[kfay]

Scoring: IMP

1♥-(4♠)-5♥-(P)
?

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For those of you who are a little more scientific. What if it had gone: 4NT-5♦; 5♥?

[Jlall]

4N-5D-5H means he had clubs and hearts (despite the wire you have given me) so I pass.

Seems like a crapshoot over the direct 5H raise. He could have xx AQxx xx KQxxx easily or he could have x Axxxx AQxx Jxx just as easily.

I'm going to pass beause:

1) They might get a spade ruff vs 6H
2) If partner has a spade void he can bid 5H VERY aggressively
3) If spades are 7-4-1-1 around the table it might be hard to ruff spades in dummy
4) I always give partner lots of room in this type of situation.

[Fluffy]

Justin's reasons look very convincing to me.

I can point a reason for 6♥, it is more likelly to gather a phantom sacrifice from opponents. But Justin conviced me, pass is probably better in the long run.

[qwery_hi]

You need to get a feel for if the opponents are going to sac over 6H. Yesterday I had an auction go -

P P 1S P
4S 4NT X 5C
6S 7C P P
X -,

at MPs where 6S was -1 and 7C X was -800 for a top.

So whatever the reasons, if your table feel says the opps are going to sac, then bid 6H.

[maggieb]

Which opponent is going to sac in 6S? The one who has already bid 4S or the one who has short spades?

[mcphee]

It is tempting to bid, we do not need a ton of stuff perhaps. But you sure need a big hole in D filled, not to mention the A of trumps to have a play for 6, and partner MAY have those cards, still, I hope I make 5, if 6 makes, wd opps.

[Phil]

Jlall, on Sep 15 2009, 01:48 PM, said:

4N-5D-5H means he had clubs and hearts

Why would this sequence be any different from:

(4♠) - dbl - (pass) - 4N
(pass) - 5♦ - (pass) - 5♥

which is stronger than a direct 5♥?

I'm having a hard time coming up with a hand containing hearts and clubs that wants to bid 4N.

Otherwise I agree. Too many unknowns for 6.

If MikeH were around, he'd agree too LOL.

[Cascade]

Phil, on Sep 17 2009, 02:47 AM, said:

Jlall, on Sep 15 2009, 01:48 PM, said:

4N-5D-5H means he had clubs and hearts

Why would this sequence be any different from:

(4♠) - dbl - (pass) - 4N
(pass) - 5♦ - (pass) - 5♥

which is stronger than a direct 5♥?

I'm having a hard time coming up with a hand containing hearts and clubs that wants to bid 4N.

I thought 4NT is just two places to play.

Doubler said not clubs so diamonds or hearts.

4NT bidder said ok hearts then. Usually this will be hearts and clubs but I could also be hearts and diamonds.

[Jlall]

Phil, on Sep 16 2009, 09:47 AM, said:

Jlall, on Sep 15 2009, 01:48 PM, said:

4N-5D-5H means he had clubs and hearts

Why would this sequence be any different from:

(4♠) - dbl - (pass) - 4N
(pass) - 5♦ - (pass) - 5♥

which is stronger than a direct 5♥?

LOL

[kfay]

Well my thought was that 4NT might have been fishing for this auction:

4NT-5♣; 5♥. Which is clearly a big raise in hearts.

Obviously on this hand there is a huge possibility that partner has hearts and clubs... but due to the 6th heart isn't there also a big possibility that he's got the minors? So there are two battling possibilities as to whether partner has a big raise in hearts. But it seems like the rounds is the clear winner there.

Justin, I thought you were a proponent of this? I can understand the LOLs but I thought that someone might at least mention this. I'm sure Phil just got crossed up.

[gnasher]

In general, when they've bid 4♠ and all three suits are playable:

4NT is usually two places to play. If, however, the 4NT bidder has two places to play, that makes 4NT-5♣-5♥ meaningless. Sometimes you can exploit this to show a slam-try in hearts.

If it goes 4NT-5♣, you can bid 5♥ to show a slam-try in hearts.

If it goes 4NT-5♦, you can't. 5♥ is what you'd bid if your two places to play were hearts and clubs. It's a signoff.

If you were dealt a slam try, and partner bids 5♦ in reply to 4NT, you guess whether to sign off in 5♥ or to bid 6♥. That's the same guess as you faced on the round before, so you're no worse off.