[Hanoi5]

Imp pairs, Red vs White:

♠Qx
♥AKQJx
♦Txx
♣KQJ

Your partner deals and after two passes the following unfolds:

Pa-(Pa)-1♥-(1♠)
2♥-(2♠)-???

Automatic 4♥?

[inquiry]

Hanoi5, on 2012-March-31, 21:15, said:

Imp pairs, Red vs White:

♠Qx
♥AKQJx
♦Txx
♣KQJ

Your partner deals and after two passes the following unfolds:

Pa-(Pa)-1♥-(1♠)
2♥-(2♠)-???

Automatic 4♥?

Absolutely. Absolutely NOT!.

The key questions here is how weak can your partner be for this 2♥ raise. I don't know about the people you play with, but my partners will raise 1@h to 2@h on absolute junk. For instance, Partner might easily have:
♠xx
♥Txxx
♦Qxx
♣Axxx

or even less (take away the diamond queen). You do have some protection here, in that you are red versus white. Partner is less likely to totally joking with his raise. Playing with some of my partners, I might not even bid over the 2♥ raise. That is a little extreme view perhaps, but I am much more likely to pass than to blast to 4♥. I think I will bid again here, probably 3♣ even though I really want to make a help suit game try in diamonds. I am afraid to bid 3♦ because I don't want partner to lead a diamond against 3♠ or 4♠.

I will make an old suggestion that I have made here many times before. Go find the partnershipbiddingatbridge.pdf out on the web (google it, no spaces), download it and read it. Try to make sure your partners read it too, and decide what in it you want to follow.

[MrAce]

No, 4♥ is not automatic. This is a textbook long suit trial bid and blasting game with the hope of hiding information about your hand and with the hope of misdefend or lead (which is a style i love) wont help you with this hand you hold to be honest.

So i bid 3♦

inquiry, on 2012-March-31, 23:22, said:

I think I will bid again here, probably 3♣ even though I really want to make a help suit game try in diamonds. I am afraid to bid 3♦ because I don't want partner to lead a diamond against 3♠ or 4♠.

Long suit trial shows weakness in the shown suit or at least seeks help, not strength or lead directing bid, so i dont understand your concern about making long suit trial.

[mcphee]

Not sure exactly what you might expect from partner for this raise. I do not value this hand as 18 hcp in this type of auction. The Qx in S looks to be worthless and the 3 fast D losers are staring you in the face. Lets face it, you require major cover cards in D. I know that my partner would raise to 2H with a poor-ish hand, but lets give him an A plus a K. Should that be the K of D and the A of C you still face 5 losers. Not wanting to be whimp I would make a try via what ever methods you have, 3D for me and hope I have not driven us to the minus column.

[Gerben42]

As ♠Qx is not worth much, this hand is NOT a game force. I would bid 2NT as a suit trial is not getting me anywhere. 3♦ will get an acceptance from partner with the wrong kinds of hands.

[ggwhiz]

Gerben42, on 2012-April-01, 11:54, said:

As ♠Qx is not worth much,

The ♥QJ may be window dressing too if pard has 4 hearts.

I can bid 3♣ with the agreement that pard can volley back with 3♦ to show help there with interest but no club help.

Honestly I'm trying to bump them up to something I can beat and will go quietly aqainst 3♠.

[FrancesHinden]

It's a game try, not a game bid. Although it's got 18 HCP it's quite possible we will go off in 3H.
I'd love to find a way to get to 3NT opposite Jxx xxx AJxx xxx but I'm not sure I can.

[inquiry]

MrAce, on 2012-April-01, 04:15, said:

Long suit trial shows weakness in the shown suit or at least seeks help, not strength or lead directing bid, so i dont understand your concern about making long suit trial.

As you see, I SAID I would like to bid 3♦ as a help suit game try. Obviously if I was playing it as that, I could do so. If not, or if not sure, in a competitive auction where all I want to do is compete to 3♥, then 3♦ could be for lead direction. And it could be misunderstood in a partnership which hasn't discussed it.

[P_Marlowe]

No.

4H is ok, but I think it is borderline.

Depends a lot on your partnership style, how agressive you start showing
the fit, after they overcall.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[neilkaz]

I don't care for a 4♥ blast as I think pd is a clear underdog to have enough and the right cover cards and the defence maybe easy even with little info.