[jillybean]

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teams. swiss pairs, NZ

[pescetom]

Double looks to be the most flexible move.

What would a direct 2S by partner have shown?

[jillybean]

2♠ is an opening, or close to opening hand with spades

[jillybean]

North chose force 4H

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[pescetom]

 jillybean, on 2026-March-16, 15:54, said:

North chose force 4H

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That's why I didn't choose 4H

[Zelandakh]

jillybean, on 2026-March-16, 09:40, said:

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teams, NZ

Do you have any agreements on the difference between 4♥ and 5♥ here?

[Zelandakh]

pescetom, on 2026-March-16, 17:09, said:

That's why I didn't choose 4H

Well you found out partner has a minimum, so at least you have an excuse to stop trying to think of auctions that might uncover a grand, which are probably never feasible unless playing methods well beyond normal club bridge. Can you think of a realistic auction that doesn't end in 6♣?

[johnu]

Zelandakh, on 2026-March-16, 18:11, said:

Well you found out partner has a minimum, so at least you have an excuse to stop trying to think of auctions that might uncover a grand, which are probably never feasible unless playing methods well beyond normal club bridge.

I "knew" partner had a minimum when I looked at my hand and saw 20 prime high card points outside of hearts.

[jillybean]

Zelandakh, on 2026-March-16, 18:03, said:

Do you have any agreements on the difference between 4♥ and 5♥ here?

No 5H undefined. (slam force, with no heart loser makes perfect sense )

johnu, on 2026-March-16, 18:32, said:

I "knew" partner had a minimum when I looked at my hand and saw 20 prime high card points outside of hearts.

Yes, perhaps a minimum but a take out double

[Zelandakh]

johnu, on 2026-March-16, 18:32, said:

I "knew" partner had a minimum when I looked at my hand and saw 20 prime high card points outside of hearts.

Presumably you haven't seen too many "known to be aggressive" preempts. But whether that is true or not, the point remains, if you are not bidding 4♥ (or 5♥ if that is available to show, say, a slam force with no heart loser) what is the alternative to just blasting 6♣? At least with 4♥ you have a chance to discover something along the way, even if that is unhelpful 90% of the time.
Just one final point here. If we are to believe the opponents, partner has ~4 hearts but could still find a X. Most of the time, when a hand with length in their preempt suit doubles, they have extras. We should of course trust partner over the opps but it will be somewhat interesting to find out what was really going on here at the end of the thread.

[paulg]

Partner has probably got four hearts so doubling initially is going to get a pass a lot of the time. Realistically I cannot see a sequence where partner will be able to contribute sensibly so I think I just need to choose 6♣ or 7♣; I'd probably plump for the latter at the table.

If partner would understand 4NT as the minors, then bidding this followed by 7♣ might be a better tactic when he has doubled with a 4441 distribution.

[mw64ahw]

I'd put partner with a flatish hand w. 3♥ and some strength. 6♣ seems fine, but very much depends on the meaning of 4♥.