[kfay]

Played a set last night and was dealt a number of hands that contained strange decisions. What are your plans/objectives?

Scoring: IMP

(1♦)-2♥-(2♠)-?

2♥ is preemptive

---

Scoring: IMP

(1♦)-2♥-(2♠)-?

2♥ is preemptive

---

Scoring: IMP

(1♦)-2♥-(2♠)-?

2♥ is preemptive

---

[Apollo81]

1. 5♥

2. 5♥

3. 4♣

[hanp]

On the first hand I'd bid 5H. If they double this, I think I'm ok with that, though it is not necessarily good. If they bid on, I think I'm ok with that too. It's definitely the highest level where I'm not sure what I want the opponents to do. (not true, I want them to bid 5S.)

On the second hand I bid 4H and let myself be pushed to 5H. Hopefully I win it there. A direct 5H looks too strange, I don't know. I don't think I will be able to introduce clubs sensibly if I start with 3H, nor will it give me any other advantages.

The third hand is the least freaky. At these colors I think I will just bid 5C. Maybe we have a perfect fit and make. Maybe they have a game and 5C will be a cheap sac. Maybe nobody can make anything but LHO goes wrong. 4C would make it too easy for LHO if he has a limit raise in spades or a so-so hand with good diamond support.

[andy_h]

1. 5♥, give them a guess. I have ok prospects of potentially beating a slam.
2. 4♥, might buy it there but unlikely. I'm ready to push to 5 though.
3. 4♣, though tempted with 5.

[jdonn]

1. I will settle for 4♥. Despite the huge fit we have a lot of losers and a lot of defense. They are essentially sure to bid something, but may still misjudge each other's heart lengths and bid to the wrong level.

2. 3♥, of course it's worth more but as I can be brave on the forums I'm trying to walk the dog and get doubled in 4♥. Gl me!

3. 5♣ could work but 4♣ just seems utterly normal to me.

[Phil]

1. Sure, 5♥.

2. I will walk this one with 3♥. There will be more bidding.

3. 4♣. Partner seems to have a good hand.

[hanp]

Dream on Josh.

[kfay]

hanp, on Nov 19 2009, 12:03 PM, said:

Dream on Josh.

Actually I started out like this at my table. But then RHO YANKED it because their partnership has absolutely zero trust. Or maybe I'm just bitter about my result.

Anyway I like 3♥ to start, fwiw.

[mikeh]

1. 4♥ Too much defence to bid 5♥, which will almost always force them to double, and when they don't, they've almost certainly guessed right. I'll let them play game.

2. 4♥. Walking the dog only works against pooches, and why are we so sure the opps have a game or slam....such that we need to take an advance save? While I will definitely bid 5♥ over 5♦ (even tho doing so will be ahead of partner who may be salivating), let them make me do it first.

3. 4♣, without much confidence that this is best. I really, really want to bid only 3♣ (all good raises start with 2♠ so i am not worried that partner will play me for defence with 3♣) because we have a lot of major issues, and on some layouts we're better off with LHO making a heavy 3♦ bid that sounds under pressure than a 4♦ bid over 4♣. But, 3♣ allows LHO to bid 3♥ on some holdings on which their game is in hearts, while they won't reach it over 4♣, and (worst of all) allows a cheap 4♣ cuebid when the 2♦ bid hit gold.

[aguahombre]

Going with Andy, this time. Whenever I walk the dog, I end up picking up the poop.

[hanp]

On the first hand partner bid 2H vulnerable, missing the QJ. I would think partner has AK-sixth for sure, and therefore very little else in terms of highcards.

If we bid 4H and LHO has three spades they will bid 4S. I think we are quite unlikely to beat this. We have no heart tricks, 1 or 2 spade tricks, maybe a club trick and just possibly a minor suited trick from partner. We really need it all to go our way.

Over 4H they will also have an easier time finding their minor suit game. We have a 12-card fit, we know they have a big fit somewhere. I don't think a forcing defense is likely to work.

Now 5S we might beat, and I think they are more likely to bid it if we bid 5H immediately. LHO will have a tough time not bidding 5S with 4 spades and heart shortness.

[helene_t]

Agree with Noble.

[pooltuna]

kfay, on Nov 19 2009, 10:31 AM, said:

Played a set last night and was dealt a number of hands that contained strange decisions. What are your plans/objectives?

Scoring: IMP

(1♦)-2♥-(2♠)-?

2♥ is preemptive

---

Scoring: IMP

(1♦)-2♥-(2♠)-?

2♥ is preemptive

---

Scoring: IMP

(1♦)-2♥-(2♠)-?

2♥ is preemptive

---

1) make them guess now 5♥
2) 4♥
3) 3♣

[hanp]

I realize my 5C is very aggressive but I'm having a hard time understanding the upsides of 3C.

[whereagles]

Apollo81, on Nov 19 2009, 03:41 PM, said:

1. 5♥

2. 5♥

3. 4♣

ditto, except that I add 1 level to all bids

[pooltuna]

hanp, on Nov 19 2009, 01:18 PM, said:

I realize my 5C is very aggressive but I'm having a hard time understanding the upsides of 3C.

who said the auction was dead here

[655321]

1) 5♥
2) 4♥
3) 4♣, although 5♣ also seems OK to me. 3♣ is a joke.

[Jlall]

I think the 4H bidders on hand 1 are missing the point if they're saying they have too much defense for 5H... When you bid 5H you strongly expect them to bid 5S imo which is good because you have lots of defense. When one guy is void and one guy is stiff it's really hard to double you.

I also think we don't have that much defense if they don't end up in spades.

Anyways

5H
4H
4C for me

[nige1]

kfay, on Nov 19 2009, 10:31 AM, said:

Played a set last night and was dealt a number of hands that contained strange decisions.  What are your plans/objectives

Scoring: IMP

(1♦)-2♥-(2♠)-?
2♥ is preemptive

---

Scoring: IMP

(1♦)-2♥-(2♠)-?
2♥ is preemptive

---

4♥ 4♥ 5♣ No imagination

[Codo]

This thread convinces me that 5 ♥ is better in the first one. Before I read it, I had choosen just 4.

At the second, I just bid 4 Heart and wait.

At the third, I try a mere 3 club.