[gwnn]

imps white

Qxxxx
Qx
xxx
JTx

1♦-p-1♠-2♥
3♥-p

[mike777]

I'll try 3s

[kenrexford]

4♠ fast arrival.

[mtvesuvius]

3♠.


Better than my auction and play when I played this hand

[jdonn]

kenrexford, on Jun 16 2009, 02:53 PM, said:

4♠ fast arrival.

I know you're just dying for someone to ask, so I guess I'll be the sucker.

You know this cuebid doesn't promise spade support unless you are playing non-standard methods, right? Solid minor with outside strength but no heart stopper anyone?

[kenrexford]

jdonn, on Jun 16 2009, 02:55 PM, said:

kenrexford, on Jun 16 2009, 02:53 PM, said:

4♠ fast arrival.

I know you're just dying for someone to ask, so I guess I'll be the sucker.

You know this cuebid doesn't promise spade support unless you are playing non-standard methods, right? Solid minor with outside strength but no heart stopper anyone?

So? Partner has forced us to pick between 3NT, five of his minor, or spades. If I had six spades and a weak hand, I'd presumably have bid 2♠ as my first bid. If I had six spades and better than a weak hand, I'd bid 3♠ now. Hence, I have a weak hand with five spades. Partner can pass or correct to 5♦ as makes the most sense with his hand.

[jdonn]

Ah, we are playing weak jump shifts, and fast arrival! Now I get it.

[TimG]

I doubt it will be popular, but I likely would have passed 1♦.

[y66]

3S

[kenrexford]

jdonn, on Jun 16 2009, 03:15 PM, said:

Ah, we are playing weak jump shifts, and fast arrival! Now I get it.

Well, you were right that I was itching for a "WTF???" LOL

The funny thing is that I would actually expect 4♠ to have a different "obvious" meaning, and I'm really surprised that you didn't respond the way I would. I mean, 4♠ is clearly a Bluhmer.

[Codo]

Partner does not have a three card fit, he did not double.

So 3 or even 4 spade is out. And when he has a real strong hand with spade support and tried to bid this via the cuebid, he will bid spades next round.

So I try the obvious 4♦ to show my lack of stopper, my weakness and my support.

3 NT is the second choice. It often pays to play NT with Qx in their suit. But not with this hand.

And BTW: I have great sympathy for passing these hands after 1 ♦ from partner. But with 5 spades I just cannot bring myself to do it.

[P_Marlowe]

3S

3H asked for a stopper, I dont have one, but have 5 spades,
if I had only 4 spades, I would have bid 3NT.

If we play suppX, than the case for 3NT is stronger, since p
denied 3 spades, which means he cant be interested in
hearing that I have a 5 card spade suit headed by the Queen.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[hanp]

3S, I don't think that this is a problem hand.

[ochinko]

3NT. Not a problem indeed. Partner has either ♥Ax or ♥Jxx.

Partner's 3♥ could mean strong ♠ support as well. I'll know on the next round. If that is the case it is less likely that partner will try a slam, knowing that we have wasted ♥ values.

[andy_h]

Nothing seems more natural than 3S. We don't have a great hand and plus 3S takes the least amount of space. Let partner clarify what type of hand he's got.

[ochinko]

andy_h, on Jun 17 2009, 03:26 PM, said:

Nothing seems more natural than 3S. We don't have a great hand and plus 3S takes the least amount of space. Let partner clarify what type of hand he's got.

The thing is that if partner has spades with slam ambitions, there will be enough space to show that, but if he wants to hear whether we have half a heart stopper, he won't have a second chance below 3NT to ask for it.

I prefer to lose the meaning of 3♥ as an invitation to 4♠, even if it seems more natural, because it is more valuable to me to have the double meaning (attempt for 3NT or ♠ slam invitation with 5 or less losers in the hand).

At IMPs most hand that force to 3♠ will be willing to try 4♠ anyway, so nothing of importance is lost. And at MPs you'll need the opportunity to stop at 3NT even more, so there.

[gnasher]

I assume that the methods are support doubles, with 3♥ as some strong hand, initially asking for a heart stop. In that case, surely 3♥ should deny exactly three spades, and a 3♠ reply would suggest a 5-2 fit? I don't want to do that.

Either 3NT or 4♦ seems right. I'd bid 3NT, because I can imagine it making, whereas 5♦ seems a long way off given my working 3-count. Also, RHO hasn't doubled 3♥ for a lead, so we have a reasonable chance that LHO will lead a low heart, or some other suit.

[matmat]

3NT. Qx is a stopper

[hanp]

I don't like 4D, it will give partner hope that we have more than two queens, no ruffing value and three small diamonds (especially the latter). Yes, partner could have long strong diamonds but he doesn't have to. If he does then we will hear so next round and we will have an easy 5D bid. I am not worried that partner will bid 4S on a doubleton spade and 7 solid that he didn't show. Partner could also have a gameforcing hand with the minors (he will bid 4C and again we have no problem) or a HCP raise of spades (he will bid 4H and again we have no problem).

I like 3NT a lot better.

[jdonn]

I don't understand 3NT. If partner is asking us for a stopper then we don't have it. I see nothing wrong with 3♠, I don't think partner will take it as a very strong suggestion of a 5-2 spade fit, we could easily be stuck and be making the most convenient bid. To me this is a wtp hand.