[Fluffy]

4♦ is my 4th option after pass, 5♦ and 3NT.

[skjaeran]

Fluffy, on May 21 2008, 03:31 AM, said:

4♦ is my 4th option after pass, 5♦ and 3NT.

5♦ isn't an option - it shows a much stronger hand.

I'm passing, btw.

[awm]

With the singleton heart and eighth diamond, I think 4♦ is okay here. When RHO preempts and I have a hand like this, it seems quite frequent that both partner and LHO have something resembling a weak notrump. I expect to make 5♦ pretty often when partner holds a weak notrump, and I will generally get there if I bid 4♦ and not if I pass. Of course, sometimes partner has some ten-count and raises me to game, but this also might make; I do have something like 7.5-8 tricks which is what partner will expect for 4♦ (although certainly six good diamonds and a couple side cards would be more typical than eight good diamonds and out).

Why not 5♦? Well this shows a better hand. While it will make fairly often, partner will usually raise it to six when it is making. And there's no guarantee partner has the "weak notrump" I'm hoping for; LHO could have most of the remaining cards and then 5♦X goes for a bigger number (and is easier to double without trump tricks) than 4♦X.

[neilkaz]

Pass for now. I need a bit more for 4♦ and lots more for 5♦ and think 3NT is just a crazy psych.

.. neilkaz ..