[FrancesHinden]

3-card spade raise, nothing about diamonds

---

[mr1303]

Very awkward hand. I didn't feel that happy about my choice of doubling over 2C, so I think I'll pass here.

[nige1]

FrancesHinden, on 2014-January-01, 10:03, said:

3♦ = 3-card raise, nothing about ♦

---

IMO: Double = 10, 3♠ (An overbid, vulnerable) = 9, 3♥ (Inadequate ♥) = 7. Pass = 6.
But you need agreements here.

[gszes]

X

marks the spot. Would have been nice to know if 3d was game force or not but in either case

partner is going to be pretty darn poor which means us making a game is hugely unlikely.

The only thing we should be concerned with is finding a good sac or hopefully setting the

opps (partner could have 4 decent trumps). X here gives us two ways to win. A dia lead

will be almost as good as a heart and it also gets in our minor suit right away in case we

can find a profitable sac. Those bidding 3s are gambling we cannot set 4s and are willing to

sac (possibly against air) as long as they can show their 2 suits for p to choose from. I prefer

to show 1 less suit in order to preserve my chance of defending when it is right as giving us the

best of all possible scenarios. IMO x=10 pass=7 3s=5 3h=3

[madongjun]

3♥.

[helene_t]

Double would be t/o of spades, right?

[gszes]

helene_t, on 2014-January-02, 08:58, said:

Double would be t/o of spades, right?

the x of an artificial bid normally shows that suit. Partnerships can systemically agree to

other meanings.

[mfa1010]

3♥. All close. 3♠ is my second choice, but I don't quite have enough for that bid. If partner can raise 3♥ to 4 or 5 it would likely be right, so I want to bid, and 3♥ looks reasonably safe. X for the lead could be xxx, xxx, KQJT, xxx (or maybe worse) so partner will rarely compete after that, and I have no particular reason to want a diamond lead. If X is a takeout double (what I play myself when not a passed hand), it is tempting, but I still like 3♥ better.

[mikeh]

I used to pass these hands. I'd reason that the auction suggests that partner will often hold 4 spades, and thus is likely short in one or both my suits. IOW, I'd talk myself into being chicken.

It may be that I am getting braver in the forums due to not playing bridge anymore, but here I think that bidding, while undoubtedly dangerous, is less dangerous than passing.

If one is going to bid, 3♥ stands out.

Doubling, which for me would be takeout, is most likely to get us into clubs, a spot from which there may be no place to go no matter how the auction proceeds thereafter. Even if it were lead-directing, I see no reason for it to be suggesting competing in diamonds rather than directing the best lead....see mfa's example. And of course it gives up on hearts and, in the somewhat unlikely event that we can make a lot of tricks, we may as well aim for the better-scoring suit.

All of this leads to an uncomfortable, perhaps overly committal and somewhat misleading 3♥.

It's not that I 'like' 3♥. It's more that I dislike it less than all of the alternatives, including the pass that otherwise speaks directly to my heart.

[MrAce]

Just like MFA i am going between 3♥ and 3♠ after reading other options. I just voted 3♥ w/o looking at other options, not sure if that would have changed my mind though.

EDIT:

helene_t, on 2014-January-02, 08:58, said:

Double would be t/o of spades, right?

I personally play it T/O for spades.

[mcphee]

I guess this 3d showed limit values with 3+ trumps. Double IMO should strictly be t/o of S here. If you play the dble of a bergen type raise to just show the suit I think you are losing a lot. What ever would you do with x AKxx Qxx AJxxx or like hands unsuitable to over call? While there might be days where bidding 3H will cost me I am getting in now, we could easily have a game. Assuming you play double for t/o of S I feel it runs considerable risk. Surely those who choose double as t/o of S will not be pleased to hear 4C.

[jallerton]

mcphee, on 2014-January-04, 07:50, said:

I guess this 3d showed limit values with 3+ trumps.

You guess wrong. The opening post says "3-card spade raise" which means exactly that. RHO has another call available to show a 4+-card raise.