[SchTsch]

Scoring: IMP

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RHO in the 1st position opens 4♥.
Do you bid?

[Blofeld]

Sure I bid, after partner makes a double ...

[ArtK78]

I bid 4♠. Quite frankly, I don't think it is that close.

Partner understands that I will bid 4♠ over 4♥ with any excuse, and he will give me some leeway.

[Blofeld]

There has been some discussion recently about bidding 4♠ over 4♥ in this kind of situation with light hands in order to protect partner. I'm mostly in the camp of bidding.

However, even the contentious hands have:
a] A spade suit
b] Heart shortage
c] More high card strength than this.

You're about an ace and a king light for bidding on this shape. I can believe that 4♠ will occasionally lead to a good result, but that doesn't in any way, shape or form justify the bid. There isn't a choice here. Pass.

[han]

An ace AND a king light for bidding? I don't think so. I think this is quite close to bidding but I'd pass. I wouldn't be surprised if the optimal strategy includes bidding with this hand.

[Blofeld]

Alright, I think an ace and a king is an exaggeration; however I would probably still pass with an added ace.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

most likely not.

Given that we have two hearts, most of the time,
partner will also have at most two hearts, i.e. he
will act, if he has the values.

The given hand is different to the previously discussed
one, in the previously discussed hand we had a void.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[neilkaz]

PASS and not close to a 4♠ call for me. PD gets to balance if I pass.

Now give me KQJTxx,x,QJTxx,x and I have clearly more potential and less danger and will bid 4♠

... neilkaz ...

[jdonn]

Wow, I'm all for getting in there in these situations but this is just too much. There has to be a limit, and this hand doesn't reach it!

[pclayton]

Bidding is just too much for me. There is a real chance of getting tapped to death and going for a NV phone number.

Make me a 6-4 with these same honors and I'm in.

[whereagles]

I'm all for 4♠ over 4♥, but this is an exaggeration.

[gwnn]

No way man.

Make the hand 5053 and you get some discussion.

[skjaeran]

You should often bid 4♠ in this situation, but it's just too much with this hand. I'm passing.

[Codo]

I would bid at mps with a partner who knows that my hand can be so light.
I would bid with 6 solid spades
I would bid 5053.

Yes it is a close pass.

[FrancesHinden]

Pass, and I don't think it's that close. The doubleton heart is horrible and we are too light in HCP.

[Apollo81]

I would bid fav MPs where 500 could be a huge win, but not here

[ArtK78]

In light of all the posts, I have reconsidered my original response. I know that I WANT to bid 4♠ over 4♥, but perhaps it is a bit too aggressive.

Having said that, a direct bid of 4♠ may be the only way to win this board. For example, if partner, in passout seat, has a balanced 15 count or so, he is likely to pass out 4♥ and hope to go plus. It is not out of the question for him to have a hand like:

AJx Axx Kxx QJxxx

I know, this construction is magic for my cards. Still, it (or a variant of it) is not out of the question. It is likely that we will go plus against 4♥ (although not a certainty by any means). But we are very likely to make 4♠. And I really don't believe that partner is going to act over 4♥.

So, maybe bidding 4♠ directly over 4♥ is too aggressive for most posters' tastes. But it may be the winning call.

[skjaeran]

ArtK78, on Nov 21 2007, 10:22 PM, said:

In light of all the posts, I have reconsidered my original response. I know that I WANT to bid 4♠ over 4♥, but perhaps it is a bit too aggressive.

Having said that, a direct bid of 4♠ may be the only way to win this board. For example, if partner, in passout seat, has a balanced 15 count or so, he is likely to pass out 4♥ and hope to go plus. It is not out of the question for him to have a hand like:

AJx Axx Kxx QJxxx

I know, this construction is magic for my cards. Still, it (or a variant of it) is not out of the question. It is likely that we will go plus against 4♥ (although not a certainty by any means). But we are very likely to make 4♠. And I really don't believe that partner is going to act over 4♥.

So, maybe bidding 4♠ directly over 4♥ is too aggressive for most posters' tastes. But it may be the winning call.

The problem with this is that partner will never pass 4♠ with those magic hands. Of course he'll give you some leeway in such a pressed position, but if he's going to pass 4♠ with those hands to cater for overcalls like this, you're gonna miss some good slams.

[ArtK78]

I don't think it is clear that partner will bid on if he has enough for me to make 4♠.

What you are saying is that it is impossible to get to 4♠ on this hand unless one of overbids his cards.

The problem may then be how to stop from getting too high.