[Edmunte1]

Scoring: IMP

(3♥)-DBL-(4♥}-4♠
(pas)-?

---

1. Do you agree with DBL?
2. Do you agree with 4♠?
3. What now?

[mike777]

As usual with a tough biddding problem, double or cuebidding may help.


In this case I will cuebid 4H planning on pulling 4s to 5clubs. I hope this shows a big 2 suited minor hand? More than a direct 4nt?

Doubling and pulling 4s to a minor would show a big one suited hand?

[mikeh]

I agree with double

I agree, altho this is closer, with 4♠...

Pass... stay fixed....and this is by far the toughest call of the 3, altho note that no slam is cold... consider a 4-1 spade break, or a 4-1 diamond break with the long diamonds holding the spade A.

Still, a slam you'd want to get to but not a slam I'd bid. Move a small minor card into N's spades, and it is an entirely different hand.

BTW, I recognize that I tend to err on the conservative side as doubler, but I like my partners to feel safe when they stretch in response to my doubles.


BTW, as for showing a minor 2-suiter, I don't think that 4♥ followed by 5♣ shows that. I would take it as a monster black hand, with longer clubs than spades

An immediate 4N would, for me, be minors, altho I can see why some might prefer natural.

And this hand is not solely minors. Bid 4N and catch partner with Qxxxxx Jxxx xx x.... the suits aren't good/long enough and the spades are too good and long to ignore, imo.

[matmat]

i like the auction and would pass. spades could break 4-1. you could get a diamond ruff scored against you they might still balance over p's 4s and you'll get a second bite at the cherry. etc.

[MickyB]

Hang on...isn't 6♠ pretty poor without the spade nine?

I hereby conclude that I would bid on as North, and that South is short the spade nine of a 4♠ bid

At first, I didn't think South was worth a 4♠ bid, but I guess you want to get there opposite some fairly normal, fairly minimum doubles, so it must be worth 4♠.

Think North is just about worth another move...not quite sure what, though.

[jdonn]

I agree with double, and I could go either way on 4♠ so I won't fault it. However, I can't fathom passing over that with the north hand in a million years. It's true he can see the dangers of playing in spades if he gets tapped at trick 1, but I would bid 5NT over 4♠ as pick a slam (NOT grand slam force, for me anyway.) I'm actually not sure south should pick diamonds over that, and it's hard for me to say without being biased by seeing the hands, but since north is forcing to slam on a hand with probably just three spades, I (hopefully un-biased-ly) do think south should bid 6♦ over that.

Really, how could north pass over the 4♠ bid? South has the most minimal hand possible, quite likely even subminimum, and slam is good in one suit and a random 9 away from being good in another suit. Add the ace of spades to south and it's not even a maximum, and you can almost claim a grand at trick 1. Heck if south has Q9xxxx of spades and out slam makes on a good day! Sorry Mike and others, I have to disagree as strongly as possible on this one. I'm probably the biggest proponent on the forums of not hanging partner after a preempt, so the fact I hate passing so much on this hand should say something.

Also I disagree with both Mikes on cuebid then 5♣. Presuming the cuebid originally is spades and a minor, then this just shows a very strong hand with spades and clubs. You can't undo the meaning of a bid by making a totally consistent later bid. Agreed though that showing minors on this hand is misguided.

Edit: Sorry I see now that does agree with what MikeH said (the part about cuebid then 5♣), my bad. I thought you said it shows just clubs. I couldn't believe that's what I was reading, apparently because I wasn't really reading it

[Codo]

I had make one more move as north after the clear double and brave 4 ♠ bid.
I had never passed 4 Spade and more often then not reached 6 Spade -1.

[benlessard]

I agree with the bidding. North cannot pass 4S for sure hes got too much extra. South 4S bid show some minimal values. North can either bid 5H wich south will refuse. Or North can be a bit optimist and bid 5Nt (PAS).

6D is good contract but could go down on a stiff S lead. 6S really need 3-2 trumps.

[mike777]

benlessard, on Dec 3 2007, 03:41 AM, said:

I agree with the bidding. North cannot pass 4S for sure hes got too much extra. South 4S bid show some minimal values. North can either bid 5H wich south will refuse. Or North can be a bit optimist and bid 5Nt (PAS).

6D is good contract but could go down on a stiff S lead. 6S really need 3-2 trumps.

