[TheoKole]

Scoring: IMP

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Bidding goes

(1 ♥) -> P -> (P) -> X
(P) -> 1 ♠ -> (P) -> 4 ♥ (Splinter)
(P) -> ???

Partner is unknown to you personally but is generally considered to be a good bidder by other people.

What do you bid?

Theo

Let me add that partner should "know" that you can have a xxx in spades and 0 HCP's.

This post has been edited by TheoKole: 2007-December-05, 04:46

[Fluffy]

you listed all options but the one I pick, 5♣

[whereagles]

Absolutely clear-cut 4♠ opposite an unknown partner.

The situation is extremely delicate. I would only bid (5♥, by the way) opposite a player who knows bidding is more than "show your hand".

[TheoKole]

Sorry, how can I edit the poll?

Feel free to add your own answers

Theo

[P_Marlowe]

4S.

4S is lazy, or cowardly, I know, but than ...

I know, I have a pretty hand, and the only
improvement possible would be, if the Ace
of hearts, would be the Ace of another suit.

If you want to make a move toward slam, I
would simply suggest bid 4NT.
You will have all suits controlled and the main
issue will be, do they have two cashing Aces
or not.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Halo]

4S

My hand is OK, but not IMO good enough. No high spade honour and no high diamond honour.

[Blofeld]

I'd rather bid 6♠ than 4♠. We've shown no values at all (haven't even promised 4 spades!) and partner has forced to game. The splinter with no room for a last train call should have a slightly better upper range than otherwise, too. I think slam is likely to have good play. Even if the ♥A is somewhat wasted if partner has a void, I'm not too worried (though this would make a case for 5♥).

I'll bid 4NT.

[helene_t]

4♠ if I can bid it in tempo to avoid ethical issues.

[Codo]

Yes opposite a partner who forced to game opposite a 3433 yrb, 4 ♠ is really cowardly. I have a 4. trump an ace and a shortness extra, so 6 Spade is surely much better then 4 Spade.
And the issue about good trumps. Do you really believe that pds 4 Spade bid is based on Qxxx,x,AKJx,AKQJ? No way.

I seldom use KC with a wide open suit, but here I will. 4 NT and I will bid 6 if he has at least 3+Queen.

[bid_em_up]

Fluffy, on Dec 5 2007, 05:26 AM, said:

you listed all options but the one I pick, 5♣

Me too.

[whereagles]

Codo, on Dec 5 2007, 01:49 PM, said:

Do you really believe that pds 4 Spade bid is based on Qxxx,x,AKJx,AKQJ? No way.

Well, I'm pretty sure some people would splinter on that hand...

[benlessard]

Partner could have bid 2H,3H but did bid 4H. So this for me = a void therefore i can bid a simple 4S.

If i know partner show a stiff then i have so much extra that ill bid 5C.

[kenrexford]

I might have jumped to 2♠ the first time. Having gone low, I now bid 5♣. If the five-level is not safe, I'm heading to the partnership desk.

[hotShot]

Fluffy, on Dec 5 2007, 12:26 PM, said:

you listed all options but the one I pick, 5♣

ditto

[jdonn]

4NT, seems easy to me. I think 5♣ is a bit pointless, the only card I'm taking any chance on is the diamond king, which would be onside if needed anyway. Otherwise it's only keycards that matter. I won't use the fact that partner is unknown to make one of the world's biggest underbids, if he's a known overbidder maybe that's different.

Edit: Pardon me I had the auction wrong, the opening is on my right not my left. Now I'd bid 5♣, then 5♥ over partner's 5♦, then leave it to him.

[han]

I'd go on as well. I think that 2S last round is a big overbid Ken, opposite a balancing double.

[Apollo81]

I'd bid RKC.

Bidding 4♠ is just wrong here. Period.

[keylime]

This feels like a 30 point deck situation.

I got ace-fourth of hearts opposite shortage, which mildly concerns me (with ace-third I'm more inclined to get on with it) due to the length of their holding. I have decent trumps and pard's bidding as if I don't have to have much for my call; trumps are decent, and I have a possible help suit in diamonds.

So I bid 5♣ (not 4NT - I want a stop in diamonds here), and I should be ok.

[TheoKole]

Scoring: IMP

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Thank you all for your replies.

This is the splinter bidder's hand.

As you can see, any bid other than 4 ♠ will get you to an almost cold 6 spade contract. Only possibilities of going down would be a diamond ruff on the opening lead or a club lead follow by a heart ruff, if spades are 4-0 there are some handling problems but not insurmountable. (sp?)


Another small confession is that I was the one who doubled and then splintered on this hand. I actually can't remember the last time that I made this type of bid. The comments that I made in the introduction have been told to me by others.

I could have also X ed, then cue-bid hearts, and then splintered I guess, but I chose not to because as I said this was with an unknown partner who may not be on the same wavelength as me. I tried to show an immediate raise, with a splinter for partner, with game points who was willing to play in 4 spades opposite xxx ♠ and 0 points (although I obviously would hope for something, even a little shape).

I tried to show the bidding from my partners point of view and it seems to me that partnership trust and knowing partner's bidding style played a big part in South's decision to sign off in 4 spades.

Cheers,

Theo

[ArtK78]

[quote name='TheoKole' date='Dec 5 2007, 05:43 PM']

Scoring: IMP

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It is certainly clear that over any bid other than 4♠ you will get to slam.

However, there is another issue - whether the strong hand should act again over 4♠. Slam will claim opposite the right 3433 hand - Jxx (x)xxx Qxx (T)xx replacing any of the ( ) cards with an ace. And the ♠J and ♣10 may not be needed. If responder has 4 spades, the ♦Q may not be necessary. As demonstrated by several of the posters, even with ♠JT98 and the ♥A some were not willing to bid more than 4♠.

I am very tempted to bid again with the strong hand over 4♠, but I sympathize with pass.

There are also potential ethical issues as alluded to in at least one of the posts. If responder takes time before bidding 4♠, the big hand may have some 'splaining to do if it acts again.