[Cascade]

Scoring: MP

(PASS) PASS (1♠) Dbl
(4♠) ?

---

So I don't have the spots but they were neither really bad nor really good.

[helene_t]

Is double penalty or blame transfer here? I will assume that p will take out with a void but leave in with a stiff.

5♥ then. Just following the LOTT. With 19 TT 5♥ wins unless both contracts are exactly one off.

[OleBerg]

5♥.

Not really confident it is right, but the oppononts has good spades, and might take the push.

[phil_20686]

I am surprised that peoople are bidding? I would have passed smoothly and not thought it was particularly close. Maybe i am way off here.

Seems to me that they could still be in a 9 card fit, and the LTT is only right about 41% of the time anyway. My hand doesnt feel hugely offensive and partner could still have a 2344 shape in which case 800 is a possibility. If there are only 18 tricks then we could be 500 vs -1, ofcourse at MP it doesnt matter how many off you go if you could have beaten 4s by passing.

[paulg]

I'd double, just showing cards.

Paul

[se12sam]

Dbl.

Values, partner will pass with most normal hands and remove with extreme shapes or values.

[rd6789]

I prefer just 4NT 2 places to play in case partner is 13(45) in which case the D fit will be better.

I don't think pass is right if they have 10 card fit which is likely - if they have boiunced me then well done them

[peachy]

If partner has 4-card hearts which is VERY likely, my hand provides one defensive trick, maybe two if hearts miraculously split 2-2. Don't want to bid 4NT for two places to play when I know we have at least 5-3 heart fit so the choices are Pass, Double and 5H. I will Dbl, partner is allowed to remove with spade void or otherwise very offensive values.

[Fluffy]

5♥.

I prefer 4NT as 2 places ot play, but this leaves room for opp to decide about 5 spades, they will more likelly get the push bidding directly.

[Hanoi5]

Partner having doubled a 3rd seat opening gets me to think a bit more on bidding. I like X, just to leave many windows opened (in case it'll be taken as showing some cards).

[rd6789]

peachy, on Aug 13 2009, 06:33 AM, said:

Don't want to bid 4NT for two places to play when I know we have at least 5-3 heart fit .

ok you have 5-3 fit but 4-4 fits often play a trick better so why not explore?

[Codo]

I won`'t underwrite that a 4/4 fit plays better in this hand.
Diamonds are not always 3-2 and what do you want to pitch on the long hearts?
A spade from Ax?

So I go for the hopefully safer 5 Heart.

[WesleyC]

Close between 5H and Double. Definitely not 4NT - Even if partner is 1345, 5H will often play a lot better than 5D.

If the opponents are aggressive I'll double (and hopefully catch them in a 9c fit). Versus more conservative opponents I'll take insurance and bid 5H.

[pooltuna]

Cascade, on Aug 13 2009, 05:01 AM, said:

Scoring: MP

(PASS) PASS (1♠) Dbl
(4♠) ?

---

So I don't have the spots but they were neither really bad nor really good.

The choices look to be pass, double and 5♥. IMO 5♥ would show more than you hold. While double doesn't look too bad I think you need to let partner show just how good his original X was and as a consequence play 4♠ undoubled if necessary.

[aguahombre]

Using the LOTT to chart it out, and assuming you have 9 hearts and they have 10 spades, bidding 5Hts works if you make 11tricks vs 4S down 2 ---or if you go down two and they make 4S. All other 19 trick permutations are unfavorable for bidding 5H vs double. At Imps, it would seem just plain wrong to bid on. At matchpoints you really have to decide whether making exactly 11 tricks in hearts --or them making exactly ten tricks ---is more likely than all the other possibilities.

[WesleyC]

Two points in favour of 5H are:

1. It's quite likely you won't get doubled.
2. Bidding 5H will also get you to a good slam sometimes (particularly if partner has a spade void).

But against 5H:

The LOTT isn't so accurate for very high numbers of trump (18+). It tends to overestimate the number of tricks available slightly.

[phil_20686]

I think this would be an interesting hand for a simulation.

[jillybean]

Pass meoww

[Fluffy]

rd6789, on Aug 13 2009, 01:25 PM, said:

peachy, on Aug 13 2009, 06:33 AM, said:

Don't want to bid 4NT for two places to play when I know we have at least 5-3 heart fit .

ok you have 5-3 fit but 4-4 fits often play a trick better so why not explore?

Because you leave room for both opponets to double 4NT and 5 clubs, and you want them to defend.

[Cascade]

5♥ down two.

RHO didn't really have a 4♠ bid - only four trumps but with a stiff heart. That meant that ♥ Qxx was offside for the second undertrick. Partner had ♠ xx yuk.

This was just a sanity check that 5♥ wasn't completely beyond the pale.