[Apollo81]

All white IMPs

Q10
8654
KJ9643
2

2♠-(pass)-???

Partner is not the type that constantly preempts 5-card suits.

[Walddk]

I am perfectly happy with my spade support and will pre-empt further: 3♠.

Roland

[inquiry]

They can probably make game, maybe even slam. But where are you going?

You can pyche a bid, but that seems useless since your 3♦ etc presumably is not forcing. I believe at imps, the two options are pass and a preemptive raise to 3♠. There are two reasons why you might consider 3♠. First, it will keep your LHO from cue-bidding 3♠ (you know he has a good hand), second it will get partner off to a good lead versus 3NT should they bid that.

Going for pass is it is imps and we can't out bid them. LHO action in the balancing seat will be more wide ranging than if you he bids directly over 3♠. It might even to 2♠-p-p-Dbl-all pass, which has to be better than 2♠-p-3♠-DBL all pass.

Still, the advantage of tweaking them with 3♠ here is too tempting... but only if I am sure partner will not be the type to then take a sacrafice over theire 3NT or 4♥ bid.... .

[Apollo81]

The funny thing about this hand was that it didn't matter which suit you bid at the 3-level....you get about the same result. (going down 2-4 tricks undoubled)

pard has 6-1-2-4 shape, the opps can make 4h but can't reach it unless you pass. (LHO has a balanced 15 count)

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

I have one trick + something
for partner, I will raise him.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[whereagles]

I'm gonna pass this. Opps seem to have 3NT and bidding 3♠ now might just push them into bidding and making it.

[mike777]

pass

Why can't lho bid over 3s with a balanced 15 count at imps?

[Winstonm]

I pass. Q10 is not that great of support for 6 to the 9-spot. (I've seen my partner's weak 2-bids before.)

Besides, my partner's bid has done what it was supposed to do, and that is turn the opps into defensive bidders - defensive bidding suffers from a lack of accuracy as all those nice, cool tools you get to use when partner opens are gone. So long Bergen raise. Goodbye to forcing NT (and the Yellow Brick Road). Even the simple 2/1 is destroyed.

What is left? Inexactness and more than a little guesswork. Why try to do more than is called for by the hand?