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FWIW I think this hand is pretty neutral ev for either action. I'm pretty sure I would have overcalled, but I have no confidence it is a winner in theory (despite access to possibly the world's best database on the issue). In practice people generally assume I am a rock, so overcalling gains.
If the LHO and CHO hands are switched, we could well end in 6♠ doubled one down for an 8 imp gain if pard plays us for a real overcall, or 14 imps in 5♠ if he gives us lots of leeway. But that assumes team mates have also put it to them at the four level.
Six-five come alive?
#42
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Posted 2013-October-22, 17:51
I would pass for 2 reasons. Partner will almost certainly pick me for a real hand and will get us too high. Bidding with such poor suits can easily get make us subject to a large penalty.
"The King of Hearts a broadsword bears, the Queen of Hearts a rose." W. H. Auden.
#43
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Posted 2013-October-29, 07:10
I would have bid 4♠.
I'm much more worried about my LHO than I am about my partner.
Saying partner will know when to reopen: There are LOADS of hands where partner can't find a call at this level. I'm the one who's 6-5. So I'm going to pass and hope partner can jump back in on some weak no trump? (I need no more than that)
For that matter, what if it's their game that's making and 4♠ is a good save? I'm for keeping lots of flexibility at this level to find frequent games and good saves rather than pie-in-the-sky slams. If partner has a clear advance, this hand isn't terrible: it has lots of tricks opposite a spade fit.
There are those who say that insisting on partner giving us rope means missing slams. But people who don't bid on hands like these miss slams too. Imagine partner reopens with a double after you pass. Now what? 4S now feels like an underbid: I mean giver partner AKxx, Ax, KQx, Axxx and 7S is cold but he can't bid again. So what pass and then jump in spades when partner reopens? So by that formula we can never play 4S: which is surely right a great deal of the time.
I'm much more worried about my LHO than I am about my partner.
Saying partner will know when to reopen: There are LOADS of hands where partner can't find a call at this level. I'm the one who's 6-5. So I'm going to pass and hope partner can jump back in on some weak no trump? (I need no more than that)
For that matter, what if it's their game that's making and 4♠ is a good save? I'm for keeping lots of flexibility at this level to find frequent games and good saves rather than pie-in-the-sky slams. If partner has a clear advance, this hand isn't terrible: it has lots of tricks opposite a spade fit.
There are those who say that insisting on partner giving us rope means missing slams. But people who don't bid on hands like these miss slams too. Imagine partner reopens with a double after you pass. Now what? 4S now feels like an underbid: I mean giver partner AKxx, Ax, KQx, Axxx and 7S is cold but he can't bid again. So what pass and then jump in spades when partner reopens? So by that formula we can never play 4S: which is surely right a great deal of the time.