[sceptic]

Scoring: IMP

---

West North East South

 -     Pass  1NT   2♠
 4♥    Pass  Pass  4♠
 Dbl   Pass  Pass  Pass
 

[jtfanclub]

I'd probably just blast to 6♥ over 2♠, apologize to partner for not bidding 7, and then make only 6.

I might do keycards for funzies, though.

[helene_t]

1N: unfav IMPs 2nd seat is the worst circumstances for an off-shape 1NT. This hands offers no alternative, though.
2♠: Silly bid, just bid 4♠. Unless playing against opps who can't handle interference so that they may stay in a partscore when E passes a forcing bid.
4♥: Too timid. Without good agreements, just bid 6♥.
4♠: OK
dbl: Pass will not be forcing so dbl is better than pass, but 6♥ or at least 5♥ is better at this vuln.

[ralph23]

Someone needs to explain to West how the scoring works in bridge....

[mikeh]

1N: ok. Nothing else is as good, so even tho 1N is imperfect, it is best

2♠: not my style. My style is pass. This is one of those hands where you want to bid, especially at this vulnerability, but partner will never understand what you hold. If I was going to bid, it would be 3♠. 4 is too much, even at this heat, and 2 is just silly... it promises partner values you don't have (so that he may double a cold contract) and doesn't promise the extreme shape you have (and the promise of values and the concealment of extreme shape may mean he fails to bid a good save)

Edit: of course, I understand that our weakness means the opps have values for game or slam, and so it may seem that it behooves us to act. However, our extreme shape suggests that there is at least some chance that this is a hand on which a high-level contract will be wrecked by shape. Going 800 when your teammates are -100 in a high percentage contract is not a good result. I won't argue that this is probably or even likely, but when added to the earlier points about involving partner, it strengthens the case for passing.

4♥: a beginner's mistake... presumably he doesn't know that 3♥ is forcing. And if 3♥ isn't forcing, or isn't known to be forcing, 6♥ is infinitely superior.

4♠: silly, silly, silly. This is known as giving the opps a fielder's choice... a baseball term in which the opposition has the choice of two winning plays. The opps have stopped in 4♥. They are stuck there, whether that be good or bad. Now we bid 4♠, giving them a chance to double when that is best or to bid 5(or 6) ♥ when that is best. Sure, it will be rare that they would bid 4♥ and then, over 4♠, reach a good slam, but rare is not unheard-of. In the rr in the 2000 BB, it was the Australians, I think, who reached 4major and my teammate doubled, and the double got them to run to 6♦. 4♠ would have failed, but 6♦ was cold (we played 4♠ undoubled at our table).

Double: words fail me.

[the hog]

The above represents my view as well, with one exception. If West is only going to bid 4H, then I can understand the X.

[Edmunte1]

1) 1NT OK
2) 2♠ - wrong, promises some values we don't have. If we want to make their life tough 3♠ otherwise pass
3) 4♥ -wrong, we should be at least in a small slam
4) 4♠ - worst bid, awekining the corpse
5) dbl - confirms firs bid - beginner

[Gerben42]

1NT: I don't like making up bids when I have a minimum but acceptable hand to reverse into ♦ with.

2♠: With a preemptive hand, preempt. Pass is not my style here, and 2♠ a misbid. 3♠ sounds about right (slightly cautious because of strong NT)

4♥: Don't get it. 16 opposite a strong NT --> investigate slam, don't sign off! If you cannot think of a good way, bidding 6♥ directly won't be outrageous.

4♠: Told you you'd feel bad about 2♠. If you bid 3♠ right away you know partner will bid 4 if he thinks it's right and you feel better.

Dbl: See 4♥.

[Mr. Dodgy]

1NT OK, (1♣ planning to reverse into ♦s OK too).
2♠ - prefer 3♠
2♥ - prefer 4♦ (Texas, to be followed by Kickback)

[Codo]

I really dislike all bids.

4 ♥ was the worst. I belive that even a direct 7 HEart is better then 4 Heart.
4 ♠ is nearly as bad.
2 ♠ a bad compromise between the good bids of pass and 3 ♠
1 NT offshape and not necessary.
X was clueless, did not know what to do.

But I really like all the passes and hope you had been North or East.

[kenberg]

Mikeh gave some good reasons for passing first round with the S hand. Let me add one more. With quiet opponents, there are twelve tricks in hearts. With S bidding, there may be thirteen.

The following came up yesterday: Partner dealt and opened 2C:
2C 2H 2S Pass
5NT Pass 6S All Pass

I have nine trumps (KTxxx opposite AJxx, or the equivalent to that) missing the Queen which I picked up on a finesse thanks to the 2H bid. In the current posted hand picking off the Queen would require a first round finesse, while I had the luxury of banging down my K before finessing the Jack. So it is different. But still, not bidding unless you think you might actually want to become declarer has something to be said for it.

Yes, I know that my rho is allowed to bid 2H holding Qx of spades. However, I am pretty sure that taking the finesse in these situations has proved to be a long run winner for me. When you have to do it on the first round, maybe it's not so clear.

K

[han]

I also agree with 1NT, reversing with this hand is out of the question for me.

I think 3S on the south hand is a good bid, I prefer it over pass. I'm not worried about partner not knowing what I have, partner is a passed hand and you are favorable: time to bid!

I agree with the other comments, also that double is consistent with 4H, consistently wrong that is.