[jdonn]

Codo, on Jan 1 2009, 09:46 PM, said:

4 HEart was a real masterbid, which makes 81% so far passing. What is your guess: Do we all overlook the strength of openers hand, or may we all expect a worse hand from responder?

The first one.

Quote

He cuebid and bid 4 Hearts. What makes you sure, that he has so many playing tricks?

You just said why! He cuebid and bid 4 Hearts.

Quote

I would bet that many BBF members would bid a hand with lets say:
Kxx,AKJTxx,Qx,xx with 1 Heart 3 Diamond and 4 Heart. And this hand is obviously much weaker then the example hand.

Maybe, but they would be misbidding in my opinion. There is no point at all in cuebidding with that hand.

[cherdano]

Guys, responder is inviting slam opposite an (assumed) minimum opener. I agree with all that Josh said, except I like 5♥ better than 4N - asking for good trumps seems about what we want to know about.

[FrancesHinden]

Fluffy, on Jan 2 2009, 01:09 AM, said:

4NT doesn't solve our problems so much, look what kind of gamdle on the actual hand you had to make when partner showed 1 key card, with ♥QJ10 missing he bid slam anyway.

I would like to bid 4♠ instead of 4NT and leave the initiative to partner.

Yesterday I started writing a long post about how it was obvious to make a move over 4H, but 4NT wasn't the answer. This is my general reaction to all hands when someone says they'd bid blackwood - my response is to assume that some sort of cooperative move must be right instead.

Then I started thinking about the hand, and decided that in fact 4NT is the answer, so I stopped posting.

Partner has shown a slam try in hearts with this sequence. What can he have if not very good hearts? It's not as if he has plenty of outside controls...

Given the number of passes on this thread, my biggest concern is now that I get to the 7-level opposite xx AKQxxxx xx Kx and find trumps 4-1 with the rest of the field in game...

[Fluffy]

cherdano, on Jan 2 2009, 03:15 AM, said:

Guys, responder is inviting slam opposite an (assumed) minimum opener. I agree with all that Josh said, except I like 5♥ better than 4N - asking for good trumps seems about what we want to know about.

I also like 5♥, but I have a problem with it: on competitive auctions I play 5♥ asking for a control in opponent's suit.

IMO this is not to be considered a competitive auction, but I wouldn't risk partner thinking the other way.

That's why I like 4♠, partner might bid 4NT just for free, and we will show 3 key cards, wich in fact, its all we have. (not true on the actual hand since partner has a void).


On the other hand, Frances is right that 4NT is our only way to reach 7 with confidence. But I would not assume partner has 7 hearts, IMO he could have only AKQ10xx, and that's not a grand I wanna play.

After 4♠ -5♣ we might even propse 6♣ wich can be great if partner has ♣Kx(x)

[Codo]

jdonn, on Jan 2 2009, 11:56 AM, said:

Codo, on Jan 1 2009, 09:46 PM, said:

4 HEart was a real masterbid, which makes 81% so far passing. What is your guess: Do we all overlook the strength of openers hand, or may we all expect a worse hand from responder?

The first one.

Do you sometimes here that you are arrogant? Maybe, just maybe whoever claims this has a point. (I would not share the opinion)

Quote

Quote

He cuebid and bid 4 Hearts. What makes you sure, that he has so many playing tricks?

You just said why! He cuebid and bid 4 Hearts.

Hmm, during the last year I sometimes read a statement like "Gmae before slam". So I doubt that 3 ♦ followed by 4 ♥ is played as a slam try by a majority.
(I really disagree with your belive that most passers made a judgement error, I belive that they had another idea about.)

Of course it was a slam try when you look at responders hand. But it was not in the eyes of the opener, else he (and most of us) had moved on.

Quote

I would bet that many BBF members would bid a hand with lets say:
Kxx,AKJTxx,Qx,xx with 1 Heart 3 Diamond and 4 Heart. And this hand is obviously much weaker then the example hand.


Maybe, but they would be misbidding in my opinion. There is no point at all in cuebidding with that hand.

The point is to go to the best game maybe?

[jdonn]

Codo, on Jan 2 2009, 06:25 AM, said:

Do you sometimes here that you are arrogant? Maybe, just maybe whoever claims this has a point. (I would not share the opinion)

So are you trying to insult me or not? If you are then don't pretend you don't share the opinion. If not then why would you say this?

You asked a question, I answered it by choosing one of the choices that you offered me. If you don't like that then what can I think except you are psychotic.

