[memoires]

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Partner is North and bid 3♥ cuebidding for ♠ fit and invite.

I am south and think 3♠ showing 16-18 is better.

What do you think about this ?

[ggwhiz]

I don't mind 3♥ so much as it's game forcing but would prefer 4♠ showing shape rather than power with spade support and a side source of tricks in clubs.

3♠ is passable and should be a flatter power bid that is not on my radar at all.

[Cyberyeti]

3♥ or a 4♦ splinter are fine, can live with 4♠, don't like 3♠.

[helene_t]

I don't believe that 3♥ should promise spade support - what would you do with a solid club suit asking for a heart stopper?

But of course if 3♥ promises spade support in your system then he can use it.

3♠ is a bit vague, it could be this hand or it could be a balanced 18 count with 4-card support. It would be my bid anyway. Splintering or bidding 4♠ with this hand is too much imho.

[spotlight7]

 memoires, on 2018-February-14, 12:50, said:

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Partner is North and bid 3♥ cuebidding for ♠ fit and invite.

I am south and think 3♠ showing 16-18 is better.

What do you think about this ?

Support with support. I like 3S.


3H could be a number of hand types,

some without spade support.

4S shows 19+ balanced.


If some bid 4S with this and and 4S with balanced 19+,

how would your poor partner cope with a 5H bid?

[Cyberyeti]

 helene_t, on 2018-February-14, 14:16, said:

I don't believe that 3♥ should promise spade support - what would you do with a solid club suit asking for a heart stopper?

But of course if 3♥ promises spade support in your system then he can use it.

3♠ is a bit vague, it could be this hand or it could be a balanced 18 count with 4-card support. It would be my bid anyway. Splintering or bidding 4♠ with this hand is too much imho.

3♥ doesn't need to promise spade support, but when you pull 3N/4♣ to 4♠ it does

[Tramticket]

for me a bid a 4♠ is a bid based on power and denying shortage (no splinter) - so this is definitely not a 4♠ bid. If you are prepared to commit to game then 4♦ seems right and allows partner to downgrade his diamond honours. 3♥ doesn't set spades as trumps and is unhelpful.

I am happy to invite with 3♠.

[nige1]

 memoires, on 2018-February-14, 12:50, said:

Partner is North and bid 3♥ cuebidding for ♠ fit and invite.I am south and think 3♠ showing 16-18 is better.What do you think about this ?

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I rank

• 4♦ = SPL. An overbid but descriptive and warns partner of potential duplication.
• 4♠ = PRE. Gives little away.
• 3♠ = PRE. An underbid. (I suppose it's OK if it shows 16-18 but would still prefer a more balanced hand).
• 3♥ = CUE. Would prefer shorter ♥

[pescetom]

 nige1, on 2018-February-15, 15:10, said:

I rank

• 4♦ = SPL. An overbid but descriptive and warns partner of potential duplication.
• 4♠ = PRE. Gives little away.
• 3♠ = PRE. An underbid. (I suppose it's OK if it shows 16-18 but would still prefer a more balanced hand).
• 3♥ = CUE. Would prefer shorter ♥

I think it depends largely upon how one reputes West.
If he has what he promised then 4♠ makes a lot of sense, if not then 4♦ is not unwarranted and tells partner all he needs to know.

[helene_t]

 nige1, on 2018-February-15, 15:10, said:

I rank

• 4♦ = SPL. An overbid but descriptive and warns partner of potential duplication.
• 4♠ = PRE. Gives little away.
• 3♠ = PRE. An underbid. (I suppose it's OK if it shows 16-18 but would still prefer a more balanced hand).
• 3♥ = CUE. Would prefer shorter ♥

3♠ and 4♠ is not preemptive in this spot.

When responder raises opener's 4+ or 5+ (depending on system) suit, he can easily have a weak hand with 5+ card support. Preempt makes sense.

Opener is unlikely to have 5-card support for responder's suit. You may have ways to distinguish the balanced 18-count from a hand like the one we discuss here, but in any case, 3♠ is stronger than 2♠ and 4♠ is even stronger.

[rmnka447]

With natural raises and splinters available, I don't like opener's 3 ♥. 3 ♥ in this situation is virtually unlimited and that's not the hand that opener has.

I think 3 ♠ is right because it reflects the value of the hand. Partner can pass with a minimum response, but will usually carry on with constructive holdings (7-8+)

A 4 ♦ splinter commits to 4 ♠, but with an unknown number of losers in ♥ and just 12 HCP, who knows if playing 4 is right.

[GrahamJson]

3S looks more than enough for me. Even if 3H promises support it should surely show more values than this. You have a six loser hand in support of spades, which 3S shows exactly. Second choice would be 4S, which I think is an overbid but could work out.