[Bbradley62]

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Why doesn't West simply bid 3♥ over 3♣?

Also, shouldn't 3♦ should be explained as showing exactly 4♥, not 4+, because if he had 5+♥ and 11+ total points, he would have bid 2♥ rather than making a negative double?

[lycier]

I remembered I had played several similar hands.
W has only 10TPs,and can't make free bid 2♥.
I guess that first double with 4+♥,then bidding 3♦ is invitational to ♥ game.

[Bbradley62]

lycier, on 2015-March-07, 20:47, said:

I guess that first double with 4+♥,then bidding 3♦ is invitational to ♥ game.

The description says otherwise, and East appears to believe the description. (I know, that's not the way this works, but...) Over the double, East could be stuck for a bid, so 2♥ only shows 3+ support, not 4. 3♦ then appears to say "I have 4+ of both red suits, so it might be right to play ♦ if you're 5341". 3♠ is "I already told you about my 3 hearts, and I don't have either 4 diamonds or a club stopper". West has to clearly state, at some point, that they belong in hearts.