[AthosINT]

Scoring: IMP

---

The auction, with West Dealer, in IMP Pairs, NS vulnerable :
1♣ 1♠ X. What is your bid ?

[inquiry]

I agree with 4♠, unless LHO is a known to psych in first seat frequently. Sure there could be a magic fit slam here, but it is difficult to investigate and with both opponents bidding, not very likely even if you play sound overcalls vul.

4♦ as a funky fit jump with only 4 diamonds is a poor second choice.

[Al_U_Card]

4C lets them dbl for the lead or bid 4H to play. 4H might be interesting as it muddies the water. As JL says, 4S is eminently practical.

[luke warm]

well they've already shown hearts, in effect... 4♠ seems easy to bid, but what to do over 5♣ or ♥? i hope, if the opps bid again, it's my lho so partner can show his intentions first.. if it's my rho who bids at the 5 level, i'd have a decision to make... i'm bidding 4♦ on my way to 4♠... now if lho bids partner may have an easier decision... it also somewhat protects us if rho ends up bidding at the 5 level, since 4♦ by me should set up a forcing pass (is that correct?)

[AthosINT]

luke warm, on Jan 30 2006, 06:46 PM, said:

, since 4♦ by me should set up a forcing pass (is that correct?)

definitely

[mikeh]

The problem with bidding anything less than 4♠ is that it is far, far easier for opener to bid 4♥ over 4♣ or 4♦ than it is to bid 5♥ over 4♠. Committing to a 5-level contract on a 4-4 fit with no real idea where the hcp are is not easy.

And I don't want opener to bid 4♥ and then pass my 4♠ (should it go pass pass to me) nor do I want responder to have the advantage of hearing 4♥ should my partner bid 4♠.

This is a hand on which I do not want the opps to get together in terms of relative values.

I am bidding 4♠ now, and worrying about 5♠ next time if need be.

[luis]

4♠ let's try the simple way first.

[Free]

3♣ splinter, I like my chances in 6♠ when partner has a really decent hand. By bidding 4♠ you'll probably get a 5♣ bid from opps anyway, so that's not much use imo...

[Kalvan14]

4♠. No search for a miracle slam, no willingness to allow oppos to introduce hearts at 4-level.

[P_Marlowe]

4S?

You have the spades, you have 6,
I would tell partner this as fast as I
can.
The nice thing is, with this bid I have
told everything, and I go to sleep for the
rest of the bidding and maybe for the play
as well.

Marlowe

[zasanya]

Others viz 5♠
Since they will not allow me to play in 4♠ and I will not allow them to play in 5♣ or 5♥ why not 5 ♠ informing P about 6 card ♠ and making it too difficult for ops?

[coyot]

zasanya, on Jan 31 2006, 09:55 AM, said:

Others viz 5♠
Since they will not allow me to play in 4♠ and I will not allow them to play in 5♣ or 5♥ why not 5 ♠ informing P about 6 card ♠ and making it too difficult for ops?

If they're not going to let me play 4♠, I can overbid to 5.

By informing partner about 6 spades, I risk bidding a contract that cannot be made when I could have been happily camped in 4♠.

Just look at the bidding. 9HCP in my hand, probably 10 in partner's hand... that leaves 21 to opposition, with likely divisions between 12-9 and 14-7.

Do you think that the opener will bid 5♥ with a weak NT hand and only 8fit guaranteed? I really don't think so . Yes, he may expect his partner to have longer hearts because we're bidding like crazy, but that still does NOT justify going to 5th level with a lousy hand. I just have to disagree wit you - they WILL let you play in 4♠ more often than not - and if they don't, you're anyway willing to sacrifice against their game contract on the 5th level.

That's the beauty of 4♠ bid... it can be made on total garbage with 4-5 spades and good distribution as a good save, or it can be made with good values. It just leaves the opponents in the dark.

[AthosINT]

Hello,

Thank you for the answers. My concerns were about 5♣ from the opponents, i mean : 4♠, p, p, 5♣. Now what will you bid ?

As i had no idea, i would like to find a way to transfer the decision to partner, that is showing ♠and ♦ a way or another.

Is that unreasonable after the X from responder ?

[peaceman]

I would bid 4 sp right away, not because i am concerned opps will come in at 5 level if i bid 4d, (I believe they will come in at 5 level anyway), but because if I am lucky enough that they do bid 5 clubs, & it comes back to me, I then hav easy mild slam try of 5d, & my hand is described. With a first round control in either clubs or hrts, instead of 2nd & 3rd, I wld want to bid something other than four spades first, so with this hand, i take the milder approach -- no interest in defending, it seems to me, & way more sp than partner could guess... so Im planning a two bid response structure....that describes my hand.

[whereagles]

AthosINT, on Jan 31 2006, 08:59 PM, said:

As i had no idea, i would like to find a way to transfer the decision to partner, that is showing ♠and ♦ a way or another.

Is that unreasonable after the X from responder ?

There is a bid for that: 4♦, showing a good diamond suit for the lead/competition and spade fit.

Whether or not that's a good bid to make here is another story. Personally, I like it.

[pork rind]

i would bid 4s without the a of diamonds. so ill xx now. im not worried about competing to the 5 level with this hand. if im lucky ill get doubled in 4s which should be a lock(prob 5 is). i dont think slam is there but why am i in a hurry with this hand?

[ochinko]

4♠ is fairly obvious but opps are certain to try a sacrifice at these vulnerabilities. That's why I'll try 4♣ splinter as a tactical bid in an attempt to scare off the opps from a potential sacrifice as 4♣ shows less spades and more points, yet doesn't distort my hand too much.

If they still bid at the 5th level, I'm going to try 5♠. This may not be the right bid, but at least it is where I expect most of the field to be with 11+ spades in the line.