[ArtK78]

So, you are playing in a BBO ACBL matchpoint pair game with a pick-up partner. You pick up:

Scoring: MP

1♥ - 1♠
2♦ - 3♣
3NT - 4♣

---

(1) What do you think partner's 4♣ bid is?
(2) If you think it is natural, what is your call?

[CSGibson]

I think its (Whispering...) gerber with a pickup. 4NT would be natural quantitative.

The other meaning (perhaps a better meaning) would be for it to be natural, showing 5-5 in the blacks and looking for a club slam if your hand is suitable. I imagine a hand like KQJxx x xx AKJxx would make this call.

I'm bidding 5 clubs if I know 4 clubs is natural, because I'm afraid 4NT would be misconstrued and because my values are too soft in the reds to cooperate. If I know 4NT will be a sign-off, I bid that instead, since it's matchpoints.

[hotShot]

I don't think this is normal at all, but I expect to find:

Partner is 6+ - 5+ in the black suits and minimum (opened weak because of the distribution). If he is good it's 6+♠ and 5+♣ otherwise it's 6+♣ and 5+♠.

[Vilgan]

I guess I'd hope it was 6-5 with SI. With a pickup tho it could be anything from gerber to a weak 6-5 hand that passed 3NT because he felt like it.

[ArtK78]

Scoring: MP

1♥ - 1♠
2♦ - 3♣
3NT - 4♣
4NT - 5♣
All Pass

---

Here is the full hand.

Over 4♣, I tried 4NT. My second choice would have been 5♣.

Partner intended 4♣ as Gerber. Apparently excited by my 4NT "response," he bid 5♣ to ask for kings. I guess my pass of 5♣ showed no kings. My mistake.

5♣ did not play very well.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

#1 natural, at least 5-5, 6-5 more likely,
interested in a club slam

#2 4S, intended as a cue, showing a top
honor, but if partner passes, it will be
ok most of the time
I already denies 3 card support, so the
Ace will do fine, if partner believes 2 card
support is enough to make 4S a playable
spot

With kind regards
Marlowe

[P_Marlowe]

Jlall, on May 3 2008, 03:09 PM, said:

P_Marlowe, on May 3 2008, 02:57 PM, said:

Hi,

#1 natural, at least 5-5, 6-5 more likely,
    interested in a club slam

#2 4S, intended as a cue, showing a top
    honor, but if partner passes, it will be
    ok most of the time
    I already denies 3 card support, so the
    Ace will do fine, if partner believes 2 card
    support is enough to make 4S a playable
    spot

With kind regards
Marlowe

How can 4S not be an offer to play when partner has shown a black 2 suiter and you could easily be 2542?

Since 4S showes a top honor, it certainly
is also an offer to play.

As I have said, if partner passes, it will be
ok as well.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[TimG]

I would not have opened the hand!

[matmat]

4♣ really depends on the self-professed skill level of your p. if it is anything above beginner, I expect that they will have learned gerber and that 4♣ is just that.

with a novice i'd expect clubs, and a beginner is 50/50

[ArtK78]

matmat, on May 3 2008, 03:40 PM, said:

4♣ really depends on the self-professed skill level of your p. if it is anything above beginner, I expect that they will have learned gerber and that 4♣ is just that.

with a novice i'd expect clubs, and a beginner is 50/50

Really? With an expert I expect clubs.

This is not Gerber unless you have discussed this sequence and agreed that it is Gerber.

I would expect Gerber from a beginner.

[ArtK78]

TimG, on May 3 2008, 03:34 PM, said:

I would not have opened the hand!

You would not open

A
QJxxx
KTxx
Qxx

That is amazing.

[jdonn]

ArtK78, on May 3 2008, 03:57 PM, said:

matmat, on May 3 2008, 03:40 PM, said:

4♣ really depends on the self-professed skill level of your p. if it is anything above beginner, I expect that they will have learned gerber and that 4♣ is just that.

with a novice i'd expect clubs, and a beginner is 50/50

Really? With an expert I expect clubs.

This is not Gerber unless you have discussed this sequence and agreed that it is Gerber.

I would expect Gerber from a beginner.

Sorry everyone, I know this always kills the humor but it needs to be done.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcasm

[P_Marlowe]

Jlall, on May 3 2008, 03:26 PM, said:

P_Marlowe, on May 3 2008, 03:12 PM, said:

Jlall, on May 3 2008, 03:09 PM, said:

P_Marlowe, on May 3 2008, 02:57 PM, said:

Hi,

#1 natural, at least 5-5, 6-5 more likely,
    interested in a club slam

#2 4S, intended as a cue, showing a top
    honor, but if partner passes, it will be
    ok most of the time
    I already denies 3 card support, so the
    Ace will do fine, if partner believes 2 card
    support is enough to make 4S a playable
    spot

With kind regards
Marlowe

How can 4S not be an offer to play when partner has shown a black 2 suiter and you could easily be 2542?

Since 4S showes a top honor, it certainly
is also an offer to play.

As I have said, if partner passes, it will be
ok as well.

With kind regards
Marlowe

Why does it show a top honor? xx AKxxx Qxxx Kx looks an awful lot like a 4S bid to me! It cannot be both a cuebid and an offer to play.

With this hand, I would bid 4H.

I dont know, what partners intentions were, as he
bid 4C, was he looking for the best game or looking
for slam.

As it is, the only obvious cue in the given sequence
would be 4D, and of course you can say, that 4D
just agrees clubs and is a forward going move, but
say nothing about a possible diamond holding.

My aim, would be to bid useful values, which I did not
show the rounds before.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[babalu1997]

ArtK78, on May 3 2008, 03:59 PM, said:

TimG, on May 3 2008, 03:34 PM, said:

I would not have opened the hand!

You would not open

A
QJxxx
KTxx
Qxx

That is amazing.

Well that hand, with a singleton spade , and less than 2.5 quick tricks is an impossible open in SA isn~t it?

iwould not open either

[the hog]

babalu1997, on May 4 2008, 04:53 AM, said:

ArtK78, on May 3 2008, 03:59 PM, said:

TimG, on May 3 2008, 03:34 PM, said:

I would not have opened the hand!

You would not open

A
QJxxx
KTxx
Qxx

That is amazing.

Well that hand, with a singleton spade , and less than 2.5 quick tricks is an impossible open in SA isn~t it?

iwould not open either

roflmao. My God there are 2 Caspar Milquetoasts on this forum. This is a clear opener.
I don't mind the 1S response, but really....4C Gerber?

[neilkaz]

babalu1997, on May 3 2008, 04:53 PM, said:

ArtK78, on May 3 2008, 03:59 PM, said:

TimG, on May 3 2008, 03:34 PM, said:

I would not have opened the hand!

You would not open

A
QJxxx
KTxx
Qxx

That is amazing.

Well that hand, with a singleton spade , and less than 2.5 quick tricks is an impossible open in SA isn~t it?

iwould not open either

Many of us open, or at least think it borderline.

A
QJxxx
KTxx
Jxx