[MFA]

Nice to play 3♥ (instead of 3♦) as forcing and 2♥ as invitational. Because of weak jump shifts.

Without these good methods, I would try 4NT now, since partner's sequence must show a slam try.

[bid_em_up]

Of course, the 3D cuebid followed by 4H is a mild slam try. This sequence also shows a heart suit which requires zero support from our hand (usually a 6+ card suit, no more than 1 loser).

I would cuebid 5D (not 4S), partner should be able to infer that we cannot possibly be cuebidding 5D unless we also have both black suits controls as well.

jmoo.

[mikeh]

FrancesHinden, on Jan 2 2009, 04:25 AM, said:

Fluffy, on Jan 2 2009, 01:09 AM, said:

4NT doesn't solve our problems so much, look what kind of gamdle on the actual hand you had to make when partner showed 1 key card, with ♥QJ10 missing he bid slam anyway.

I would like to bid 4♠ instead of 4NT and leave the initiative to partner.

Yesterday I started writing a long post about how it was obvious to make a move over 4H, but 4NT wasn't the answer. This is my general reaction to all hands when someone says they'd bid blackwood - my response is to assume that some sort of cooperative move must be right instead.

Then I started thinking about the hand, and decided that in fact 4NT is the answer, so I stopped posting.

Partner has shown a slam try in hearts with this sequence. What can he have if not very good hearts? It's not as if he has plenty of outside controls...

Given the number of passes on this thread, my biggest concern is now that I get to the 7-level opposite xx AKQxxxx xx Kx and find trumps 4-1 with the rest of the field in game...

precisely, altho it was the day before yesterday for me, now

[MFA]

bid_em_up, on Jan 2 2009, 11:33 AM, said:

Of course, the 3D cuebid followed by 4H is a mild slam try.  This sequence also shows a heart suit which requires zero support from our hand (usually a 6+ card suit, no more than 1 loser).

I would cuebid 5D (not 4S), partner should be able to infer that we cannot possibly be cuebidding 5D unless we also have both black suits controls as well.

jmoo.

Why does it specifically show a good trump suit? How does one bid with compensating values and a broken suit (say KJxxxxx)?

I think that trump quality is a concern, but with all those aces what is really left for partner here if not a good suit?

[bid_em_up]

MFA, on Jan 2 2009, 12:24 PM, said:

bid_em_up, on Jan 2 2009, 11:33 AM, said:

Of course, the 3D cuebid followed by 4H is a mild slam try.  This sequence also shows a heart suit which requires zero support from our hand (usually a 6+ card suit, no more than 1 loser).

I would cuebid 5D (not 4S), partner should be able to infer that we cannot possibly be cuebidding 5D unless we also have both black suits controls as well.

jmoo.

Why does it specifically show a good trump suit? How does one bid with compensating values and a broken suit (say KJxxxxx)?

I think that trump quality is a concern, but with all those aces what is really left for partner here if not a good suit?

Because partner is saying, "I dont care if you are void in ♥, this is trump".

How well do you think 4H will play opposite a void in your example suit?

[MFA]

bid_em_up, on Jan 2 2009, 01:54 PM, said:

MFA, on Jan 2 2009, 12:24 PM, said:

bid_em_up, on Jan 2 2009, 11:33 AM, said:

Of course, the 3D cuebid followed by 4H is a mild slam try.  This sequence also shows a heart suit which requires zero support from our hand (usually a 6+ card suit, no more than 1 loser).

I would cuebid 5D (not 4S), partner should be able to infer that we cannot possibly be cuebidding 5D unless we also have both black suits controls as well.

jmoo.

Why does it specifically show a good trump suit? How does one bid with compensating values and a broken suit (say KJxxxxx)?

I think that trump quality is a concern, but with all those aces what is really left for partner here if not a good suit?

Because partner is saying, "I dont care if you are void in ♥, this is trump".

How well do you think 4H will play opposite a void in your example suit?

Not especially well but such is life. Partner had had a couple of chances to produce a strong alternative, but didn't. So rebidding KJxxxxx could be all that there is left.

With AKx, KJxxxxx, x, Ax for instance - how would you bid? Would your plan take you to 6♥ opposite a good hand with ♥A or ♥Q stiff?

If you think 3♦->4♥ implies a solid or semi-solid suit, I would like you to point out to me what you'd do without such a suit. If you don't like my KJxxxxx, then pretend I wrote Kxxxxxxx (nine card suit).