[mr1303]

Scoring: IMP

---

1H 1S 2C ?

How many spades (if any?) do you bid. All players seem sensible so far to you, standard agreements in place (3S = pre-emptive)

[Echognome]

Am really very tempted by 2-only spades, but at these colors I'm going to bid 3♠. I just hate that my hand is so defensive. (which is obviously part of the problem)

[ArtK78]

Normally, with 5 card support for partner's overcall, I bid 4♠. But on this balanced piece of trash, 3♠ seems like more than enough.

[mtvesuvius]

3♠ for me also. Too much Defense, too little offense.

[jdonn]

I bid 2♠ just to take away some of opener's cheap rebids. I don't want partner to take a sacrifice, and he is likely to do so at these colors, so I don't want to bid 3♠ even though I don't fear being doubled there.

[JLOL]

I like 2 also, even 3 could be a bloodbath and we have enough random D that they may not have a game.

[Benoit35]

3 or 4♠, depending on the chemicals going through my veins.

[mcphee]

While it is true my hand is a bit slow I can not bring myself to bash 3 saying I have trash, even though it's close to trash it does have some constructive features. I like the simple raise, 2S for me.

[kenrexford]

jdonn, on Jan 23 2009, 05:05 PM, said:

I bid 2♠ just to take away some of opener's cheap rebids. I don't want partner to take a sacrifice, and he is likely to do so at these colors, so I don't want to bid 3♠ even though I don't fear being doubled there.

Strangely, although I would bid 2♠ for this reason also, I am actually tempted to pass, because there is some merit to allowing Opener to have cheap rebids.

This hand screams that I will be making the final decision. The more space I give everyone to describe their hands reliably, the more reliable the information upon which I may end up relying. If I jam the auction, even slightly, I convert opposition bidding into under-pressure bidding, and hence unreliable bidding.

[gnasher]

There are three cue bids available between 2♣ and 3♠. Can't I use one of them to show a mixed raise?

[Hanoi5]

3♠, maybe un-lawful but less awful than 4♠. I've learnt this the hard way though...

[whereagles]

The hand's a load of rubbish.

2♠ for now, and I don't even know whether I'll go to 3♠ later...

[Winstonm]

2S. I really don't want to encourage partner to do anything his own hand does not warrant.

[Trinidad]

kenrexford, on Jan 24 2009, 09:11 AM, said:

jdonn, on Jan 23 2009, 05:05 PM, said:

I bid 2♠ just to take away some of opener's cheap rebids. I don't want partner to take a sacrifice, and he is likely to do so at these colors, so I don't want to bid 3♠ even though I don't fear being doubled there.

Strangely, although I would bid 2♠ for this reason also, I am actually tempted to pass, because there is some merit to allowing Opener to have cheap rebids.

This hand screams that I will be making the final decision. The more space I give everyone to describe their hands reliably, the more reliable the information upon which I may end up relying. If I jam the auction, even slightly, I convert opposition bidding into under-pressure bidding, and hence unreliable bidding.

I see your point and I am thinking along the same lines. The one thing that I am afraid of is that if I pass, I will be on lead against 2♣.

Quite a few play 2♣ as non forcing. The fact that you hold 9 HCPs (I know they are lousy, but they are still 9 HCPs that the other 3 players don't have) is a strong indication that your opponents may play this style.

Rik

[neilkaz]

I'll just make the simple raise to 2♠ not wanting to encourage PD to sac over 4♥ and having enough random defence that the opps maybe can't make a game.

However, I don't hate 3♠, but do hate passing or 4♠.

[jdonn]

kenrexford, on Jan 24 2009, 09:11 AM, said:

jdonn, on Jan 23 2009, 05:05 PM, said:

I bid 2♠ just to take away some of opener's cheap rebids. I don't want partner to take a sacrifice, and he is likely to do so at these colors, so I don't want to bid 3♠ even though I don't fear being doubled there.

Strangely, although I would bid 2♠ for this reason also, I am actually tempted to pass, because there is some merit to allowing Opener to have cheap rebids.

This hand screams that I will be making the final decision. The more space I give everyone to describe their hands reliably, the more reliable the information upon which I may end up relying. If I jam the auction, even slightly, I convert opposition bidding into under-pressure bidding, and hence unreliable bidding.

I definitely prefer pass to 4♠. I admit I prefer 3♠ to pass though.

[mr1303]

Well, unsurprisingly, 4S was too high.

Partner's hand was:

---

Auction proceeded:

1H 1S 2C 3S (my choice)
4H 4S all pass

4H and 4S were both 1 off. Can you fault partner for bidding 4S over 4H? It seemed perfectly reasonable to me.

[Fluffy]

partner's 4♠ seems automatic.

I like 2♠ bcause this is almost constructive hand. With a queen less pass would be appealing.

[gnasher]

mr1303, on Jan 25 2009, 12:02 PM, said:

Can you fault partner for bidding 4S over 4H?

Yes. He doesn't expect to make it, has some defence against 4♥, knows that the opponents may have had to guess, and doesn't have any reason to think 4♠ will be cheap. The traditional advice to "bid 4♠ over 4♥" doesn't mean that you shouldn't look at your hand and the auction first.

This post has been edited by gnasher: 2009-January-25, 13:29

[JLOL]

What defense does he have? I would almost never expect to beat them. Also why can't it be a (double) make opposite a stiff club? Seems perfectly fine imo.