[cherdano]

I kibbed the following hand in a BBO team match, two different calls were chosen at the table, yet a third option seemed quite reasonable indeed as well...

Scoring: IMP

(1♥) 2♣ (4♥) P
(P) X (P) ?

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[awm]

I'm with John Hurd, although maybe speedier.

Really this should probably depend on who the opponents are...

[rbforster]

Perhaps those not involved in this actual hand could comment on what typical hands might be expected for partner's 2♣...X.

[Halo]

I guess for me AQxx,x,Ax,AQxxxx is quite possible.

There are lots of similar hands, but there is no certainty of choosing the best game. However the penalty against 4H is likely to be small, or even nonexistent in the most extreme cases.

I would try 4S.

[helene_t]

I would not expect four spades by p. 5♣ with some misgivings.

Good problem, btw.

[bid_em_up]

Pass, 4S, 5C and 4N could all work at the table.

It appears that we likely beat 4H, but maybe not by enough to offset our game. So pass is an option, but not a good one.

I would expect 4N to be treated as "club tolerance, diamonds preferred" in this sequence. Better than pass, but risks bad splits in the minors requiring one more trick to make game. The same applies to simply bidding 5C.

If we play 4S, we have to take 1 less trick than we do in 5m. Partner may well have 4S, on an example like the one given by Halo (AQxx x Ax AQxxxx). He could also be 3-1-3-6. Assuming he is 3-1-6-3, 4S should be reasonable contract (barring bad trump breaks) as the heart ruff will be taken in the short trump hand.

I'm not "happy" with 4S, but in the end, it's what I would choose.

[mhais]

i will pass & after the board will ask p what was this x?

[Free]

I would bid 4♠, pass is close imo.

[han]

Good hand.

I'd say the prototypical hand for partner is something like Axx x AJx AQJxxx. That hand certainly has a good shot at making 5C but it is not a lock, while 4H is very likely to go down 1 or 2.

I think I pass.

[kfay]

If the vulnerability were switched I might consider passing on this auction but the way that it lies I would never pass, I think. I'd expect 3 spades from P and bid 4N.

[skjaeran]

Hannie, on Aug 28 2007, 06:43 PM, said:

Good hand.

I'd say the prototypical hand for partner is something like Axx x AJx AQJxxx. That hand certainly has a good shot at making 5C but it is not a lock, while 4H is very likely to go down 1 or 2.

I think I pass.

I agree.

[jdonn]

I'm biased since I held the other hand. But I feel strongly that the correct action is the one that would have worked best on the actual hand, whenever the OP reveals it.