to bid 6C, but it's close.

[FrancesHinden]

david_c, on Oct 9 2006, 07:19 PM, said:

It seems very important to know what 1♥ - 1♠ - 3♦ - 4♥ means. I feel this ought to be a picture jump, and in this sequence the implication is that responder holds a hand too strong to raise directly to 2♥ on the first round. IIRC the actual hand held by responder is absolutely perfect for this bid.

The problem is that we may be in a 4-card major world (depending on the pair) wehre partner would tend to respond 1S on hands where Americanites would make a construtive 3-card raise.

[Walddk]

david_c, on Oct 9 2006, 08:19 PM, said:

It seems very important to know what 1♥ - 1♠ - 3♦ - 4♥ means.

I assume that 4♥ over 3♦ would show a desire to let opener declare 4♥ if she has roughly 19-21 with 5 hearts and 4 diamonds. But how would I know? I am not eligible to play in the Lady Milne

Roland

[mike777]

Walddk, on Oct 9 2006, 09:16 AM, said:

If your rebid is 3♦, you will see this:

1♥ - 1♠
3♦ - 3♥
?

3♥ can be a variety of hands with 2 or 3 hearts. If 3, probably not a minimum (else 4♥). How do you proceed from there?

(You may have a feeling that the 2♦ rebidders are in a better position, but try to ignore that).

Roland

1) 3D, I could have so much less, (8hcp) for bidding 2d that with my spade support I must jump to 3D to show this hand. Typical problem when opening on junk.
2) 4c. 3s here would be natural and forcing, game before slam. I am not going to pattern out. I love to pattern out as much as anyone but we got our major suit fit and I need to set trumps and start cuebidding. If I bid 3s and partner bids 4c or 4d I will be unsure what are trumps and how to kickback.

I hate to cue shortness before length but if I bid 4D here partner may think I am just bidding out long D and not agreeing hearts. Over partner's 4H rebid I plan on bidding 4nt(spade cuebid) this will warn partner I got a void somewhere(spades or clubs) because of lack of 4s rkc kickback bid. Tough hand and I may get too high or miss slam.

[pclayton]

Walddk, on Oct 9 2006, 09:52 AM, said:

I agree with 3♠. Now ....

1♥ - 1♠
3♦ - 3♥
3♠

Consider the following 3 bids from responder:

4♥
4♠
5♠

Would you move over 4♥ and/or 4♠? And how would you interpret 5♠?

---

Let's turn our attention to the 2♦ rebidders (I am one of those I confess).

1♥ - 1♠
2♦ - 3♥
?

What is 3♠, and if natural, would you prefer 4♣, or even 5♣?

Roland

A. (After 1♥ - 1♠ - 3♦ - 3♥ - 3♠):

4♥ says: I didn't have a forced preference at 3♥. I have real heart support, but I had a reason to bid 1♠ instead of 2♥ directly, because I have at least invitational values. Perhaps I didn't want to risk a cue bid (over 3♠) because I was concerned about setting trump. Kxxx, Kxx, xxx, Axx looks right.

4♠ says: My spades weren't good enough to rebid over 3♦, and I was taking a forced preference over 3♦. Now that we've found our fit, I'm not interested in anything higher. KTxxx, xx, xxx, Axx.

5♠ says: I have some useful cards, but I want tell you about my hand, instead of taking control. The message is that I have a heart card, and I have good spades, but I can't insist on slam for whatever reason. KQJxx, Kx, xxx, xxx.

I have a side question: After the above auction, what are 4♣ and 4♦? Are they ambiguous, or do they set trump in a certain strain?

B. (After 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♦ - 3♥):

3♠ is just a cue bid. We have our trump fit, and there's no need this high to start hunting for an alternative strain. It is clearly a slam try, and pard needs to cooperate and show a card. It is my choice.

4♣ is a cue. Since I've patterned out, this should be a void or the stiff A.

5♣ is EKCB. I don't think this hand is good for bashing. We need tricks, not controls!

[mike777]

. (After 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♦ - 3♥):

"3♠ is just a cue bid. We have our trump fit, and there's no need this high to start hunting for an alternative strain. It is clearly a slam try, and pard needs to cooperate and show a card. It is my choice."


As we see 3s here can be confusing...many play it as natural, others as cuebid for hearts.....

[mikeh]

After being in complete agreement with Frances through 3♠, I now find myself in slight disagreement. I do not think that partner's 3♥ preference denied 5♠. With KJxxx Kx xxx Jxx, for example, 3♥ is 100% clear over 3♦.

So I take the 4♠ bid as probably 5 cards.

In any event, I agree that 4♠ is to play, as is 4♥.

Especially in 4 card major land, responder may have 3♥ with an indifferent hand. In 5 card major land, the sequence of 1♠ then raising ♥ should show 5=3 with constructive values, but even so, bidding over 4♥ is an insult to partner.

5♠ would for me be a strong slam move, but the problem is to work out the kind of information partner is looking for. I have shown an apparent 3=5=4=1, although I have not denied my actual shape. Partner could have keycarded or have cue-bid: however, maybe partner was unwilling to risk 4♣ without the ♣A and 4♦ would be potentially ambiguous.

I am passing 5♠...I would have bid the same way to this stage with AQx AQJxxx AQxx void... so it is not as if I am heavy for my auction: see how many chose 2♦ rather than 3♦.

[Walddk]

pclayton, on Oct 9 2006, 08:56 PM, said:

5♠ says: I have some useful cards, but I want tell you about my hand, instead of taking control. The message is that I have a heart card, and I have good spades, but I can't insist on slam for whatever reason. KQJxx, Kx, xxx, xxx.

Interesting. You are one card (well, maybe 1½) away from what responder actually held!

Roland

[mike777]

Walddk, on Oct 9 2006, 02:03 PM, said:

pclayton, on Oct 9 2006, 08:56 PM, said:

5♠ says: I have some useful cards, but I want tell you about my hand, instead of taking control. The message is that I have a heart card, and I have good spades, but I can't insist on slam for whatever reason. KQJxx, Kx, xxx, xxx.

Interesting. You are one card (well, maybe 1½) away from what responder actually held!

Roland

With that hand should partner rebid 3s over 3d? Ok, if not how poor can partner's 3s rebid be with only 2H after our jump to 3D?

[Walddk]

mike777, on Oct 9 2006, 09:06 PM, said:

Walddk, on Oct 9 2006, 02:03 PM, said:

pclayton, on Oct 9 2006, 08:56 PM, said:

5♠ says: I have some useful cards, but I want tell you about my hand, instead of taking control. The message is that I have a heart card, and I have good spades, but I can't insist on slam for whatever reason. KQJxx, Kx, xxx, xxx.

Interesting. You are one card (well, maybe 1½) away from what responder actually held!

Roland

With that hand should partner rebid 3s over 3d? Ok, if not how poor can partner's 3s rebid be with only 2H after our jump to 3D?

Responder was 5-3 in the majors.

Roland

[Walddk]

Time to show the 2 hands I suppose:

Scoring: IMP

---

I don't think many would reach top spot: 7♠ (by the way, 7♥ was also on because the diamond finesse worked). However, I wasn't too impressed with the two auctions I saw:

1♥ - 2♥
4♥ - pass

**

1♥ - 1♠
3♥ - 4♥
4♠ - 5♥
pass

In my view, the worst bid of them all was opener's 3♥ rebid at Table 2. Besides, 4♠ doesn't exist after you have bid a non-forcing 3♥. How on earth did she expect partner to figure out why and how she had misbid the hand?

Roland