[fred]

Everyone seems to hate 1S, but I kind of like it. Not sure I can explain why, except that experience suggests that bids like this work well. DBL would be my 2nd choice. I don't like 4S - it might be necessary to make a unilateral decision later in the auction but it isn't necessary now.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

[Winstonm]

Quote

With all the minor suit honors, there's no reason to think that if we bid 4♠ that it will proceed pass - pass - pass. Maybe we'll make and maybe we won't.

We'll get to 4♠ as well if we start with a double, except we will know if we make when we bid it.

With such a powerful suit and this much HCP concentrated in one hand, there is no reason to believe that the auction will go anything other than 4S P-P-P. The only question is do we want to bid 4S.

If partner shows up with zero HCP and 3 spades, stopping 4H will be dependent on the location of the club Ace at best ( if a spade void is around 4H could be icy). If we use some kind of expectency and make the assumption that opener holds on average a 12-count, then LHO and partner are expected to hold 5 hcp each - not enough to matter one way or the other as to penalty doubles.

The argument for X with this hand is viable but overstated, IMO - first, RHO may easily have opened a 4-card suit in 3rd seat and partner could pass 1H doubled on Q109xx. Our lack of Aces and other quick tricks makes 1H X'd a likely poor result.

The second claim is that double will lead us to "know" when we can make 4S and when we can't - I argue that is not possible. Suppose the auction proceeds:

1H-X-P-2C
P-2S/3S-P-?

How is partner to know that xx, Kxx, Jxxx, Qxx isn't enough to bid game? (3N is not cold even on these cards)

Suppose he held: xxx, xxx, AJxxx, xx. Surely he would get us to game and again the position of the club Ace determines if we make or not.

Only when partner has the right hand or the right extra values will we reach a makeable game - so to argue that we are more likely to to so by going the slow root verses the fast root is not a valid argument IMO.

[mr1303]

My style is to bid 4S on these hands. However, I don't often have much success. Not that 4S is a bad result, but usually that they bid 5H and partner bids 5S, which of course goes off.

[mike777]

4S

I am suppose to assume 6 useful hcp in partner's hand yes?

[Robert]

Hi everyone

People who pass 1H doubled with Q109xx 'in front' of the Heart opener will not be playing with me again 'unless' there is a great deal of money involved.

I like to walk the dog. It is very unlikely that 1S will be passed out. Don't the other pair play negative doubles? They might even play weak jump raises. I often raise partner to 2Hs with a total of 6+ dummy points. They might even play weak jump shifts or fit-showing bids in competition.

Partner should expect a very good hand from me if the bidding goes, (1H)-1S-p-p-something-3S. I will not expect much in the way of trump support and you really should raise me to four with an Ace 'or' a combination of possible/likely 'one trick
playing' value.

Is only the other pair capable of finding a fit or showing values in this auction. Perhaps partner will show some signs of life?

Kaplan would have overcalled 1S is my guess. Fred seems to also like that idea. My style for many years was to overcall will some very decent hands, maybe it is not such a bad idea after all?

Regards,
Robert

[HeartA]

Jlall, on Nov 10 2006, 12:47 PM, said:

You pick up AKQJxxx Jx KQ Kx. white/white at imps it goes p p 1H to you. Opps are the type who might open light. What is your plan?

Since my LHO opened, my CK could be wasted, Besides, my DKQ doubleton doesn't look good. But still, I have 19 HCP and 8 playing tricks, I would double anyway.

[awm]

Actually this particular hand was pretty interesting. Take a look at the opponents hands:

---

At my table, playing against Justin, 1♥ was opened and he doubled. I was opener's partner, and with no clear bid I passed.

Now Justin's partner bid 2♦, my partner bid 2♥, and Justin bid 3♠. Again I have no clear call. The 2♥ bid seemed fairly normal on partner's cards, but it doesn't promise a great hand. And of course I have no real heart fit and an ace, with Justin showing a huge hand. I passed again, Justin's partner raised to 4♠ and they played there, going down.

At the other table, Justin's hand bid 4♠. Now opener decided to balance with a double (perhaps aggressive but not unreasonable) and my hand bid 4NT for minors. Opener picked clubs, and the player with Justin's hand did well not to double since 5♣ was making.

Strange that the cheaper call (double) kept us from finding our club fit whereas the "more preemptive call that makes us guess" (4♠) actually allowed the club fit to be found.

[brianshark]

I hate 4♠, so so much. Punts have their place, but this one is done for all the wrong reasons.

The 2 reasons you take up loads of bidding space by pre-empting or punting are:
1. If you can't find out scientifically whether game makes, but the odds favour it, then punt it.
2. If opps 'own the hand' and you want to take away their bidding space, then you pre-empt and force them to guess.

Now look at this situation (in post 1):

Sitting with your stack of points, and defensive values, it's a fair assumption that your partnership 'own the hand'. If you jump to 4!s, you are doing the opps work for them... you are forcing yourself to guess (between partial, game or slam / or between declaring or defending over a sac) without them having to lift a finger.

By way of analogy: Consider if you are in 1st seat with 17 pts and 6 good spades... the odds are that 4S is the best contract, probabilistically. But you don't just punt 4!s with that "just in case opps find a good sac or learn what to lead" and the like, you are likely to own the hand so you bid slowly, preserve bidding space, and find the optimal spot... and hope the opps don't get in your way as they will do the opposite.

You definately don't want to pre-empt your partner, as he could be broke, or have enough for slam and there is a fairly easy way to find out. Plus, you want to find out about his hand to make the "bid on or double their sacrafice" decision... or better yet, describe your hand and let him make the call.

I will involve partner in this auction by doubling then bidding 3♠. I also have respect for 3♥ if it asks for a stopper for 3NT in your methods. In fact, I almost think it's better now that I think about it more.