[jchiu]

Scoring: XIMP

Pass (1♠) ???

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Please vote for chimpanzees if you are a Raptor lover or ELC fanatic who can't afford not to be playing it for one hand.

[hrothgar]

This hand is strong enough that I would like to say something

I think that there are three reasonable choices playing standard methods.

In order of preference

2♦

1. I definitely want a Diamond lead.
2. This gets the hand off my chest with one bid
3. Sure I'd like a 6th Diamond, but if this suit isn't good enough, what is

Pass

1. You don't always have to bid...
2. Some people might prefer a bit more offensive strength for a 2 level overcall


Double

1. This brings two of your three suits into the picture, more importantly, it emphasizes Hearts
2. You're gonna be hurting if partner bids 2♣, but he won't always bid 2♣

2♠

1. This gets across the two suited nature of the hand
2. If your don't play Good/Bad Michaels you aren't misrepresenting range

Scores

2♦ = 8
Pass = 4
Double = 3
2♠ = 2

[the hog]

Well I am going to x here. I full well know the risks of a 2C response. Second choice pass.

[helene_t]

2♦. This suggests a 6-card but we are non-vul and the suit is very good.

[655321]

Double for me. 2♦ is also reasonable.

Pass is not for me. I think it is losing bridge not to enter the auction with this hand.

But the 2♠ mentioned in an earlier post - quite rightly not included in the poll - is even worse than pass. It is a horrible bid. Partner will be tricked into believing you are 5/5, and will often bid 3 or 4 hearts, innocently unaware of the nasty shock he is about to get when he sees his dummy in 4♥X.

[P_Marlowe]

Pass.

2nd alternative 2D, but most of the
time I would pass.

I have considered 2S, but this should
show 5-5, after all you will be playing
both suits at the 3 level, if 54 is allowed,
than the only the king of spades speaks
against 2S.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[matmat]

I pull the red card from the box wave it around a little bit, then put it back and put 2♦ on the table.

[helene_t]

That might suggest a hand a tad strong for 2♦. Better to make an insufficient 1♥ bid and then correct it to 2♦.

[Codo]

No Helene, waving double and 2 Diamonds shows the red suits with longer Diamonds, a stronger 2 Diamond bid is shown by stop 2 Diamond.

If you use stop 2 Diamond for a weak jump, you have a problem. Mabye it is possible to smash the bidding cards on the table with a stronger hand.

I use to solve this problem in another way. I take all biding cards including 2 Heart out of the box, so that anybody can see them and then say: OOOPs, sorry and put the 2 Heart card back to the box. This shows Diamonds with Heart tolerance and no extra strength. Perfect.
If your hearts are stronger, try the other way round. Just take 2 Diamond out and correct it emmedeately to 2 HEart.

BBO sucks, because they disabled this,

so here I must bid 2 Diamond with X a distand second and no third choice.

[gwnn]

I agree with Richard's post.

Actually I play raptor AND elc.

[helene_t]

Codo, on Feb 22 2008, 02:28 PM, said:

BBO sucks, because they disabled this,

Haven't you discovered the green button at the center bottom of the screen? It is not always disabled.

[han]

Very good problem, both double a 2D seem reasonable. Make the hand a bit stronger and double would be clear imo. Make the hand a bit weaker (same shape, same diamonds) and 2D would be clear. As it is, I judged that we might still have a heart game and voted for double.

[cherdano]

This is a little too weak for me to make an off-shape double opposite a passed partner.

[pclayton]

2D. A matter of style. We still have a shot at hearts if pard makes a responsive dbl.

To the doublers: do your pards always take preference to hearts with 4H and 5C?

[brianshark]

I dislike double. As usual. I bid 2♦. 2nd choice pass.

[jdonn]

Jlall, on Feb 22 2008, 09:12 AM, said:

I always double with this shape but with this hand 2D looks right.

These are exactly my thoughts.

[Cascade]

I double with this shape.

The most likely games are 4♥ and 3NT. 3NT is not at all likely when partner is a passed hand so 4♥ is the only likely game and the easiest way to move towards that (if it exists) is double.

[whereagles]

Since pard is a passed hand, it may be more important to get him to a good lead than trying to fight spades with hearts. I'll try 2♦. Would dbl if pard were not passed.