[CSGibson]

Scoring: MP

1♠-(3♥)*-X-(p),
3♠-(p)-?
*3♥ is intermediate

---

Favorable vulnerability, you play precision, so partner's 1♠ call is 11-15. 3 hearts was intermediate, showing 11-14, usually with a 7 card suit, but sometimes 6 with a particularly good playing hand. Playing in a club game, matchpoints.

The 3♥ call probably will not be repeated at any of the other tables. Does that have any bearing on your thinking?

Edit: Just realized I had the vulnerability wrong in the OP, edited to favorable. Not sure how much difference it makes, though.

[rogerclee]

Hope we make it.

[Jlall]

Close to what?

[CSGibson]

Jlall, on Apr 8 2010, 11:50 PM, said:

Close to what?

anything but a pass. reason I ask is because the 3 spade bidder hesitated about 7-10 seconds, then slapped their bid on the table forcefully. The person holding this hand put 4 spades on the table, I'm checking to see whether that's a reasonable action without the hesitation.

[Little Kid]

Even the poll is unanimous, that has got to count for something!

[dake50]

What does partner have?
6xS to AQ + (CAQ or DAwCQ or HAwCQ) 4S likely OK.

Partner got silly? He expects silly, 4S then.

[jjbrr]

4♠ is a huge overbid

[Phil]

CSGibson, on Apr 9 2010, 02:07 AM, said:

Jlall, on Apr 8 2010, 11:50 PM, said:

Close to what?

anything but a pass. reason I ask is because the 3 spade bidder hesitated about 7-10 seconds, then slapped their bid on the table forcefully. The person holding this hand put 4 spades on the table, I'm checking to see whether that's a reasonable action without the hesitation.

Haven't we bid our hand already?

Clear UI on the tank and the 'forceful' 3♠ call. It has to mean 'hey I was thinking about 4♠, but I don't want to go past 3N, or I don't want to hang you if you have a minimum, so I'll just convey my extra strength like this

[Siegmund]

4S is a bit of a stretch, but isn't quite insane, in a context where you expect the 3S bid to always show a 6th spade. (Not that I'm sure that we are in such a context.)

Quote

reason I ask is because the 3 spade bidder hesitated about 7-10 seconds, then slapped their bid on the table forcefully. The person holding this hand put 4 spades on the table, I'm checking to see whether that's a reasonable action without the hesitation.

Quote

Clear UI on the tank and the 'forceful' 3♠ call. It has to mean 'hey I was thinking about 4♠, but I don't want to go past 3N, or I don't want to hang you if you have a minimum, so I'll just convey my extra strength like this

Interesting.

Of course the people at the table have a much clearer view of the body language etc. that we can get on the forum reading about it -- but what I "saw" in CSGibson's post was opener saying "you jackass, forcing me to take another bid when I don't have anything worth bidding again... should I bid 3N with a half-stopper or repeat my ugly spades or bid a Kxx minor, or what?" and (until I saw the results of the poll) might have been willing to rule against anyone who passed because of the UI.

[Phil]

Siegmund, on Apr 9 2010, 02:00 PM, said:

what I "saw" in CSGibson's post was opener saying "you jackass, forcing me to take another bid when I don't have anything worth bidding again... should I bid 3N with a half-stopper or repeat my ugly spades or bid a Kxx minor, or what?" and (until I saw the results of the poll) might have been willing to rule against anyone who passed because of the UI.

No AQxxxx Axx xx xx bids the fastest 3♠ imaginable.

[Jlall]

Siegmund, on Apr 9 2010, 02:00 PM, said:

4S is a bit of a stretch, but isn't quite insane, in a context where you expect the 3S bid to always show a 6th spade. (Not that I'm sure that we are in such a context.)

Quote

reason I ask is because the 3 spade bidder hesitated about 7-10 seconds, then slapped their bid on the table forcefully. The person holding this hand put 4 spades on the table, I'm checking to see whether that's a reasonable action without the hesitation.

Quote

Clear UI on the tank and the 'forceful' 3♠ call. It has to mean 'hey I was thinking about 4♠, but I don't want to go past 3N, or I don't want to hang you if you have a minimum, so I'll just convey my extra strength like this

Interesting.

Of course the people at the table have a much clearer view of the body language etc. that we can get on the forum reading about it -- but what I "saw" in CSGibson's post was opener saying "you jackass, forcing me to take another bid when I don't have anything worth bidding again... should I bid 3N with a half-stopper or repeat my ugly spades or bid a Kxx minor, or what?" and (until I saw the results of the poll) might have been willing to rule against anyone who passed because of the UI.

Smack on the table forcefully is usually a sign of "I want to play here whatever you have, you better pass."

However 7-10 second tank is the real thing here, as Phil says mins will bid quickly.

IMO 7-10 second tank + smack shows extras with real spades, if you just tank for 7-10 seconds and bid 3S without the smack, partner might interpret that as a 5 card spade suit and no heart stopper.