[bridge2k]

In a tourney about to close, your team is a bit behind. You are the dealer in East and have the following hand with Red vs white. All players play 2/1 with some gadgets.

S: Q8X
H: AKT9XXXX
D: -
C: K9

E     S    W     N
1H   Dbl  P   1NT
?

What's your call?

[mike777]

2H. showing hearts I hope, more than a random junky 10 hcp hand with a 6 card h suit.

But if we have 16 working hcp between our 2 hands we belong in 4H.

[pbleighton]

4H. 2H is a MP bid, IMO, and even at MPs I might bid 4H.

Peter

[FrancesHinden]

You could compromise with 3♥

[SoTired]

4H looks hopeless. With the X on my left and 1N on my right I probably have 3 to 4 black suit losers and 1 heart loser. And it will be doubled. If I bid 3H asking partner for some help, partner may bid 4H with diam strength.

Pass... I like my prospects against 1N

[han]

You are all so boring, Justin always jumps to 4H, SoTired always passes and Frances finds the middle road. I expect that Fluffy will soon post "2NT, GF, what's the problem ".

I'm also inclined to bid 4H but can certainly live with 3H.

[mr1303]

4H. It'll either make or it'll go down.....

[Free]

2♥, but if I'm in the mood, I'll just pass

[pclayton]

My black suit honors suck and there is at least 3 of the 5 outstanding hearts on my left. If I wanted to play this hand in 4♥ I should have opened it.

But is 3♥ is interesting. It jams them a little and sounds semi-preemptive since a double is available to show a good hand.

I'm not selling out to 3♦, so I might as well push the level right away.

[whereagles]

I would have opened 4H. As it is, I'm going to be consistent with the 1H opening bid and go for 3H.

[mikeh]

3♥

This is actually close to perfect

It denies a solid ♥ suit (would either have opened differently or be hoping to defend)

It denies a big hand in hcp but, by venturing to the 3-level opposite active bidding, including the indication of at least one trump loser, shows a powerful playing hand.

The only real imperfections are:

it is no guide to partner as to what scraps of cards will make game viable

it allows doubler to bid 3♠

However, 4♥ is too big: partner may really be broke and RHO will have no trouble hitting 4♥ with QJxx of trump. I do need SOMETHING from partner, and 3♥ at least involves him.

And shutting out ♠ at the 3-level will not be significant on many hands: the hands that warrant 3♠ over 3♥ usually warrant 4♠ over 4♥

Finally, and not something I usually rely upon in close calls, there is the matter of the post-mortem Bid 4♥ and go wrong, you wear all the blame. Bid 3♥ and miss game, partner has to have passed 3♥ with some values...blame him

[Al_U_Card]

What about 3NT? Cheapest game, score a trick on the lead of clubs (you never know) and after a double pard may put you back in 4H doubled and making....

[bridge2k]

bridge2k, on Sep 14 2005, 12:16 PM, said:

In a tourney about to close, your team is a bit behind. You are the dealer in East and have the following hand with Red vs white. All players play 2/1 with some gadgets.

S: Q8X
H: AKT9XXXX
D: -
C: K9

E     S    W     N
1H   Dbl  P   1NT
?

What's your call?

Bidding is going on as
E     S    W     N
1H   Dbl  P   1NT
4H   DBL    ALL PASS


PD's hand

S: TXX
H: X
D: KJXX
C: JT8XX

When I judged this call, I once thougth
1, 4H could block opps easy spade call if they have spade fit
2, worse scenario set 2
3, Best scenario make a boardline contract. And the team do need this swing for this knockout match. and the boards were only left 4 boards to go.

I am wonderng it there is a good way to probe the game.

My bidding is like some gambling. However, if PD has CA, I'd have very good chance. Or even Pd had CQ and SK, I'd have good chance for game too. I considered in the tourney and found no way to precisely ask PD for specific help.

If I bid 3H, how can my PD to judge his hand?

As Justin pointed, I was really bothered by LHO's double and RHO's 1NT while holding SQXX. If I had DQXX, I'd more confident on 4H.

[Fluffy]

Hannie, on Sep 14 2005, 06:34 PM, said:

You are all so boring, Justin always jumps to 4H, SoTired always passes and Frances finds the middle road. I expect that Fluffy will soon post "2NT, GF, what's the problem ".

I'm also inclined to bid 4H but can certainly live with 3H.

Lol, I think it is tiem to preempt a bit here, with 4♥ seems the best, not sure of the meaning of 2NT on this position, surelly some kind of weak 2 suiter.

[tysen2k]

I'm a 3♥ bidder too. I think I would bid 4♥ at any other vulnerability.