[plaur]

Scoring: MP

1♦- 3♣ - 3♥ - ?
all bids natural

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What is your thought process when deciding what to bid here?

Some random thoughts that crossed my mind before I shot myself in the foot:
-500 is cool when the field has 650/680
-800 is not so hot when the field has 650/680
-800 is cool when the field has 1430/1460
Im sure they have at least 1430, dont give them space, make them guess
-800 is never any good at MP's

edit fixed numbers

[pclayton]

4♣ is useful here. It takes away their cuebid and a few other calls. It's a little flat to go bouncing to 5♣.

[whereagles]

sure, 4♣ is fine. Safe enough, points at a lead, hints at a sacrifice, etc.

[mikeh]

I'll make it unanimous so far.. 4♣

Too many losers for 5♣

It is always a good idea to try to leave room for LHO to make a heavy game bid.

If you bid 5♣ and LHO bid 5♥, RHO will know that LHO has a good hand. If you bid 4♣, LHO's 4♥ call is wide range... basically he will be making this bid with all hands with 4 hearts and some modest hands with 3, as well as good hands. You are hoping, as one of the payoffs, that LHO is heavy for 4♥ and RHO is going to be heavy for his pass... so they miss slam.

At the same time, you can't afford to pass 3♥ because LHO will be able to cue bid on too many hands.

[neilkaz]

mikeh, on May 20 2008, 01:52 PM, said:

I'll make it unanimous so far.. 4♣

Too many losers for 5♣

It is always a good idea to try to leave room for LHO to make a heavy game bid.

If you bid 5♣ and LHO bid 5♥, RHO will know that LHO has a good hand. If you bid 4♣, LHO's 4♥ call is wide range... basically he will be making this bid with all hands with 4 hearts and some modest hands with 3, as well as good hands. You are hoping, as one of the payoffs, that LHO is heavy for 4♥ and RHO is going to be heavy for his pass... so they miss slam.

At the same time, you can't afford to pass 3♥ because LHO will be able to cue bid on too many hands.

I agree with your very fine and detailed explanation.

[rogerclee]

I agree with mikeh's analysis; this hand is good enough to crowd them, but expects -800 too often to sacrifice, and in no way believes they are obviously making slam.

I just wanted to mention that if you are the poster's LHO, it is always a good idea to pause a little bit before bidding, no matter how obvious your call is. Even though this is not a "stop card" situation, you should always take a little while in high-level competitive decisions, so that partner does not receive any unauthorized information about how easy of a call you have.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

I have two tricks for partner, I raise by two tricks.

With kind regards
Marlowe

PS: But it is certainly true, that we are too balanced.

[jtfanclub]

P_Marlowe, on May 20 2008, 03:26 PM, said:

Hi,

I have two tricks for partner, I raise by two tricks.

Usually bids are made assuming partner will have one trick.

For example....

Partner opens 1NT. You have xx xxx xxxx Axxx One trick. You pass.
Partner opens 1NT. You have xx KJx xxxx Axxx Two tricks. You invite to 2NT.
Partner opens 1NT. You have xx KJx KTxx Axxx Three tricks. You bid 3NT.

For pre-empts, the bid is usually good if partner has one trick. The basic principle is three tricks less than you can make by yourself not vulnerable (because down 2 is -100, a good result) and two tricks less vulnerable (because down 1 is -100). It's still a good rule for beginners.

I have two tricks, therefore I raise partner by one trick.

Sorry for over-simplifying, but this is the beginner forum.

[P_Marlowe]

jtfanclub, on May 20 2008, 03:48 PM, said:

P_Marlowe, on May 20 2008, 03:26 PM, said:

Hi,

I have two tricks for partner, I raise by two tricks.

Usually bids are made assuming partner will have one trick.
<snip>

Depends.

Usually a preempt says, I go down at most X, if you have
nothing, ... and if I preempt, I dont assume partner has
something for me.

With kind regards
Marlowe

PS: Given the bal. nature of your hand, and if you happen
to preempt too the limit, 4C is certainly enough, especially
playing MP.

[andy_h]

Yeap, 4C it is

[the hog]

moi ici

[TimG]

whereagles, on May 20 2008, 01:00 PM, said:

sure, 4♣ is fine. Safe enough, points at a lead, hints at a sacrifice, etc.

Aren't you the RS disciple? I think they would use 3N as a raise that hints at a sacrifice and 4C as purely blocking and not inviting preemptor to act again.

[skjaeran]

I'm raising to 4♣, to steal just a little room from opps.

I'm not close to 5♣ with this balanced hand. I'm far closer to passing than 5♣.