[Apollo81]

x
J98xxxxx
AQx
x

all white IMPs

1♠-1NT
2♣-??

no opposing bidding

[pclayton]

3♥ is a splinter for me; so 2. Haven't considered what 4♥ would be over 2♣.

[Apollo81]

pclayton, on May 6 2007, 09:42 PM, said:

3♥ is a splinter for me

so you're playing invitational JS? would you have bid 3♥ over 1♠?

[jdonn]

4 for me, maybe they lead a diamond or the wrong black suit and my loser in the other black suit goes away. Maybe need a 2-2 heart break, so what else is new. I should add 3 I understand, 2 I don't!

I should also add, assuming it is natural

[neilkaz]

A natural 3♥ for me, but I don't quarrel with 4♥. I do feel this hand has too much game potential to settle for 2♥ in spite of the missfit. You do have 8♥ and PD is allowed to have a bit of help there. If he does he can carry on after 3♥, but if he continues 3NT you have to pull to 4♥.

.. neilkaz ..

[pclayton]

Apollo81, on May 6 2007, 06:48 PM, said:

pclayton, on May 6 2007, 09:42 PM, said:

3♥ is a splinter for me

so you're playing invitational JS? would you have bid 3♥ over 1♠?

Hands should fit into baskets. If I deem this not worth a IJS, it should be a 2♥ rebid, but maybe this is what a 4♥ call looks like.

[mike777]

2H

I do not think 2H promises nothing....

[P_Marlowe]

Hi

- 2H
- 3H is a splinter
- 4H, no idea, that's why I would
not try it out at the table

Partner will raise, if we are making 4H,
because in this case he will hold heart
honors

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Free]

2 and a half preferably Voted 3, but if that's a splinter I'll bid 2.

[cherdano]

If you play a forcing NT and no invitational jump shifts, then of course 3H is not a splinter, as that is the only way to show we have an invitational hand with...hearts.

Since the original poster didn't give us an option at the first round, it seems clear that we can bid 3♥ now, invite. That's what I would do - it doesn't have to be a misfit.

[jdonn]

The more I think about this, the more I don't think invite is enough. I can't greatly criticize it since of course game might not be making, but I think you have too many hearts and partner will undervalue his shortness. Like Axxxx x Kxx Axxx it would never occur to him to raise and you are on a 3-2. Even a non-opener with no fit like xxxxx x JTx AKxx, they probably won't lead a spade and if they lead a minor you are about 2/3 to make, needing either diamond finesse or 2-2 hearts and no terrible break in a minor.

I think it's at least worth thinking about. Any time they lead diamonds or the wrong black suit, which combined I would say is a 75% chance since a diamond is the most likely lead, you can probably get rid of a black loser fast. They also may well lead a diamond from the king, why should they expect you to have AQ of diamonds when you bid this way? I still won't really criticize 3, but 2 is absurd to me. I still like 4, occasionally it's cold when partner would reject an invite, and often it makes on the wrong lead.

[gwnn]

With an 8-card suit I have to punt 4♥.

(I voted 2♥ but then I counted my trumps)

[whereagles]

There's no way to know how pard's hcps fit my hand, so I'll just bid 4 and hope for the best. I think pard would pass out 3♥ too often when 4 has a play for.

[Apollo81]

You will get to game as long as you don't bid 2. Partner has Axxxx Qx Kx Axxx. My vote goes to a 3♥ bid.

[jdonn]

Apollo81, on May 7 2007, 09:52 AM, said:

You will get to game as long as you don't bid 2. Partner has Axxxx Qx Kx Axxx. My vote goes to a 3♥ bid.

You notice you could eliminate any honor in partner's hand, even an ace, and game is still good.