[broze]

---

How do you interpret the 3♥ bid as North using standard methods - does it confirm a trap pass with both majors? What about in this partnership where an immediate 3♥ would have been non-forcing?

Do you agree with the bidding overall or the final contract? Thought this was an especially interesting hand!

[aguahombre]

As North, I interpret 3H as a attempt to play in 3H with a hand which did not have enough to strength to act directly over 2S.

The possibility South might have been trapping comes from North's own shortness in spades, not from "standard" for this situation.

My opinion of North's 3D reopen is low, but would expect many players to do this. When we feel compelled to reopen with this hand type, a 2NT "delay unusual" is available showing the 2-trick difference in the minors.

That aside, N/S had chances to play a red suit at the 3 level but kept on bidding. South could have passed 3♦, expecting an eight or 9-card fit and better diamonds from North. But, South chose 3H which looks like a decent spot on the actual layout. North kept going like the Energizer Bunny.

[mike777]

strongly prefer x here not 3d.


starting with 3d the rest of the bidding seems very confused.

[aguahombre]

mike777, on 2012-July-08, 12:06, said:

strongly prefer x here not 3d.


starting with 3d the rest of the bidding seems very confused.

How confused would you be if you reopen with a double and partner bids 3H?

[mike777]

west is a passed hand and does not bid 3s, east shows a weak hand

so it looks like pard has at least 4spades and some pts but did not make a neg dble. be not afraid....sure preempts work sometimes but be not afraid.

[aguahombre]

There is a difference between being afraid and not committing suicide.

[gszes]

you have to trust your partner----you bid 3d giving your p a
nice safe place to play if they are weak. Your p then bid 3h
this is where trust comes in. No matter what else you are thinking
this hand belongs in hearts and the only question left is how high.

You do not have room to explore so at IMPS it is probably best to
to bid 4h since the only way you lose much is when it makes exactly 3h.

A strong case van be made for passing 3h since p did not have the ability
to make a neg x, There are a lot of weak hands where your ability to ruff a
a spade or possibly set up diamonds will allow your side to make. The key is
recognizing p will not introduce hearts w/o at least 6 of them.

I didnt care for the 3d bid but here it should have made it clear that the hand
belongs in hearts.

[ggwhiz]

This auction is just like the movie I watched last night. It went on far too long.