[Fluffy]

♠AJ63
♥A104
♦AQJ
♣QJ4


all white MPs, partner deals and it goes


pass-(pass)-1♣-1NT
2♥ -(pass)-??

No conventions applying, we play 2♦ weak and 2M weak.

[wank]

4♥

3nt may be better at MPs but no way to check how many clubs p has

[aguahombre]

I failed the test, I guess. There is some reason Fluff posted this in this forum, but I cannot picture why I shouldn't pass.

[pooltuna]

 aguahombre, on 2011-September-25, 18:25, said:

I failed the test, I guess. There is some reason Fluff posted this in this forum, but I cannot picture why I shouldn't pass.

generally I would agree with you but the endplay possibilities are great and partner should hold a 6+ card suit so I think a raise should show this hand

[Siegmund]

it's 19 but its 4333 and it's quacky with lots of high cards behind it. It may still be worth 15 or 16 points, but I have a hard time seeing very many hands where partner is making 4H. I let it go.

[y66]

If pard often has 5 hearts, I'll pass. If he often has KJxxxx of hearts, I'll try 4H. Otherwise 3H for me.

[dboxley]

Pass, believe the opps.

[aguahombre]

 dboxley, on 2011-September-25, 22:46, said:

Pass, believe the opps.

Believe partner, and RHO. The overcaller has what he advertized because neither of the others showed any strength. 1NT was not a psyche, and pard doesn't have much. The opening lead is in the wrong place for us, as well.

If CHO is being cute with King eighth of hearts, we lose.

[han]

I would sooner bid 3NT than 4H, with KJ-6th and out I'm almost cold.

[Fluffy]

I think this is standard, correct me if wrong, if you wanna invite you have 2 raises, 3♥ and 2NT, 2NT being stronger than 3♥ in general.

[Phil]

 han, on 2011-September-26, 01:38, said:

I would sooner bid 3NT than 4H, with KJ-6th and out I'm almost cold.

This is exactly what I was thinking. Furthermore, even on some basic layouts where both appear to make SD, 4♥ could be beaten by a club ruff or trump promotion.

I've never thought of it, but 2N here makes sense as Ogust.

[jallerton]

 Fluffy, on 2011-September-26, 01:47, said:

I think this is standard, correct me if wrong, if you wanna invite you have 2 raises, 3♥ and 2NT, 2NT being stronger than 3♥ in general.

You said "no conventions applying".

Without discussion, I'd assume that 3♥ is inviational in hearts and 2NT is invitational in NT. 2NT should probably imply a heart fit here as once LHO has overcalled 1NT over our 1♣ opening, we're very unlikely to have a suitable hand for a natural 2NT bid based on long clubs.

As partner has not opened a weak two, he probably has either a weak heart suit or a 2-suiter, both of which make a jump to 3NT less tempting. Still, 3NT may well be the right game, so I'm bidding 2NT. If partner does have a second suit, a 2NT bid will give him room to show it on the next round.

[kenrexford]

Finally someone at least noted the big elephant in the room.

What is 2♥ by a passed hand, not vulnerable, in this sequence? For me, this is a fit jump withouit the jump, normally meaning five hearts and club support, typically 5-5. Opposite that hand, 4♥ has a lot more play. My hand is a functional ♠Axxx ♥Axx ♦Axx ♣QJx, contextually. The diamond Q-J might produce a trick, I suppose, and some control. But, give partner a typical hand. ♠x ♥Kxxxx ♦xx ♣Kxxxx. I lose one pointed trick, one heart, and one club, if all goes well. I expect to win four clubs, four hearts, and two Aces. If clubs misbehave for only two tricks, I might win another diamond and some sort of club-spade squeeze. Plus, a strya 10 from partner might help.

4♥ for me, then.

[jdeegan]

Pass at MP, but 3♥ at IMPs. I am playing pard for at least Q9xxxx in ♥. ♦,♠ and/or ♥ finesses figure to lose. There could be a club ruff out.

[rduran1216]

3NT by a mile. How hard is this hand gonna be to play. If partner has xx in clubs and QJxxxx in hearts and out then we still have chances to make if the clubs are 4-4

[whereagles]

If I count correctly, pard will have at best KQ of hearts. With such a weak hand he probably has 6 cards. I'm bidding 3NT.

[aguahombre]

 whereagles, on 2011-September-27, 09:45, said:

If I count correctly, pard will have at best KQ of hearts. With such a weak hand he probably has 6 cards. I'm bidding 3NT.

I am guessing he didn't forget to use the weak-two opening.

[whereagles]

Ah he's passed? Oh well, then I pass. Not going anywhere with an half-broken 5 card suit.

[rduran1216]

I've opened a minor, why would partner bid a 5332 or 5431 3-count with a broken heart suit when he could easily be bidding my stiff and we're about to go for a zip code.

If partner frequently makes a 2H bid on Kxxxx and out then so be it. I mean its closer because of the w/w mp thing.

But any other coloring 3NT is obvious, here pass might be right.

I'd say 60/40 for bidding 3NT, but i could be talked out of it at this scoring.

[kenrexford]

 rduran1216, on 2011-September-27, 17:43, said:

I've opened a minor, why would partner bid a 5332 or 5431 3-count with a broken heart suit when he could easily be bidding my stiff and we're about to go for a zip code.

If partner frequently makes a 2H bid on Kxxxx and out then so be it. I mean its closer because of the w/w mp thing.

But any other coloring 3NT is obvious, here pass might be right.

I'd say 60/40 for bidding 3NT, but i could be talked out of it at this scoring.

I don't understand how you can get so close to logical reasoning and then veer off into the crazy ditch.

Partner won't have better than five lousy hearts, or else he would have opened 2♥, except...

If this call is systemically (as I play it) showing a fit, he has a heart-club two-suiter, which explains how he gets the right to bid a cruddy suit at this level in this auction.

Without that agreement, then no one has made the obvious alternative analysis -- partner has four spades. So, we also have a spade fit? That makes it interesting. It certianly makes 3NT bizarre. Who plays 3NT with a 9-card heart fit AND a 4-4 spade fit?

Or, is 3NT meant as some sexy new "choice of major games" try?