[jdeegan]

Scoring: IMP

1♠-P-3♠-P
3NT-P-4♦-P
4♥-P-??

---

Playing 2/1. 3♠ is a normal limit raise (not Bergen) promising four trumps. 3NT is a slam invitational bid (forcing, not offering a choice of games). Cue bids show aces. Do you diagree with any of South's earlier bids? What do you bid now?

[matmat]

i don't think 3♠ is a very good call. 4x1 is not great shape, my suits have very poor texture. I am now snookered into 4♠, I would have preferred 4♠ on the previous round (if forced to 3♠ on the first).

[mike777]

prefer 2s, if not playing bergen, not 3s

now 4s....I have really overbid....

[rogerclee]

3♠ was a serious overbid.

[peachy]

I think 3S was fine. Some posters think it was an overbid but I think it is a limit raise, the singleton heart providing the missing 2 or 3 "points" in addition to an ace and a king and 4 trumps. 2S would have been a severe underbid.

Now 4S. Might have 4S last round, but if 3NT forces responder to cuebid, then 4D it is.

[jdonn]

OMG 2♠??????????

After having bid perfectly well up till now, I'll bid 5♥ and leave it to partner. I do think it's a good convention that 3NT by partner over 3♠ is a shortness ask, or 4 of another suit is a natural slam try (not just random-ace cuebid.)

[cherdano]

I think 3♠ was a slight overbid, but an obvious one if you don't play mixed raises. Now I have cooperated enough, 4♠ is obvious, we don't have extras for our limit raise unless the heart shortness strikes gold.

[dicklont]

4♠, I have done enough.
3♠ was a borderline limit raise, partners 3NT asked me to cuebid, so I did.
There is nothing I can add to that, partner will have to judge for himself now.

[Free]

It depends on your agreements here. If you're playing LTTC, I'd bid Blacky, otherwise I'd bid 4♠.

[y66]

We have our 3S bid. Like 4D. Now 4S for me and a tip of the hat to 5H bidders.

How can 3S be an overbid when, with a queen more in spades, diamonds or clubs, it is fairly standard to force to game with 4H (splinter)?

[kenrexford]

jdonn, on Sep 21 2008, 12:00 AM, said:

OMG 2♠??????????

After having bid perfectly well up till now, I'll bid 5♥ and leave it to partner. I do think it's a good convention that 3NT by partner over 3♠ is a shortness ask, or 4 of another suit is a natural slam try (not just random-ace cuebid.)

Yes -- Mathe.

Good idea if you will treat a 7-HCP hand as a limit raise because of a stiff, which may or may not be duplicate value.

Hate the actual agreements and sequence to date.

[Trinidad]

I don't mind 3♠. It would be good to know what 3NT actually means (other than slam invitation). What would 4♣ (instead of 3NT) have meant?

The way I see it is that partner is actively looking for slam while I am holding 3 controls and a singleton. For my game invitation I have 7 HCPs and some extra's for the singleton. I could have had four jacks, three queens and a doubleton.

In other words, while the values that I have appear to be minimal for a game invitation, they are maximal for a slam auction. Partner is inviting slam opposite a limit raise. Most limit raises do not contain a first round control and two second round controls. You could have had 2 aces and a singleton, but it is impossible to have more controls.

I picked 5♥, but I could just bid 6♠. If partner needs more from me for his slam, he has overbid.

Rik

[pclayton]

3♠ is a mild overbid, but nothing else fits. 4♠ is weird. When I used to bid 2♠, I would invariably hold my breath that pard doesn't make 10 tricks. When pard bids game, it will have some play.

I don't like the cue bidding style and I didn't know anyone played like this anymore. In my style, I would be confident pard has a club control.

[firmit]

In Norway - I really don't think you will find anybody bidding 3S. They'd all bid 3H - showing the singleton with 4c spade support and GI.

[the hog]

3S is an overbid as has been pointed out already. 4S now.

[skjaeran]

I've got all my bids this far. Now I think it's close. Have to say I hate the methods, not being able to show my singleton this far. I'm bidding 4♠ now, can't be certain that the 5-level is safe.

[han]

I dislike the methods as well but I think you bid it as well as you could so far. The 2S and 4S suggestions are really weird to me. I'd bid 4S now, it's a guessing game because neither of us has any idea what's going on.