[gwnn]

97xx
xxx
AKx
Axx

1♣-1♥-x-2♥
?

[Jlall]

2S, wtp?

[P_Marlowe]

2S ..., but I would not have opened.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Jlall]

Yeah FWIW if you are not comfortable bidding 2S on this auction you should not be opening this hand. This hand was a marginal opener at best when you started life, but now you have a 4-4 spade fit and 3 small in their suit (aka no wastage). Controls become more valuable in a suit contract, so AK A is looking really good now. This hand is totally fine, and partner passing out 2H would be a complete disaster since it's likely both 2S and 2H will make.

[jdonn]

I would not have opened, but I would bid 2♠ now. I think I would never pass on a hand with four spades here, certainly on fewer than 1% of such hands anyway.

[Phil]

I open and I have no problem with 2♠ here.

I was a little queasy opening these 4333 AKA hands in the beginning but Ive had a good track record with them.

[pooltuna]

Jlall, on Oct 13 2009, 03:25 PM, said:

2S, wtp?

yep a no brainer. And if it had gone p instead of 2♥ their is a school of thought that you bid 2♠ anyway just like your were raising 1♠ to 2...that leaves 1♠ for all the ugly calls when you have to find a bid with just 3♠ in your hand

[neilkaz]

Phil, on Oct 13 2009, 04:07 PM, said:

I open and I have no problem with 2♠ here.

I was a little queasy opening these 4333 AKA hands in the beginning but Ive had a good track record with them.

Agreed with 2♠ WTP. I also open since the 4333 hand has the K with one of the A's.

If PD passes instead of opening I won't say a word, but if PD doesn't bid 2♠ here I won't be happy, noting that I play that a neg X shows 4♠ here so that 1♠ shows 5+.

[gwnn]

edit: never mind.

[HeavyDluxe]

I don't open this hand. Flat shape, and what power I have is in short minors. However, having opened, I bid 2♠.

Other, more authoritative voices have said it.

[andy_h]

I'd open because I like AKA too much. And now an easy 2♠.

[plaur]

Sorry if I am hijacking. This reminds me of this hand where my partner 'denied' 4 spades in the bidding and I got confused on defense

Scoring: MP

p - p - 1♣ - 1♥
X*-2♥ - all pass
* shows exactly 4 spades

---

If you were subbed in to bid after 2♥ would you bid 2♠?

[jjbrr]

plaur, on Oct 14 2009, 10:54 AM, said:

Sorry if I am hijacking. This reminds me of this hand where my partner 'denied' 4 spades in the bidding and I got confused on defense

Scoring: MP

p - p - 1♣ - 1♥
X*-2♥ - all pass
* shows exactly 4 spades

---

If you were subbed in to bid after 2♥ would you bid 2♠?

yes obv. wasnt the reason i opened 1♣ so that i could play in either spades or clubs at a low level?

[P_Marlowe]

plaur, on Oct 14 2009, 10:54 AM, said:

Sorry if I am hijacking. This reminds me of this hand where my partner 'denied' 4 spades in the bidding and I got confused on defense

Scoring: MP

p - p - 1♣ - 1♥
X*-2♥ - all pass
* shows exactly 4 spades

---

If you were subbed in to bid after 2♥ would you bid 2♠?

Sure.

I prefer 3C to 1C, but that is just me, and since I subbed after
the opening bid occurred, 1C stands, and now 2S.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[skjaeran]

I'd have opened this hand in my regular partnerships - that's our style.
Obvious 2♠ now.

[Jlall]

You are thinking about it wrong if you have a shapely min with 4 spades and pass, or a good looking balanced min with 4 spades and pass.

Once you open, you must bid your hand like you have a full opener. Sorry for the spam but people who make the mistake of passing 2H on this auction should read this:

Blog post

The only reason you might even consider not bidding 2S here is if you have very strong hearts with lots of wastage. If you chose to pass 2H with xxxx KQJ9 Qx KJx I would not blame you. But honestly the rule "always bid 2S with 4 spades in this auction" would be fine too.

[gwnn]

Jlall, on Oct 14 2009, 04:56 PM, said:

Once you open, you must bid your hand like you have a full opener. Sorry for the spam but people who make the mistake of passing 2H on this auction should read this:

Blog post

how about Indian bidding? I think you wrote about that a while ago

[Jlall]

gwnn, on Oct 14 2009, 12:45 PM, said:

Jlall, on Oct 14 2009, 04:56 PM, said:

Once you open, you must bid your hand like you have a full opener. Sorry for the spam but people who make the mistake of passing 2H on this auction should read this:

Blog post

how about Indian bidding? I think you wrote about that a while ago

Indian bidding is not logically inconsistent, it is re-evaluating your hand and the likelihood that your partner has a fitting hand given new information (ie the opps bidding).

That's why I said you might pass 2H with lots of heart wastage and 4 spades, you are re-evaluating your hand given new information.

It does not make sense to pass 2H here with xxx heart and prime values or a stiff heart and 4-6 becuase you have a minimum opener. Your hand has not re-evaluated downwards, it's re-evaluated upwards!

[P_Marlowe]

gwnn, on Oct 14 2009, 12:45 PM, said:

<snip>
Indian bidding?
<snip>

Can someone explain?

[kenrexford]

Clear 2♠.

That said, I would find it kind of funny to argue for a support double with this hand. I have a strong defense-to-offense ratio, IMO, with AK-A and nothing else on the outside, which is a greater quick-trick count than minimum and a lower LTC than expected (9 losers). So, arguably a support double has something going for it.