[helene_t]

Matchpoints, game all. You hold
♠ 9x
♥ A
♦ AJTxxxxx
♣ KJ

RHO opens in first seat. It goes
1♣*-1♦-4♥-4♠
5♥-?

1♣ is 9-11 ballanced or 9+ natural, forcing.
Agree with 1♦? If so, what now?

[inquiry]

A couple of bridge related question to your system

1) Did 4♠ suggest diamond support or at least tolerance as well?
2) I assume pass over 5♥ here is forcing given you are vul is it?
3) If pass is forcing, does it imply spade support?

A couple of issue, if somehow 4♠ promised diamond support as well (unlikely, even I who use non-jump fit jumps on a lot of auctions save 4S here for spades), I would bid 6D (not sure who can make what) and hope to get a chance to double 6H instead of 5 or that 6D makes (or that 5H makes).

If not promising diamonds, next question would pass be forcing. If pass is not forcing, I double. What other choice do I have? If pass is forcing, I would pass with this hand and respect partners decision to bid on or double five hearts.

Ben

[helene_t]

Good questions.

We have no agreement about 4♠. Since it may or may not be based on diamond support, maybe it's a good idea to play "pass" here as two-way: either as penalty or as choose-between-5♠-and-6♦. Dbl becomes optional, then, similar to a traditional "pass" in a forcing-pass situation.

We do not have much agreements about forcing-pass situations either. Let's say that we agree that "pass" is forcing, in case this auction occurs again in the future.

[pclayton]

Pure guess.

A few notes:

1) Pass for us wouldn't be forcing
2) 4♠ isn't fitted - only because 4 of a major typically isn't

Is this a save or double situation? Even though I've never doubled with an 8 bagger, this looks like the hand for it.

If 4♠ showed a diamond fit, I'd still pass, but its a lot tougher.

[mike777]

Double

1) Assume pass not forcing
2) Assume 4s not fitted

[flytoox]

Double. No alternative.

China's Zhuang1 ze2jun1 once said you should have a neutral attitude toward opp's preempt. Here any other bid will be pure guess. Even if it succeeds, it would be more due to luck than to anything else.

Dont let opp's preempt push you.

[helene_t]

Scoring: MP

1♣-1♦-4♥-4♠
5♥-5♠-pass-pass
dbl-(all pass)

---

Thank you all for your suggestions. Here's the full hand.

I was South. I thought partner's 5♠ was crazy but maybe I should appreciate that he likes to support my suit.

5♠X was made, I suppose it was a good result.

[mike777]

South may pull X to 5S with that extreme, rare hand.

[Fluffy]

pass forcing if avaible, on my partnership it isn't so I would bid 5♠.

making 5♠ doesn't seem like an autoclaim, well played Helene .