[Grommet1]

Scoring: MP

Some defense, lots of losers, lots of Hearts.

---

[Jlall]

Partner opened 2H? I would just bid 4H. I have enough HCP to hope that LHO can't bid and we buy it here, so I wouldn't try anything drastic like 5H.

[dburn]

Delighted to agree with Jlall, perhaps for the first and last time in our respective lives, but hey...

[Jlall]

dburn, on Dec 16 2009, 06:55 PM, said:

Delighted to agree with Jlall, perhaps for the first and last time in our respective lives, but hey...

♥ you

[pooltuna]

Grommet1, on Dec 16 2009, 06:36 PM, said:

Scoring: MP

Some defense, lots of losers, lots of Hearts.

---

Well I see the automatic transfer bid is the choice of the majority which looks IMO suicidal as our defense rates to really suck. I would try anything that might keep the opps out of 4♠ and that includes giving them plenty of leeway to play in 3♠. The best choice of call for that looks like 2NT which leaves the minors open to them but eliminates 2♠ as an option.

[mtvesuvius]

pooltuna, on Dec 16 2009, 07:38 PM, said:

Grommet1, on Dec 16 2009, 06:36 PM, said:

Scoring: MP

Some defense, lots of losers, lots of Hearts.

---

Well I see the automatic transfer bid is the choice of the majority which looks IMO suicidal as our defense rates to really suck. I would try anything that might keep the opps out of 4♠ and that includes giving them plenty of leeway to play in 3♠. The best choice of call for that looks like 2NT which leaves the minors open to them but eliminates 2♠ as an option.

Then it looks like we have a winner: 2♠

I don't think I'll try it though, just a plain old 4♥ seems good here

[andy_h]

pooltuna, on Dec 17 2009, 11:38 AM, said:

Grommet1, on Dec 16 2009, 06:36 PM, said:

Scoring: MP

Some defense, lots of losers, lots of Hearts.

---

Well I see the automatic transfer bid is the choice of the majority which looks IMO suicidal as our defense rates to really suck. I would try anything that might keep the opps out of 4♠ and that includes giving them plenty of leeway to play in 3♠. The best choice of call for that looks like 2NT which leaves the minors open to them but eliminates 2♠ as an option.

4♥ eliminates 2♠-->4♦ and 2NT eliminates just 2♠.

This is an easy 4♥.

[dburn]

pooltuna, on Dec 16 2009, 07:38 PM, said:

Grommet1, on Dec 16 2009, 06:36 PM, said:

Scoring: MP

Some defense, lots of losers, lots of Hearts.

---

Well I see the automatic transfer bid is the choice of the majority which looks IMO suicidal as our defense rates to really suck. I would try anything that might keep the opps out of 4♠ and that includes giving them plenty of leeway to play in 3♠. The best choice of call for that looks like 2NT which leaves the minors open to them but eliminates 2♠ as an option.

I don't understand this at all. If you think that your LHO will bid spades over whatever you do, then you should pass, because your RHO may not raise a 2♠ balance, while he will certainly raise a 3♠ bid over 2NT or any other fatuous effort. But there is no particular reason to suppose that East will have enough to bid 4♠ over 4♥, unless he is Larry Cohen (who would bid this without necessarily looking at his hand first).

[the hog]

4H for me.

[Siegmund]

After 2H-Pass I like the simple direct 4H, and expect to be left in peace as often as not.

If it had started 2H-Double I'd feel more like this was a "3 or 5" kind of auction.

Now, if it goes 2H-pass-4H-4S and comes back to me, THAT is a harder question, but I take the push to 5H.

[fromageGB]

Maybe the answer is 2NT after all, if this is some sort of strength inquiry, and then close down in 3H.

The trouble with a direct 4H is that many will bid 4S regardless of their own hand, not just Larry Cohen. You reckon a bid of 4H is either to make - which means 4S is probably a good sacrifice - or it is a long support preempt to take your room away for sensible bidding - which means you expect 4S to make.

It seems to be a decision of whether you want to go negative in 5H, or accept a positive in 3H accepting that you may well be beaten by any 4H contracts.

I haven't come across many people jumping to 4H as a psychological ploy to get you to bid a hopeless 4S, so the 2NT ploy may work.

[whereagles]

Unless I feel like psyching, I'll go with the underbid of 3♥. What would be

2♥ pass 4♥ ...4♠*

* = shrugs shoulders, mutters "when in doubt" and makes because our hand has close to zero defense.

may now becomes

2♥ pass 4♥ 3♠
pass ...pass**

** = pard may have bid 3♠ under pressure. I'll give him some slack and pass.

[jeremy69]

I vote 4H. Why muck around when LHO may well not have enough for an easy action.

[neilkaz]

jeremy69, on Dec 18 2009, 11:52 AM, said:

I vote 4H. Why muck around when LHO may well not have enough for an easy action.

We agree... 4♥ also

[bid_em_up]

Both opponents have heart shortness, and RHO has already passed. Doesn't this make it more likely LHO will either be able to bid 4♠ or double 4♥ for takeout?

[BateEmo]

This particular hand looks like a no-brainer decision in favor of 4 hearts.

[aguahombre]

At Matchpoints, I want to give the opps the same problem everyone else gets if I figure to get my tops on other boards. The clever bids don't do that. 4H is just fine, followed by no further action if they awaken. I don't know what they can make ---why should I assume they do?

[Vampyr]

whereagles, on Dec 18 2009, 06:37 PM, said:

2♥ pass 4♥ 3♠
pass ...pass**

** = pard may have bid 3♠ under pressure. I'll give him some slack and pass.

Interesting. The auction has continued without penalty, but if you (partner of the spade bidder) accept partner's "invitation" will you be ruled to have gained from the infraction? I think you will, because this is the only way partner can solicit your opinion about a spade contract.

[gnasher]

Vampyr, on Dec 19 2009, 06:47 AM, said:

Interesting. The auction has continued without penalty, but if you (partner of the spade bidder) accept partner's "invitation" will you be ruled to have gained from the infraction?

I don't think so. When the insufficient bid is accepted, it is treated as legal.

Law 27D ("If following the application of B1 the Director judges at the end of the play that without assistance gained through the infraction the outcome of the board could well have been different ...") relates only to an insufficient bid that was corrected.

Law 23 ("Awareness of potential damage done") relates to an advantage gained "through the irregularity". Here the advantage is gained as a result of the opponent's decision to accept the insufficient bid.

[fromageGB]

jeremy69, on Dec 18 2009, 06:52 PM, said:

I vote 4H. Why muck around when LHO may well not have enough for an easy action.

In my view, this is faulty thinking. LHO needs absolutely nothing to make a bid except heart shortage, and we have a fair guess he has that.

This is analogous to my partnerships' defence to 1NT. If the bidding goes 1NT pass pass, then 4th seat KNOWS his side has around 20 points, so all it takes to bid is a bit of shape, not points.