[the hog]

Obvious first pass and obvious pass now. I can't believe that anyone would bid 5D here. 5D bidders deserve to go for a telephone number.

[david_c]

The result: Partner has the singleton ♦K, and a long club suit headed by the AQ. Opps have ten tricks in spades (you can cash two diamonds and a club), while 5♦ doubled is only -500.

What actually happened was that when LHO bid 4♠ I thought my hand looked like a 5♦ bid, but then partner had a short but noticeable think before passing. Not being able to take a poll at the time, I decided to go with my initial impression and let the TD sort it out: he (evidently correctly) adjusted from 5♠-1 back to 4♠=.

[Codo]

I agree with Frances that this is close but I more often then not had bid 5 Diamond.

But I think passing after a BIT is surely the winning descission.
You take the risks of 5 Diamond and you do not earn from the benefits. Okay, if Phil had been your TD, he maybe had judgeda 5 Diamond call as clear cut. But most others (me included) had descided like your TD.

[mike777]

IT sounds like our lawful guess was correct, there were ten spades and 8 diamonds for 18 tricks?

Let's try and guess "FTL"

1) total tricks=13
2) working hcp=?
3) two combined shortest suits=?

13-?-?=?

let's guess:
1) total tricks =13, given.
2) working hcp=13=(-2)
3) two combined shortest suits=(-3)

13-2-3=8 tricks

[ArtK78]

At these colors, most of the time LHO is raising on a strong balanced hand. So, in the long run, 5♦ rates to be a losing call.

On any given hand it might win or lose. I don't think too much can be learned from a particular example.

On the actual hand, after partner's hitch, you should pass. 5♦ is clearly a call that might be influenced by partner's hitch. If you pass 4♠ and it goes down, you will do well. If you bid 5♦ and it is the winning action, you will probably have your action overruled and the contract will revert to 4♠.

I don't believe that anyone could make a convincing argument that 5♦ is the normal call on these cards and that partner's hitch influenced you to pass out 4♠ (although I think that is exactly what you must do).

[pclayton]

david_c, on Dec 4 2007, 04:47 AM, said:

The result: Partner has the singleton ♦K, and a long club suit headed by the AQ. Opps have ten tricks in spades (you can cash two diamonds and a club), while 5♦ doubled is only -500.

What actually happened was that when LHO bid 4♠ I thought my hand looked like a 5♦ bid, but then partner had a short but noticeable think before passing. Not being able to take a poll at the time, I decided to go with my initial impression and let the TD sort it out: he (evidently correctly) adjusted from 5♠-1 back to 4♠=.

I think that if partner even flickers over 4♠ you need to pass.

[keylime]

I agree with Noble's and Frances' comments - the event you're in and partnership positioning is critical.

I confess, that Larry would never entertain 5♦ unless MPs, and I'd be the one bidding it under certain circumstances. In general tho, it's a quiet pass and defend.