[kgr]

Scoring: IMP

1C-1H
2C-2S
3H-??

---

You play with an adv pick-up partner on BBO.
Opps do not bid and partner starts with 1C.
What do you bid now? 4H or do you try something more?

[P_Marlowe]

4D.

Partner should be able to read a 4D bid as a cue bid,
and maybe I hear 4S or 4NT.
The worst case scenario is, that he bids 4H.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[kenrexford]

Visualize a plausible hand of interest for partner:

♠x ♥Axx ♦xxx ♣AKJxxx

This meager hand offers play for the slam. Might as well make a stab, if you have an easy option for that.

I would, in my methods, bid 4♣. Hearts is agreed. 3♠ would have shown a spade control. I don't have that, and I show that I don't have that by my bypass of 3♠. 3NT would have been "serious," showing serious slam interest without a spade control -- I lack that and so bypass 3NT. I do have slam interestr, however, so I cue 4♣, showing one of the top three clubs.

I'm so glad that this method is available on this auction. I imagine that 1♣...2♣...3♥ Openers are much more interested in the fact that I have the Queen of Clubs, even if stiff, than that I had some stiff of unknown rank.

If Opener bids 4♦ (LTTC), I'll bite.

[helene_t]

3N, partner knows what I have. Just in case 3♥ is a doubleton. I have no slam ambitions.

[pclayton]

4C is possible but it sounds like 2S was preparing to raise clubs, and leads to confusion.

So 4D for me. This confirms hearts and focuses on spades.

If 3S is played as serious, thats best. Pard can 'cue' spades via 3N and I can stick in a 4C cue before key card - which may be the key to 7.

[mikeh]

I am not sure why we are so in love with our hand as to make slam moves.

Picture partner with Jxx Ax xxx AKxxxx. Your call over 1♥ 2♣ 2♠.

Maybe 3♦ 'should' show this hand, but an advanced pickup partner on BBO? And Ken's use of his prefered methods must come across as reeaaalllllyyyy useful advice to the OP I can just see it: 4♣, showing the Queen of clubs (or the Ace or the King) while denying a spade control... your typical advanced pu partner will no doubt immediately alert the opps and quickly explain the bid..... not!

To me, this is either 3N or 4♦. I do like my hand, but 3N shouldn't be '3N ends all auctions', since I bid an unnecessary 2♠ last time: it I were simply shutting the hand down, I wouldn't have bid 2♠, I'd have bid 3N last time. Now I appreciate that maybe I am giving the advanced pu partner too much credit, but at least I am hoping he applies bridge logic and not a pet treatment of mine.

With someone of near expert status, I'd bid 3N. With an advanced pickup partner, I'd bid 4♦, and respect 4♥.

BTW, I echo phil's comment about the meaning of 4♣. How else would we bid a decent 4=5=1=3? And if you say, splinter over 2♣.... is 3♦ a splinter with this partner (or yours)? And how would you bid AJxx KQxxx xx Kx?

[mike777]

kgr, on Aug 3 2007, 05:06 AM, said:

Scoring: IMP

1C-1H
2C-2S
3H-??

---

You play with an adv pick-up partner on BBO.
Opps do not bid and partner starts with 1C.
What do you bid now? 4H or do you try something more?

I thought 4d was clear until I read all the posts.

[jdonn]

I don't think slam is likely at all, and that on the hands where it's good we will have trouble identifying the best trump suit and all the controls we need. I'll bid 3NT, but if I were going to bid on it would be 4♦. In fact I would have bid 3NT the last round, since for me partner is not so likely to have 3 hearts, and he will be relatively balanced on the hands where he does.

If I had the heart jack my opinion of the hand would grow dramatically, that would add a lot of solidity to the hand.

[pbleighton]

Quote

3N, partner knows what I have. Just in case 3♥ is a doubleton. I have no slam ambitions.

Agree.

Peter

[kgr]

Thanks all! Full hand and bidding:

---

1♣-1♥
2♣-2♠
3♥-4♥
Making 4♥+2
... maybe I should have bid 4♣ or 4♦ as I did only show an opening hand while I have more.

[the hog]

Your partner is a knucklehead! He has a clear raise to 2H.

[jdonn]

The_Hog, on Aug 4 2007, 09:48 AM, said:

Your partner is a knucklehead! He has a clear raise to 2H.

Hell yeah. Well except the knucklehead part, maybe, but how many examples does it take that show raising leads to easier auctions before people start wising up?

I wouldn't get too worried anyway, even remove the spade jack and slam is no bargain.

[cherdano]

The_Hog, on Aug 4 2007, 08:48 AM, said:

Your partner is a knucklehead! He has a clear raise to 2H.

It is also an automatic raise to 2♥ for me, but I think 2♣ had the chance for an excellent auction if North had jumped to 4♥ over 2♠.

[helene_t]

The_Hog, on Aug 4 2007, 04:48 PM, said:

Your partner is a knucklehead! He has a clear raise to 2H.

Nah, he has a clear 1NT opening

Lol, this obviously depends on style.

Btw, what should partner bid over your 3N? 4♣ cue? 4♦ last train? Or just 4♥? Maybe you would make a move even if he signs off in 4♥.

[pclayton]

The failure to raise hearts initially is troublesome. Pard either has a doubleton heart or really, really good clubs.

I'm starting to devalue this hand a little and wish I had a quantitative 4N available.

[skjaeran]

pbleighton, on Aug 4 2007, 02:31 AM, said:

Quote

3N, partner knows what I have. Just in case 3♥ is a doubleton. I have no slam ambitions.

Agree.

Peter

Bidding 3NT slowly like this shows about this strenght. So I completely agree.
Parnter, having misbid this far, will now be able to see that he's got a monster for me. 4♣-4♦-4♠ should still get us to slam.

[cnszsun]

kenrexford, on Aug 3 2007, 07:18 PM, said:

Visualize a plausible hand of interest for partner:

♠x ♥Axx ♦xxx ♣AKJxxx

I would, in my methods, bid 4♣.  Hearts is agreed.  3♠ would have shown a spade control. I don't have that, and I show that I don't have that by my bypass of 3♠.  3NT would have been "serious," showing serious slam interest without a spade control -- I lack that and so bypass 3NT.  I do have slam interestr, however, so I cue 4♣, showing one of the top three clubs.

I'm so glad that this method is available on this auction.  I imagine that 1♣...2♣...3♥ Openers are much more interested in the fact that I have the Queen of Clubs, even if stiff, than that I had some stiff of unknown rank.

If Opener bids 4♦ (LTTC), I'll bite.

I'm interested in your application of serious 3nt and LTTC on such sequences.

First, i've thought serious 3nt is best to be applied when both opener and responder are unlimited. If one player is relatively limited, his partner could express slam interest just by starting cue-bid, Otherwise sign off in game. For this hand, according to my definiton, 3nt would be natural.

Second, How strong do you need to bid a serious 3nt? Previously, i think bidding serious 3nt just shows you have extra values, but you may also need partner to have a decent hand to go to slam. That's also one reason we need LTTC to show doubt some time. Or do you need a really good hand to bid serious 3nt? For example, will you plan to bid RKC always if all side suits are controlled?

[neilkaz]

mike777, on Aug 3 2007, 01:33 PM, said:

kgr, on Aug 3 2007, 05:06 AM, said:

Scoring: IMP

1C-1H
2C-2S
3H-??

---

You play with an adv pick-up partner on BBO.
Opps do not bid and partner starts with 1C.
What do you bid now? 4H or do you try something more?

I thought 4d was clear until I read all the posts.

I've read all the posts and 4♦ for me, and if PD bids 4♥ that's it, off course.