[CSGibson]

Scoring: MP

(p)-1♠-(3♣)-4♣,
(5♣)-?

---

You're in a forcing pass situation. What do you think is the correct call with this hand?

[mike777]

CSGibson, on Nov 9 2008, 02:35 AM, said:

Scoring: MP

(p)-1♠-(3♣)-4♣,
(5♣)-?

---

You're in a forcing pass situation. What do you think is the correct call with this hand?

6c

[rogerclee]

I think this is a good problem.

I like passing, planning to pass a double. I think that if partner has a doubleton club we can often get 800 and our offensive prospects go way down, and if partner has a singleton club he is very likely to bid.

Obviously if he bids 5D I will bid 5H planning to drive it to slam and try for 7. If partner just bids 5S we have another problem that is quite close but I would kick it in. I can construct a lot of minimum hands with a stiff club where slam is very good, and it's harder to construct them where slam is very bad (but not that hard).

BTW I think that in these type of situations where there are a lot of loose ends to tie up people are generally overly optimistic and underrate the chances of some slow losers.

[pclayton]

I don't know that pard is bidding 5♠ over a forcing pass with a lot of aceless hands that have a stiff club. Take: Qxxx KQxx Qxxx x for instance.

If we make a forcing pass, and cue bid, I think we are showing a lot better hand as well.

I'll bid 5♥, but I'm willing to listen to others.

[RichMor]

IMO there are 3 approaches:

1. Pass and Pass pard's double
2. Bid something now
3. Pass and pull pard's double

1. is the weakest, 3. is the strongest and 2. is in the middle.

This looks like an 'in the middle' hand so I bid. 5 Hearts seems best since pard can evaluate a secondary fit.


FWIW, I don't think Phil's example
<<
Qxxx KQxx Qxxx x for instance.
>>
is good enough for a cue bid.

[whereagles]

I'll pass here. I want pard to bid 5♠ with no club wastage.

[gnasher]

pclayton, on Nov 9 2008, 06:49 PM, said:

I don't know that pard is bidding 5♠ over a forcing pass with a lot of aceless hands that have a stiff club. Take: Qxxx KQxx Qxxx x for instance.

Even opposite that, 5♠ is some way from being cold - given the bidding, hearts may well break badly. Opposite the less well-fitting Qxxx Qxxx KQxx x we certainly don't to be in 5♠. If the worst that can happen after a forcing pass is that we end up defending opposite one of these hands, I'm happy.

[andy_h]

I thought those bad limit raises that were suggested of Q KQ Q would bid 4S over 3C?

[effervesce]

Pass, planning to pass partner's X or cue after partner's diamond cue. Your hand is good, but not great. You want to encourage partner, but not that much.

[Codo]

I encourage partner to bid slam with a diamond control with 5 ♥.
I doubt that we will earn enough in beating 5 Club and I doubt that pass and pull will make the guess easier.

[ochinko]

Pass implies that I don't know what to do, and I certainly would like to invite partner to a slam. I wouldn't think of passing when I am going to pull partner's double anyway.

So I voted for 5♠, but after reading the replies 5♥ looks like a more intelligent bid.