[greenender]

Thanks to all for their replies.

Double was slow, but not that slow, and my partner and I (E/W) were uncertain as to what it might suggest.

4♥ was very slow indeed, and we felt that it suggested that N didn't have the good hand we thought the bid suggested. Glad to see that most posters agree with us here.

At first we felt that there was a nasty taste given the ghastliness of N's 4♥ bid after a 3NT response that neither of us would have chosen (although I see that it is a popular choice), but since the 3NT bid was in tempo, and there was no other noticeable UI, we didn't pursue it. Only afterwards did we consider that we should have focussed on S's actions.

N held ♠KJ63, ♥J9876, ♦J9, ♣A2, and 4♥ was solid by playing W for the ♠Q. 3NT is off if S takes the first diamond, but if he ducks, E needs to switch to ♣s to beat it. Anything higher is relatively defender-proof.

As E, I held ♠752, ♥-, ♦KQ10542, ♣KJ83.

I guess that rather than worry about what might have been, I ought to look forward to the opportunity to play a long match against N/S!

[Poky]

greenender, on 2011-January-19, 02:46, said:

1
A What is your call as South?
B What other calls do you consider?

2 You elect to bid 3NT. Partner bids 4♥ (W and E both pass)
A What do you think partner has for this sequence?
B What is your call now?
C What other calls do you consider?

1A 4♥
1B Pass, but no very much (do no consider neither 3NT nor 4♦)
2A Should have 18+ with 6+♥
2B 5♦, trying for 7♥
2C 4NT and 6♥

[Rossoneri]

I bid 4♥, would consider 3NT.

Partner's got a good hand in hearts. Cue ♠ to help him decide.

[mrdct]

1A: 3NT (at these colours against competent opponents I would expect anything remotely resembling ♦ support in west to be raised so I think it's quite probably that we have ♦ double stopped and a balancing double in this situation isn't an iron-clad guarantee of 4♥ in partner's hand).
1B: 4♥

2A: Probably a hand with some slam aspirations that was too good to balance with 4♥.
2B: 4NT rkcb.
2C: 4♠, 5♥ or 6♥