[awm]

I'd have bid with this hand. Partner should have decent cards over there, and we could easily have a game in any strain but hearts. Passing is only right if partner is very minimum for the 3♠ call, and even then game has some play opposite some minimums like:

KQTxxx xx Axx Kx

AQxxxx x Axx Kxx

If I'm bidding 4♣ seems like the call.

[mikeh]

I bid here: too much downside to the pass. Question is what?

4♣ seems ok if partner is on the same wavelength, but should he be playing me for a hand like this, with no true ♠ support, or should he be playing me for a better supporting hand, with slam interest opposite a heavy 3♠. Say Jxxx xxx Kx AQJx: where slam is good opposite AKxxxx x Axx Kxx?

My choice is 4♠, knowing that I may well be failing when 5 or even 6 of either minor may be making. I just don't think 4♣ is this hand and I am concerned that we will end up in a confusing auction. Say he bids 4♦ over 4♣: is it clear that he is showing another possible trump suit, or is he cueing? I am sure that many posters will know that their partner will be on their wavelength, but I am not so sure.

[whereagles]

justin, the layout of your problems sucks big time

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

I pass, trying to go plus.

Any suit bid, would indicate
fit, and my partner rather wants
to play the 10 trick game instead
of a 11 trick game.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[inquiry]

whereagles, on Nov 10 2006, 02:25 PM, said:

justin, the layout of your problems sucks big time

Visualization at bridge is an important aspect of getting better. Justin is just helping everyone learn to visualize better in their mind rather than drawing pretty pictures on the page for us.

Too bad I can not double 3♠ for takeout to a minor... darn the luck. Ok, I will not pass here. So it is a guess, and I don't like any of the alternatives. But I dislike pass the most. I think I bid 4♠ and hope it does go loud and vicious double on my left.

[neilkaz]

4♣ for me. I can't have much worse ♠ support than a stiff J and PD should then take his choice of ♣ or ♠ as trump.

[whereagles]

Jlall, on Nov 10 2006, 05:58 PM, said:

lol...I know, i tried using the diagrams once and I kept getting confused as to who was where etc lol. But yeah I understand I kind of write my problems like a stream of conciousness

Here's how you could do it with minimum effort (just use dots to align it)

red/red imps. You hold

J
Jx
KJ9x
AT8xxx

RHO you LHO pard
2H..pass..3H....3S
pass..??


aaah, much better now... think I bid 4♣ then:)

[Foxx]

My first instinct was to pass 3♠ and hope partner made it.

But let's have a closer look. According to the Rule of Seven, when partner enters an auction in which the opponents have preempted, he should be playing me for seven points. I have more, and most of them rate to be well placed. If I thought 4♥ would be interpreted as pick-a-game, I would bid it but it seems like a slam try in support of spades to me. I would bid 4♣ and plan to play game in whatever suit North named next (over 4♥, I would try 6♣).

[Codo]

If I had been your partner and had seen the bidding:

2♥ pass 3♥ 3 ♠
pass 4 ♣ pass

I would not believe, that you had:

J
Jx
KJ9x
AT8xxx

So 4 Club won't be my choice, I would bid 4 Spade accepting my fate if this is not right.

[flytoox]

I dbl here. If pd can bid clubs, I will give him a riase. If he bid diamond, I will bid 4S. If he passes my dbl, that is fine to me.

[Winstonm]

4S - WTP? Partner either has very long spades and my control cards will be of value or he has a very good hand and we need to be in game. Even 5/1 fits can produce game and due to the lack of a double it is slightly more likely that the spade holding for partner is 6+.

[mr1303]

Fred playing with Brad would bid 4S here.

So I will too.

[whereagles]

Winstonm, on Nov 11 2006, 08:26 PM, said:

4S - WTP?  Partner either has very long spades and my control cards will be of value or he has a very good hand and we need to be in game.

huh? Pard is in sandwich after opps showed a likely 9+ hearts. He doesn't have to have the world, let alone 5 good spades. He might very well have a mere

AQxxx
xxx
AQx
Kx

[dank]

I bid 4C. If partner can play spades opposite ♠J he can rebid them. But this is the only way to get to clubs or diamonds.