[matmat]

AQJ8
KJ73
A964
T

R/W, 3rd seat, imps

1♦ - [P] - 1♥ - [3♣]
P -- [P] - X -- [P]
3♥ - [P] - ?

[rogerclee]

3S

[peachy]

Partner doesn't have 4 hearts or he would have stretched to bid 3H last round. He doesn't have 4 spades or he would have bid them over the balancing Dbl. He does not have a hand that can/wants to bid 3NT and he didn't Dbl 3C or leave 3CX in. 3-3-5-2 or 2-3-5-3 and minimum looks about what he might have. We will play in diamonds, 5 or 6. Bid 4D now. I am a bit concerned about bidding 3S but it might work.

[MarkDean]

3♠. I finally agree with Clee on a hand!

[the hog]

3S also. Gives you most flexibility.

[aguahombre]

The_Hog, on Mar 23 2010, 10:50 PM, said:

3S also. Gives you most flexibility.

yes, and allows for partner to really have 4 hearts and not to have donked 3H last time. If he bids 4H after 3S, the brakes have been applied and the auction is over.

[Free]

3♠ wtp

[Fluffy]

3♠ partner can have 43 majors IMO.

[hanp]

Once you think about it you realize that 3S is perfect.

[matmat]

so the auction continued:

1♦-1♥-(3♣)
P -- X
3♥ - 3♠
4♠

couple of followups,
1) does 3♠ necesserily show 4 of them?
2) do you move now? if so, how?

[kenrexford]

matmat, on Mar 24 2010, 11:36 AM, said:

so the auction continued:

1♦-1♥-(3♣)
P -- X
3♥ - 3♠
4♠

couple of followups,
1) does 3♠ necesserily show 4 of them?
2) do you move now? if so, how?

Presumably, I have a sane partner. If I assume this, then I think 4♠ is a slam try. So, he has the spade King, no club control, not two of the top three club honors, but slam interest. Hence, good hearts.

Maybe ♠Kx ♥AQxx ♦Kxxxx ♣xx?

If so, we lose a club for starters. Do we now have 12 tricks?

Pure power is four spades, four hearts, and two diamonds, for 10 tricks.

A club ruff is 11.

So, I need partner to have a third club (and things going well) or diamonds splitting or maybe an anti-percentage diamond finesse (or J10 to enable a pro-percentage finesse).

Wow. Damned close.

[aguahombre]

1) yes, but 3H by opener did not show 4H. With 4-3-4-2, for instance.
2) No.

Now someone will say they use support doubles with minimum opening hands at all levels, so none of this would happen. I will add them to my list of people against whom interference bids are nearly free from risk.

[ArtK78]

kenrexford, on Mar 24 2010, 11:52 AM, said:

matmat, on Mar 24 2010, 11:36 AM, said:

so the auction continued:

1♦-1♥-(3♣)
P  -- X
3♥ - 3♠
4♠

couple of followups,
1) does 3♠ necesserily show 4 of them?
2) do you move now? if so, how?

Presumably, I have a sane partner. If I assume this, then I think 4♠ is a slam try. So, he has the spade King, no club control, not two of the top three club honors, but slam interest. Hence, good hearts.

Maybe ♠Kx ♥AQxx ♦Kxxxx ♣xx?

If so, we lose a club for starters. Do we now have 12 tricks?

Pure power is four spades, four hearts, and two diamonds, for 10 tricks.

A club ruff is 11.

So, I need partner to have a third club (and things going well) or diamonds splitting or maybe an anti-percentage diamond finesse (or J10 to enable a pro-percentage finesse).

Wow. Damned close.

Why would partner pass over 3♣ on these cards? Seems like a clear 3♥ call.

[awm]

Who is initiating a slam try? Partner didn't judge his hand good enough to bid 3♥ over 3♣ and now he is trying for slam when we don't even have a clearly established fit?

I think we are still negotiating strain here. If we wanted a slam auction in hearts we could've bid 4♣ over 3♥ to unambiguously set the strain and try for slam. I'd put partner on a 4342 hand with weak notrump values, or maybe 4333 with lousy clubs if this is a possible 1♦ opening. It seems weird to raise the spades on 3-3 in the majors and I don't see any reason partner would've bid a 2-card heart suit when he could easily have rebid diamonds (or passed, or bid 3NT).

Anyway, slam is possible here opposite something like Kxxx AQx KQxx xx, but that seems like a really pure maximum and might've even doubled 3♣ for takeout. More likely partner has a queen less, and/or a wasted queen or jack in clubs. I'd pass 4♠ acknowledging that a slightly-above-50% slam could be missed if partner has the best possible cards.

[jdonn]

kenrexford, on Mar 24 2010, 11:52 AM, said:

Presumably, I have a sane partner. If I assume this, then I think 4♠ is a slam try.

As much as you love to post about slam tries, that doesn't mean every auction which obviously isn't one becomes one.

[kenrexford]

Maybe I am insane. I'll concede that.

Let me think this through.

Opener's RHO just bid 3♣, and Opener passes. His partner enters the auction with a double, and I'm looking at some hand where I think 3♥ is the right call. Partner now bids 3♠.

If 3♠ was a slam try, then Opener's 4♠ cooperated in that slam try. Hearts are trumps, period.

If 3♠ was strain-assuring, then 4♠ resolved strain.

So, the question is whether 3♠ is needed to show 4-4 majors, in case Opener has 4-3 majors and opted to go with 3♥. I suppose Responder could double with 3-4-4-2 shape, for instance, or even 2-4-5-2, if he can afford to convert to diamonds over 3♠. And, I suppose Opener could opt 3♥ with 4-3 in the majors to protect against that need to convert to 4♦. But, I don't like it.

To me, Opener bids 3♠ with 4-3 pattern, or Responder lives with hearts as the strain if there are exceptions, or Responder bid 4♦ over 3♥ as the choice-of-games bid.

[peachy]

Fluffy, on Mar 24 2010, 07:29 AM, said:

3♠ partner can have 43 majors IMO.

If opener had 4-3 majors, he would have bid either NT or 3S, not 3H. Similarly, if in the given auction responder bids 3S, it does not have to be four cards and it could be a strong spade fragment for NT purposes.

[hanp]

kenrexford, on Mar 24 2010, 02:20 PM, said:

I suppose Responder could double with 3-4-4-2 shape, for instance, or even 2-4-5-2, if he can afford to convert to diamonds over 3♠.

3532 is a very common shape for this double.

Opener would bid 3H immediately with many hands holding 4 hearts. I cannot imagine a hand that would bid 4S after a 3S slamtry but would not bid 3H immediately.

I think it is clear that:

- With a gameforcing hand and 4-4 in the majors opener should always bid 3S to find the right strain.

- When opener raises to 4S, he has 4 spades and not 4 hearts.

[Fluffy]

partner has an almost mirror shape, trying for slam is suicidal. 4♠ and hope to make