[drinbrasil]

♠Kxxx
♥x
♦xxx
♣QJ9xx

this hand at nvul x vul, and the bidding comes simple:

1♠ - 2♥ - ?

how you make decision between 3♠/4♠ or any other bid? Do you can see arguments for both biddings?

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

3S and 4S are both reasonable, 4S
will commit a higer minus score in cases
when you could have bought the contract
in 3S, but if you do not intend to pass
over 4H you should bid 4S.
It depends to a large degree on the
soundness of your opening bids, if you open
(very) sound 3S may be best

If you intend to bid 4S, you should
bid 4H (splinter) or 4C (fit jump), this
enables partner to judge what to bid
over 5H, the downside being, you
tell the oppoenents more.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[pclayton]

Many play 2N as a mixed raise here. Not playing that, I'd content myself with 2♠ and then taking the push to 3♠.

[jdonn]

pclayton, on Apr 25 2007, 11:36 AM, said:

Many play 2N as a mixed raise here. Not playing that, I'd content myself with 2♠ and then taking the push to 3♠.

I agree with this, I think this looks like a very likely time where we can make the auction go

2♠ 3♥ p p 3♠ p p p

instead of

3♠ 4♥ p p ?

Justin is totally right that IF you think this is worth 4♠, just bid 4♠. It's not that you tell the opponents more, it's that you let them tell each other more.

[mike777]

pclayton, on Apr 25 2007, 11:36 AM, said:

Many play 2N as a mixed raise here. Not playing that, I'd content myself with 2♠ and then taking the push to 3♠.

ditto.

[bid_em_up]

Not vul. vs. vul., I would bid 4S immediately. I also tend to play a partnership style where we have sound openings in 1st/2nd seats.

I see no point in letting either opponent describe his hand further at the 3 or 4 level. Let them decide what to do at the 5 level.

[bid_em_up]

My question is.....is if you bid 2S or 3S and either opp bids 4H, aren't you going to bid/want to bid/wish you had bid 4S anyway?

If you are, you may as well bid it immediately. I would expect 4S to make more than 50% of the time, which is good enough for me. The 4 trumps, the stiff heart, and a decent (not great, but decent) 5 card club suit (give partner the A or K clubs) for a source of tricks tell me that 4S rates to make.

[drinbrasil]

drinbrasil, on Apr 25 2007, 02:58 PM, said:

♠Kxxx
♥x
♦xxx
♣QJ9xx

this hand at nvul x vul, and the bidding comes simple:

1♠ - 2♥ - ?

how you make decision between 3♠/4♠ or any other bid? Do you can see arguments for both biddings?

maybe i should tell is IMP league.
my bid was 4♠, and was all passed. 4s -1.
in the other table, bidding was:
1♠-2♥-3♠-4♥
4♠-X ppp

i bid 4♠ at once thinking in let more pressure to opponents, 3♠ in the other table gave oportunty for opponnets exchange infos imo.

2♠ is out of question for me, because in many situations your partner will be totally out of game as he will expect as 3 spades in your hand and can easily make errors in analises when he have to decide to double or bid.

for example:
1♠-2♥-2♠-3♥
P-4♥ ? now your defend? if you pass partner will know what of your hand?

my partner criticzme in same way as i have only 4 card support, and from our methods i should bid only 3♠.

but as i see in this topic this is very variable and depends how you have your raises in your system.

thanks for participation.

[whereagles]

Jlall, on Apr 25 2007, 04:11 PM, said:

I don't really understand bidding 4S with this hand.

Maybe because it works? I've seen dozens of good players doing so and getting away with it.

[pclayton]

This is why people play mixed raises.

Both 2♠ and 4♠ are distortions, but 2♠ looks closer to the mark. I think this hand is just too good for a preemptive 3♠.