[awm]

You hold:

♠xx
♥Q
♦AT9xx
♣AT98x

After two passes, your LHO opens 2♠. Partner overcalls 3♥ and RHO passes. What is your call?

Is this even a problem? When I held this hand at the table, one of my expert opponents indicated that he thought this was a "WTP" hand, and that it was "obvious" to make a particular call. The call he wanted to make was my fourth choice on the list of six calls in the poll....

[Echognome]

Given partner is a passed hand I let this one go. If partner were an unpassed hand I would raise to 4♥.

[awm]

Echognome, on Feb 17 2009, 03:11 PM, said:

Given partner is a passed hand I let this one go.  If partner were an unpassed hand I would raise to 4♥.

Perhaps I wasn't clear. YOU are a passed hand, partner is not. The auction is:

Pass - Pass - 2♠ - 3♥
Pass - ????

If you routinely open ten-counts with stiff queens just because they're five-five in the minors, sorry. Pretend you had to sub for me after my ridiculous second-seat pass.

[HeavyDluxe]

I asked. AWM answered before I posted.

[MarkDean]

I would bid 4♥, seems normal to me.
btw, do we not get form of scoring and vulnerability, or is the idea to see if it is such a wtp you do the same thing regardless (as I would)?

[helene_t]

Surprised that an expert could call it a "wtp". No expert myself but am sure there will be votes for everything, maybe except for 4♣.

Maybe stupid question, but why the rush to bid 4♥? Suppose we bid 3♠, then we may or may not sit for p's 3NT, but wouldn't it be nice if he bids 4m over our 3♠?

[Walddk]

I think a problem hand like this should have vulnerability and scoring format. Vulnerable at IMPs I think 4♥ is clear; I am not sure what I will do at MP (pass is now an option), or non-vul at IMPs.

In the latter instance I would likely also raise to 4♥, first of all because it's unlikely that we will have exactly 9 tricks available.

Roland

[mtvesuvius]

I'm strangely attracted to 3♠, leaving 3NT in the picture opposite AQx AKJxxx xx xx at MPs. This is by no means a wtp, and I'm torn between 3♠ and 4♥, however 5m may play better than 4♥, if partner rebids 4m I can raise to 5, otherwise bid 4♥. Also, MPs or IMPs and Vul. really make a difference here, pass may even be valid at MPs.

This post has been edited by mtvesuvius: 2009-February-17, 14:25

[jdonn]

It's nice to have discussed 3♠ doesn't promise support here, and anything else that stems from that agreement. If you are assuring me 3♠ promises heart support then I bid 4♣. I will try to leave any of the three suits other than spades in the picture.

[mtvesuvius]

jdonn, on Feb 17 2009, 03:29 PM, said:

It's nice to have discussed 3♠ doesn't promise support here, and anything else that stems from that agreement. If you are assuring me 3♠ promises heart support then I bid 4♣. I will try to leave any of the three suits other than spades in the picture.

True... 3♠ doesn't promise support IMO. It's like a LTT3NT type of bid also, essentially a Western Cuebid. So partner would show a spade stopper or a side 4 card minor, which is why I like 3♠.

[Echognome]

awm, on Feb 17 2009, 12:12 PM, said:

Echognome, on Feb 17 2009, 03:11 PM, said:

Given partner is a passed hand I let this one go.  If partner were an unpassed hand I would raise to 4♥.

Perhaps I wasn't clear. YOU are a passed hand, partner is not. The auction is:

Pass - Pass - 2♠ - 3♥
Pass - ????

If you routinely open ten-counts with stiff queens just because they're five-five in the minors, sorry. Pretend you had to sub for me after my ridiculous second-seat pass.

Nope. I don't. Maybe playing a strong club, but not part of the problem. I will go with my 2nd selection then of bidding 4♥. Glad I had covered my bases.

[Walddk]

jdonn, on Feb 17 2009, 10:29 PM, said:

If you are assuring me 3♠ promises heart support then I bid 4♣. I will try to leave any of the three suits other than spades in the picture.

Come to think of it a little deeper, I agree with jdonn. I like 4♣ better than 4♥.

- 1. Partner could have 5 hearts and 4+ clubs.
- 2. Partner could have 5 hearts and 4+ diamonds.
- 3. If he rebids hearts, I am happy too.

Roland

[mikeh]

Why no vulnerability info?

Why no double as an option... does everyone play it as penalty (I don't).

If partner passes my double, then I rate to be happy what with my two aces, and stiff in partner's suit.

if he bids 4♥, again I rate to be happy

if he bids 3N, I will be delighted.. 6 hearts, a spade and 2 aces make for none easy tricks, and he will hold more than that

If he bids 4minor... well, I am not going to be really happy with that, but I can always prefer back to 4♥ and he will at least have a chance of going right if we belong in 5 minor.

[Walddk]

mikeh, on Feb 17 2009, 11:41 PM, said:

Why no double as an option... does everyone play it as penalty (I don't).

You need to change the laws first, Mike

Roland

[Echognome]

I think Mike and I need to brush up on our post reading. Given it's 2pm in the afternoon here, I can't even blame lack of coffee.

[mikeh]

nor I, but the back pain meds might help I guess I saw someone's 3♠ bid and that morphed into thinking that rho had raised. Oh well.. the good news is that BBO software would have protected me from revealing my idiocy if I were playing online

[Apollo81]

I'd bid 4♣, hoepfully partner can tell I don't have a bunch of clubs that I didn't preempt.

[TimG]

Apollo81, on Feb 17 2009, 05:52 PM, said:

I'd bid 4♣, hoepfully partner can tell I don't have a bunch of clubs that I didn't preempt.

So, it's a fit non-jump?

[maggieb]

I would bid 3S and it seems a wtp.

If JLOL were dead he would turn around in his grave reading the responses in this thread.

[rogerclee]

Agree with Maggie.