[happybridge]

north
S:73
H:K10932
D:A8632
C:9
west east
S:AQJ842 S:K1096
H:7 H:6
D:J D:KQ10975
C:K7532 C:A10
south
S:5
H:AQJ854
D:4
C:QJ864

[N] [E] [S] [W]
1D 1H x
2H 2S 3C 3H
4H - - 4S
5H - - x
- - -
sys:prec
1.east pass 4h is forcing?
2.east pass 5h forcing too?
3.shd west double 5H?
4.what the 3h mean in this case?
thx in advance

[luis]

My comments:

What is North smoking? his pd bids 1h and now he proceeds to bid 2h, 4h, 5h, that's really horrible. He has a clear and good 4d fit-showing bid or if he doesn't want to let east double 4d he can bid a direct 4h. 2h is terrible.

East pass is not forcing, he has a limited hand, limited hands usually don't bid forcing passes.

3h is a general cuebid. Nothing specific to me. I think that both east and west have good reasons to bid 5s instead of doubling 5h. They have really offesive hands not suitable for defense.

[inquiry]

Quote

north
S:73
H:K10932
D:A8632
C:9
west east
S:AQJ842 S:K1096
H:7 H:6
D:J D:KQ10975
C:K7532 C:A10
south
S:5
H:AQJ854
D:4
C:QJ864

[N] [E] [S] [W]
1D 1H x
2H 2S 3C 3H
4H - - 4S
5H - - x
- - -
sys:prec
1.east pass 4h is forcing?
2.east pass 5h forcing too?
3.shd west double 5H?
4.what the 3h mean in this case?
thx in advance

Hi happy! Thanks for posting the hand. I agree with Luis that this auction doesn't seem to fit the shown hands. But let's answer the major question first. Is East pass of 4S forcing? I think the answer to that question depends upon your partnershipt agreement as to the meaning of the negative double followed by a cue-bid (here 3Hs). If 3H was game forcing after the negative double, then yes, the pass by EAST over 4H and over 5H would both be forcing.

In fact, that is the bid I would make with this hand. Then, when partner doubles 4H, I would pull to 4S to show exactly this hand... Unusual distribution for the auction, a heart control, "slam" ambition given my "minimum" 2S bid earlier. If I catch partner with the right hand for his negative double than "game force cue-bid" this pass and pull will tell him the complete story--stiff heart, 4S, bunches of diamonds. If he had AQxx xxx Ax Kxxx we would get to 6S after the pass and pull, despite his minimum 13 hcp.

If the first pass was forcing, and partner pulled to 4S, I think over 5H I would bid 5S. The reason being, the second pass would also be forcing. This time, I do not think your hand has enough extra offense to pass 5H and then pull partner's double. The reason I bid 5S rather than double is that after partner bid 4S, he is showing a tremendous offensive hand that wasn't good enough to bid 1S directly. If he is offensive you are offensive as well. But I have to admit this is close. But if you do PASS 5H, then if your partner doubles, you will be forced to pass because your hand isn't all that offensive. BTW, this answers question number 3, if the pass of 4H was forcing, with this hand, WEST should not get a chance to double five hearts. But if given a chance to double 5H, with 6511 should he? I think the answer is no. Opposite a second forcing pass, his hand is still good enough offensively with a spade fit not to bid on. His partner pass of 5H was offering him a choice, and with this hand, his choice would have to be to play the hand.

If 3H was game invitational or better, then no, the pass of 4H would not be forcing. And if 3H was invintational or better, and then the 3H bidder now bids 4S and they bid 5H, would a pass of 5H then be forcing? This is a little more grey area. I suspect if you were vul, so that 4S is unlikely to be a "sacrafice", then you could assume 3H was "better" than invintational, so the pass of 5H would now be forcing (3H ihvite game or better, but then 4S shows that we have game values).

Now to the auctual auction. Since Luis commented on Norths 2H bid, I will too. This was not good. The vul may make some small difference, but clearly North needs to bid a bunch of hearts immediately. I disagree with Luis that 4D is a fit jump, given that EAST opened that suit, I play it as a splinter, and even if ot was a fit jump, I do not like to make fit jumps in a suit headed by Ace only. I like some fillers. I am also not all that happy with the negative doulbe with 6-5 in the blacks and an EXCELLENT spade suit. I would have simply bid my suit.

Finally, South's 1H overcall isn't bad, but with that 6-5 I probably would have bid unusual 2NT and pulled 3C to 3H to show the extra legnth and suit quality.

Ben

[luis]

Quote

Now to the auctual auction. Since Luis commented on Norths 2H bid, I will too. This was not good. The vul may make some small difference, but clearly North needs to bid a bunch of hearts immediately. I disagree with Luis that 4D is a fit jump, given that EAST opened that suit, I play it as a splinter

Remember that EW were playing precision, that's why I think that 4d by North is a fit jump. The 1d opener can have only 2 cards in diamonds and in some versions even 1 card or a void. In that scenario I think that it is a good idea to assume that nobody holds diamonds yet or they can steal your suit each time they open 1d.

[happybridge]

thx very much