[pooltuna]

mcphee, on 2011-February-03, 07:45, said:

To bid 3S with this is just not my style, basically its a classic weak jump o/c and given the conditions I see no reason to make all the decisions for our side.

Hearty agreement! In fact if the 3♠ callers insist on their call we need to teach them a new game! The rules can be found at this URL My link

[gnasher]

han, on 2011-February-03, 05:14, said:

Gnasher, instead of asking questions, I would appreciate it if you could tell us what your partner does expect for your 3S bid. And what would you bid with similar honors and 6133, 6142 or 7222 shape?

My partner would expect a range of hands which includes this one. I'd bid 3♠ with the same high cards and any of the other shapes you mention.

I think that a preempt facing a passed partner should have quite a wide range. The wider range makes it harder to judge whether to save, but it also increases the chance that a save will be unnecessary, because the opponents are in the wrong contract. In fact, I favour the exact opposite of Bluecalm's philosophy. Saving with a 3244 shape isn't even on the radar.

As for asking questions, I wasn't really expecting an answer. It seems to me self-evident that in a serious partnership my partner will know what my preempts look like.

[y66]

I like 3S here. Pard knows I can have this hand.

[Free]

2♠ is for woosies.

Partner knows we can overbid in this situation, so he won't just sac for fun. We know opps have values for game (specifically stated partner has <10HCP), so just make it hard on opps by bidding 3♠.

[Siegmund]

I find 2S quite timid, but can see a case for it against weak opposition who might actually take advantage of the opportunity to stop short of game. My regular p would expect me to bid 3S if I have 5 tricks at this vulnerability, and I think AQTxxx behind an opener fills the bill.

If your partner knows how aggressively you preempt, and raises in correct fashion to whatever your ranges for 2S and 3S are, then it won't matter much which way you play it.

[mycroft]

The advantage to 2S is that it describes your hand well to partner, and therefore he is less likely to hang you. Alternatively, the vulnerability is such that if that extra trick hangs you, it's still a good chance to be 500 into 600/620. Also, he's more likely to compete next time when you do bid 3S, knowing there's "7 or shape".

The advantage to 3S is that the opponents can't bid 3S. If they have hearts, ah well. But if they're not sure they have hearts, they don't have a stopper-ask 3S available either this round or next. If partner has support, he'll bid 3S at his turn, sure; but what if he doesn't?

The other "advantage" to 3S is that you are more likely to get doubled in the final contract, and that contract will often be one level higher than the 2S bidders. This may be good, of course.