[mike777]

Scoring: IMP

(1D)=P=(2C)=2H
(2S)=4D=(X)=P
(4S)=5H=(6D)=P
P=??

---

Your call now and why?

Feel free to comment on my previous bids.

[P_Marlowe]

Pass.

Why? If I got the vulnerability right, we are
red and they are green, i.e. bidding 6H can
get very expensive.

I would have bid at my first turn to speak,
either 2H or 1H, but this is a matter of partnership
agreement, if you have the agreement, that you
have to pass with your hand, that is fine.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[the hog]

There is no way I'd bid 2H with this - an opening bid and a 2/1, you have got to be kidding. Have already sipped too much scotch, I'd definitely pass now.

[whereagles]

Ron, I think it was pard who bid 2♥, not you

Anyway, I've already shown huge support and diamond void... Unless pard is apathic, there's no need to bid our hand again. Not at these colors, at least

[helene_t]

Agree with Whereagles.

[vuroth]

Agreed. I've said my piece.

V

[mikeh]

Clear pass now, but I don't like the earlier bidding.

The start of the auction tells us that the opps own the majority of the hcp and our heart length tells us that the opps are probably playing with a 30 point deck, in that one of them (maybe both!) are void in hearts, so they will be missing very few hcp in the other 3 suits. Our likely combined 10 hcp in hearts are absolutely worthless defensively.

4♦ is misguided... it is a great bid if we think there is any possibility that partner owns a hand such as x KJ10xxxx xxx AKJ, but we 'know' he is very, very unlikely to hold that type of hand. In the meantime, we essentially hand EW an extra round of bidding on a hand where bidding space should be at a premium. Look what happened: LHO got to show genuine diamond support at the 4♦ level and RHO got to bid 4♠ over the diamond support.

If you intend to drive to the 5-level, which seems reasonable to me, do so as soon as possible.

For me, after partner's 2♥, I have only two possible calls at my next turn: 4♥ or 5♥.

4♥ makes LHO bid 5♦ if he wants to support diamonds, and now LHO won't have room to make a probe below slam. So if I intend to sell to 5♦, and I would, then 4♥ is the call.

If you intend to save over 5♦, and (as I said) this is certainly a reasonable proposition, then bid 5♥ immediately. Don't worry... your partner will not play you for more than you hold (While your 4♦ call, being a slam move, shows a LOT more playing strength than you hold).

[skjaeran]

Agree with all Mike said above.

And passing this hand over 1♦ is beyond me. I'd normally overcall 1♥ or 2♥, but even 3♥ is remotely possible.

[grrigg]

Just wondering: What do you expect partner to have for the 2♥ call red v white given that the heart suit isnt that great?

Also, is the opener almost certainly 5-6 (or more) in spades and diamonds?

[the hog]

whereagles, on Jan 22 2008, 06:17 PM, said:

Ron, I think it was pard who bid 2♥, not you

Anyway, I've already shown huge support and diamond void... Unless pard is apathic, there's no need to bid our hand again. Not at these colors, at least

Whoops, maybe I sipped too much scotch.

[jdonn]

The_Hog, on Jan 22 2008, 08:05 PM, said:

whereagles, on Jan 22 2008, 06:17 PM, said:

Ron, I think it was pard who bid 2♥, not you

Anyway, I've already shown huge support and diamond void... Unless pard is apathic, there's no need to bid our hand again. Not at these colors, at least

Whoops, maybe I sipped too much scotch.

Naw, it would be hard to blame you for not realizing there is actually anyone out there who would pass over 1♦ with this.

[whereagles]

jdonn: it's a late night hand. anything can happen

[vuroth]

Over 1♦, I can see the argument for 1♥ (7HCP and a void), but 2♥ with an outside 4 card major? Isn't that a no-no?

[ArtK78]

In the light of day, the posters should notice that it was PARTNER who overcalled 2♥.

As for bidding directly over 1♦, that is not unreasonable. But it is far from automatic when you have 4 spades.

In any event, having passed over 1♦ and hearing partner bid 2♥ over 2♣, I would have bid 5♥. If the opponents guess to bid slam over 5♥, I will let them play it there.

Yes, we are red against white. But partner knew that when he bid 2♥ opposite a passed partner.

On the auction shown, I am very tempted to bid 6♥. But I doubt that it will be a big pickup even if 6♦ makes. And I am worried that 7♦ may make.

[mikeh]

ArtK78, on Jan 23 2008, 10:21 AM, said:

As for bidding directly over 1♦, that is not unreasonable.  But it is far from automatic when you have 4 spades.

While I did not comment on the pass over 1♦ in my earlier post, I agree with Harald. I do believe that it is unreasonable to pass 1♦. While I can see an argument for not preempting (with such suitability for play in spades and even clubs) I cannot understand the benefits of pass over 1♥. Bridge is a bidders' game.

Just consider how differently this problem would present had we bid 1 or 2♥. Granting a club bid by LHO, imagine partner's move: he had enough to venture a vulnerable 2♥ on an indifferent suit.... now he is going to take a big call (especially if we had bid 2♥, denying defence), and it changes the entire dynamics of the auction. Here we are, as it is, worrying about what to do at the 6 or 7 level because we have allowed the opps so much bidding space... when we could well have been making opener guess at the 5 or 6 level at his 2nd turn... without his partner ever showing support.

[the hog]

ArtK78, on Jan 23 2008, 10:21 PM, said:

As for bidding directly over 1♦, that is not unreasonable. But it is far from automatic when you have 4 spades.

Art, a number of times now you have come out with the comment that pass on certain hands is automatic, (eg bidding is ok if it shows 13 cards), or, as in this case, pass is not not unreasonable. I wonder if you would mind explaining how a pass on this hand can gain?

If next hand bids and the opps reside at a low level, then I presume you will make a t/o of some description. How is your poor partner supposed to know to bid H and not S holding say xxx Kx in the Ms? If your pd is on lead, how is your poor pd supposed to know to lead H and not S?

Can you explain why the possession of a 4 card S suit to the J, (or any 4 card S suit for that matter), is a deterrent to bidding? Seriously, I am curious.