[Edmunte1]

You hold as South in a strong team match:

Scoring: IMP

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and bidding goes:
N ------- E ---------S--------V
1♣ -----4♥---------?

[the hog]

If you are suggesting a 4S bid, then all I have to say is "You have got to be kidding".

The problems with 4S are the following:
1) It is a total gamble.
2) You still have a partner, (well you mightn't after the 4S bid).
3) If pd has a good hand she will drive to slam, because she expects you to have your bid.

[Sambolino]

i'd bid 4s if i had inverted holding in minors

[Fluffy]

I have nothing to bid here.

[paulg]

1♠ gets the job done. Shame it's illegal and unethical but a good reason why BBO does not permit it.

[BillHiggin]

He who dares on this hand loses.
If you bid 4♠, then either it is making and you go down in 6♠x or you die in 4♠ (often doubled).

[whereagles]

I would probably pass, but definitely wouldn't throw pard to the wolves if he bid 4♠.

[jdonn]

4♠ is insane, I understand I have a heart void and might have to stretch, but there simply has to be a limit.

[Halo]

Pass

[Edmunte1]

This was the full hand:

Scoring: IMP

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At my table i passed, playing there for -680
At other table South overcalled, the final contract was 5♠-2 +100

[Gerben42]

So aren't you glad you passed? Opponents almost found their cold slam at the other table!

[Flame]

Id pass Because too many times when 4S is right we wont play there.

[dake50]

6-suit, boss suit, void their suit, 3-support if partner's C are real suit. 4S.
They find 6H, 6Sx sac for -500 beats -680.
Only minus is 5S-1/6S-1 when partner expects more than 4 likely tricks for me to bid 4S, AND they fail in 4H/5H.

[Gpm_bg]

why you should think plans against the contract, not reached at those moment ?
i would throw pass, and even if they reach 6♥ and i'm the last , i'll pass again.

It's a nice hands diagram, but how about this one :

---

is it nice defense 4♠ or disaster ?

lets play bridge, not World Poker Championship

[pclayton]

Here's a good rule of thumb for considering 4♠ over 4♥ in cases like this.

If your gut tells you to bid it, then bid it. There are so many ways it can be right, and only one serious way where its wrong. If you aren't coming back with an occasional 800 in this sequences you aren't bidding enough.

[jdonn]

pclayton, on Jun 5 2007, 11:09 AM, said:

Here's a good rule of thumb for considering 4♠ over 4♥ in cases like this.

If your gut tells you to bid it, then bid it. There are so many ways it can be right, and only one serious way where its wrong. If you aren't coming back with an occasional 800 in this sequences you aren't bidding enough.

There are lots of ways it can be wrong, not just one.

You go for a number.
Partner thinks your hand is better and puts you in slam down or gets to the 5 level down.
Oppositely, when you really have a hand next time partner doesn't look for slam, fearing you have this.
They bid on and partner doubles them with his spade shortness, playing you for a trick.

[jtfanclub]

And don't forget pushing them into a making slam...as almost happened here.

[SoTired]

Mostly guess. But it appears the downside to 4S is higher than the upside.

4S works when partner has spades
Pass works when partner does not have spades

If we bid 4S, partner may dbl 5/6H and we won't know if partner is doubling partly based on our values or has an unexpected heart stack.

4S may get us too high. Partner will not know if we are bidding 4S with weakness or strength.

Pass hurts when the LHO bids 6H (or 5H and RHO raises to 6H) and now we wish we had bid 4S so opener could sac.

We don't have a slam, but they might. 4S makes it easier for them to find it.