What...??

how do you know this?

You know all the cards including partners?

Genius at the table...alert!

I find your bidding at on the forum double dummy almost always.

[P_Marlowe]

#1 yes, but the alternative 4NT would not
be terrible as well
#2 sure
#3 pass, not very happy, because we may miss
slam, but going on may risk converting plus
to minus

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Codo]

P_Marlowe, on Dec 3 2007, 05:49 PM, said:

#3 pass, not very happy, because we may miss
slam, but going on may risk converting plus
to minus

Which hand worse then the one he had can pd have for his 4 Spade bid so that the 5. level is not safe?

[P_Marlowe]

Codo, on Dec 3 2007, 03:56 AM, said:

P_Marlowe, on Dec 3 2007, 05:49 PM, said:

#3 pass, not very happy, because we may miss
    slam, but going on may risk converting plus
    to minus

Which hand worse then the one he had can pd have for his 4 Spade bid so that the 5. level is not safe?

One possibility would be, that partner
has only 4 spades.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Codo]

4 spades and?

Please construct some hands, not just one suit.

[benlessard]

Quote

I find your bidding at on the forum double dummy almost always.

Not sure if i should take this as a compliment on my good bidding or its a compliment on my double dummy play since i can spot the good contract.

My post was maybe unclear. But what i wanted to suggest is

I agree with all the bidding so far.
X is automatic. 4S seems correct with A and 5♠ to the Q (+ vul is RED vs RED)

After the 4S bid i don`t consider passing with north reasonnable because north has too much extra values.

I think 5H is a good slam try (emphasing a H void because North could have Keyc) & south will refuse so I would have endup in 5S.

If north is a bit optimistic and want to blast to slam (behind in the match or whatever else reasons). North would bid 5Nt (PAS) over wich South has a clear 6D bid


Im not sure wich part of my bidding you consider double dummy. Also feel free to post other hands where you feel my bidding is double dummy maybe further explanation could help you figure it out.

Quote

6D is good contract but could go down on a stiff S lead. 6S really need 3-2 trumps.

These are of course double dummy conclusion but I think ive played bridge long enough to base my post-mortem and my analysis on judgement not on "resulting".


Basically my comment is the same of jdonn. With the small difference that i consider a direct 5Nt as a bit optimist. So i dont think my comments were "resulting" especially since i endup in 5S


I have taken the habit of responding most bidding problems without looking at others replies. Sometimes however when i dont intend to reply but read others peoples comments & after i just add my 2 cents.

[ArtK78]

A 6♠ contract is a lot worse than just needing 3-2 spades. On a heart lead, you may already be down.

6♦ is an excellent contract, but difficult to reach.

[keylime]

I ditto Mike's thread to the full. Can't hang pard for bidding here, and you are potentially your best spot. I'd be more concerned with making 4♠ than entertaining a slam try.

[whereagles]

To make it easier for pard to bid over the expected 4♥ was precisely the reason you dbled. So now PASS 4♠.

[pclayton]

Sorry, but passing 4♠ is rather sick. Pard made a free 4♠ call? We need pard to cover 2 of our 3 losers? I'll take my chances. 5N pick-a-slam is perfect.

I'll give up on 7

In a parallel universe, someone is posting: AQxxx, Axx, Kxx, xx - LHO opens 3♥, pard doubles and RHO raises to 4♥. Your call?

[cherdano]

Of course we have to pass with the North hand, we can't hang partner for bidding 4♠ on Q9xxxx xxx xx Jx -- oh wait!
I think passing with the North hand is pushing a good idea (giving partner lots of leeway for bidding 4S over 4H) a little too far.

[Edmunte1]

I was asked by a friend about this board. My choices were:
1)Double is fine. It gets also the spades into the picture, with the risk of being forced to ruff from honours.
2)4♠ is pushy, but it's OK. You're under pressure and it's a bottom line decision between acting and passing. The 5th spade and the unbalanced shape (5242) make me be in the bidders camp.
3) In my opinion, passing is just shy. Slam has a big chance of making, and only if partner has a bottom end 4♠ bid (as it's the case here) maybe we shouldn't be in it. What strain is the question, as long as north sees that in a spade contract he has to ruff from honours. 5NT if it shows that type of hand (and it should) is the right answer, so my point of view is similar with josh's