[ArcLight]

1. Is this forcing? Why?

1♣ - 1♥
1NT - 2NT
3♥

I assume its forcing because with a minimum just pass. To bid 3♥ shows you are accepting the 2NT invitation. (The opp who bid it said it wasn't forcing.)


2. What do you bid? IMPS Favorable
♠Q T
♥A K Q T
♦ x x x
♣ x x x x

RHO deals and passes. You pass. Pass. Pard opens 1♦.
p P p 1♦
p 1♥ p 2♣
What do you bid? Why?



It turns out pard held:

Spoiler

♠K T 9
♥ x
♦A K T x x
♣ A J x x

3. IMPS, unfavorable
♠ void
♥ A K J T 6 5 4
♦A J
♣8 7 6 5

RHO deals and opens 1♣. What do you bid?
Assume you bid 1♥. (is that terrible?) Bidding continues:
1♣ - 1♥ - DBL - 1♠
DBL - ?
What do you bid?


After you answer this, this is what pard had.

Spoiler

♠ Q T 9 8 6
♥ x x
♦K T x x
♣A Q

1♣ - 1♥ - DBL - 1♠
DBL - 3♥ - p - ?
Do you raise to 4H?

4. Is this forcing
2♠ p p 3♣
p 3♦ p ?

Is 3 D forcing?

[mikeh]

1. It is forcing. It shows 3 hearts and a raise to 3N, in case partner has invited with 5 hearts. We rarely see this auction when the partnership uses some form of new minor, since the 2N bidder would usually go through new minor with interest in learning of 3 card support. But there is no point playing it as non-forcing, unless to cater to a misbid on round 2: a 1N when 2♥ was better. And we don't design bidding methods to cater to misbids.

2. 3♣: I don't like it, but we cannot pass with 11: imagine partner with AJx x KQJxx AQxx: he should be bidding the same way, and 3N is almost laydown. Or Ax x AKxxx KQxxx: again, he bids 1♦ then 2♣. Yes, 3♣ may be too high: tough.

3. I give up on slam. 4♥. However, if playing with me, 1♠ promises 5+ clubs, and with a good partner, I might risk 2♠, which has to be shortness and a good hand (otherwise I'd redouble or pass.. I surely wouldn't raise). BTW 1♥ is the normal bid: it wouldn't occur to me to bid anything else.

edit: I misread the problem (too early in the am for me: thought partner opened 1♣ As it is, I am no longer certain of the 1♥ overcall, and may well have bid 4♥. Tough to say, objectively, now that I know that partner is the one with 5 spades. As it is, I bid 3♥ over the double of 1♠.

[Robert]

Hi everyone

1. Forcing, choice of games. You really should take up the XYZ convention. You can invite and often stay at the two level. You can also make a game forcing 2D* bid which will allow a low game forcing auction.

2. 3C You promise 4 card support and invite game.

3. Some(many?) like to jump with a long suit. I would overcall 1H and not be worried about missing game. Those four small clubs are a warning sign.

Depending on your partner, 3NT or 4Hs is the bid. If the 1H bidder is one of the 'overcall on 5/6+HCP school', that 3H bid is an unknown quality.

What do you think partner should hold to overcall 1H and jump to 3Hs? I show a good hand.

For my own amusement, what were the EW hands here?

Regards,
Robert

[ArcLight]

Robert, on Aug 3 2007, 10:15 AM, said:

Hi everyone
What do you think partner should hold to overcall 1H and jump to 3Hs?  I show a good hand. 

For my own amusement, what were the EW hands here? 

Regards,
Robert

hearts were 3-2.
The result was 3♥ making 6.
2 clubs ruffed, and one lost to RHOs K.

LHO had
S; K x x x
H x x
D Q x x x x
C 9 x and lead teh 9


RHO (Dealer) held
S A J x x
H Q x
D x x
C K J T x x

[P_Marlowe]

#1 forcing, shows 3 card support
#2 3C, what else?
Why? I have a fit, I show the fit.
#3 No 1H is ok, now 2H followed by 3H
sure I raise, and I would have redoubled
with partners hand
#4 No

With kind regards
Marlowe

[ralph23]

1. It is a strange bid. Responder only has 4♥, else he would have used NMF. So why is opener bidding hearts now?

So I would apply the rule ASBAF (all strange bids are forcing).

2. 3♣. You have 4 of them, partner has 4+ of them, we have points, partner has points, I can't stop ♠, maybe partner can bid 3NT. Some might venture 2NT over 2♣ but IMHO that is too unilateral and also a lie.

3. I am a bit puzzled by partner's ♠ call after the negative double showing spades. Partner must have a good 6-bagger here, and opener has the other 3 (4-6-3-0 division). I'm not sure but I'm bidding 3♥. We may have a big misfit but partner will raise me with a couple of hearts and good values.

4. Not forcing but constructive. If partner had good diamonds and could stop hearts, he would have bid 3♠ Western Qbid asking me for a spade stop. So he must have only diamonds.

[P_Marlowe]

ralph23, on Aug 3 2007, 10:53 AM, said:

1. It is a strange bid. Responder only has 4♥, else he would have used NMF. So why is opener bidding hearts now?

because NMF was not an option.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[jdonn]

1) Forcing, showing a hand that I'm sure I would have raised 1♥ to 2♥ myself.

2) I think there is a good tactical reason to bid 3♦ instead of 3♣. 3♣, though defined as invitational, is often bid on somewhat light hands with no other option besides pass, like with say 3415 with an 8 or 9 count you certainly would raise. This is so the bidding doesn't die in case you have game. However 3♦ clearly shows invitational values since you could bid 2♦ on hands that aren't quite invitational but might still have game. Since this hand is a full valued invitation, 3♦ expresses the strength much better. I think this shows in the actual hand where partner could very well pass 3♣ but would bid over 3♦. And with all those tens of spades we should have like four stoppers

3) Definite 4♥ the first time, and I do this less than most people. I guess 3♥ the second time, which partner should raise or bid 3NT over.

4) Not forcing. If partner has moderate strength with 3370 where do you want to play?

[awm]

1. Forcing
2. 3♣
3. 1♥, followed by 3♥
4. Forcing.