[SchTsch]

♠x
♥x
♦Axxx
♣Kxxxxxx

IMPs, all NONVUL, RHO opens 1♥.

[655321]

4♣

Still 7-4, but a bad hand, so we preempt.

3♣ is not enough with this shape.
5♣ is too much with no tricks.
4♣ is ... just right.

[SchTsch]

But typical 4♣ looks more like:
x
x
xxxx
KQJ10xxx

Doesn't it? Is that close enough to your hand?

[jdonn]

3C

[whereagles]

The ODR of

x
x
xxxx
KQJxxxx

is 7 (7 tricks on offense, 0 on defense), whereas that of

x
x
Axxx
Kxxxxxx

is around 6 (~7.5 on offense, 1.5 on defense). This argues for a 3♣ overcall. But then again, bridge isn't just technics, so 4♣ may be a good tactical bid.

[Sambolino]

pass, 3C at fav

[Apollo81]

3♣. I think this is slightly closer to pass than it is to 4♣.

[andy_h]

3c for me.

[ArtK78]

3♣. The distribution is right for a higher preempt, but the suit is not.

At this vul, the opps will be quite happy to double and take a plus score at higher levels. And it is very easy for the plus score to be 500 or 800. Not only that, many times when the plus score is only 100 or 300 it is because the opponents cannot make anything.

[miguelm]

3C.

I hate to preempt with outside aces but this time I think I good reasons to do so.... second choice would be Pass.

[mike777]

SchTsch, on Jan 15 2008, 05:19 AM, said:

♠x
♥x
♦Axxx
♣Kxxxxxx

IMPs, all NONVUL, RHO opens 1♥.

5c

Pass close second choice.

[pclayton]

3♣. I like 7-4's, but this suit is too shabby for 4♣.

[CSGibson]

What is that I see? Is that 11 minor suit cards, and a chance to jam the auction?

4♣

[han]

3C. With the x x xxxx KQJ10xxx hand I would definitely bid more.

[655321]

SchTsch, on Jan 15 2008, 05:29 AM, said:

But typical 4♣ looks more like:
x
x
xxxx
KQJ10xxx

Doesn't it? Is that close enough to your hand?

No, why does a typical 4♣ bid look like that?
A 4♣ bid could be lots of things - an eighth club, for instance.

Preempting is just balancing a tightrope. On the one hand, giving the opponents a free run. On the other hand, writing large numbers in the out column.

You may reasonably decide that 4♣ lies on the 'writing large numbers' side of the tightrope, and that's fine. I prefer to think they still have room to bid, but so little room they may go wrong.

(A 5♣ overcall, on the other hand, means you can write 5♣X on your scoresheet as soon as you have bid, I don't see any other upside.)

[SchTsch]

655321, on Jan 16 2008, 12:42 AM, said:

SchTsch, on Jan 15 2008, 05:29 AM, said:

But typical 4♣ looks more like:
x
x
xxxx
KQJ10xxx

Doesn't it? Is that close enough to your hand?

No, why does a typical 4♣ bid look like that?
A 4♣ bid could be lots of things - an eighth club, for instance.

True. But 4♣ is a juicy preempt that excludes two things:
- we won't play 3NT. If 3NT is possible contract 5♣ should be playable as an alternative. Therefore ♣ suit should not look like a swiss cheese if only 7 cards.
- we encourage partner to sacrifice against their game. If they manage to get their last guess after 4♣ correctly we want partner to sacrifice with the appropriate card. Holding a side suit ace doesn't help partners decision and can lead to some phantom saves.

The problem with 4/5♣ is that you take the board decision on yourself without much information, and you misinform your partner a bit. When partner is a passed hand 4♣ is much better than it is now.

From my point of view, pass/4♣/5♣ are bids that decide the board early. And I don't like to make decisions without enough info. Whoever does will choose between these three bids.

For me this hand is either 2♣ or 3♣ and I prefer 2♣ bid. Yes, with 7 points, why not?
3NT? I'll try to avoid it.
Defensive tricks? Check.
Offensive tricks? Check.
And when partner once in a lifetime bids 2♦ on my 2♣ bid I will strike gold.

[ASkolnick]

OK. I'm a dummy. Why should I bid with this hand?

I am sitting with 1.5 defensive tricks and no spots in my suit. If the get to a major, it could be splitting badly and I have defense. I could get lucky and partner have a great fit for me, but why can't he have 1 or less clubs?

If you force me to bid, I would bid 3C.

[SchTsch]

ASkolnick, on Jan 17 2008, 09:40 AM, said:

OK. I'm a dummy. Why should I bid with this hand?

I am sitting with 1.5 defensive tricks and no spots in my suit. If the get to a major, it could be splitting badly and I have defense. I could get lucky and partner have a great fit for me, but why can't he have 1 or less clubs?

If you force me to bid, I would bid 3C.

Fair enough.

But if you pass all the time you'll miss every minor suit game you might have when partner, for example, brings xxxx QJx KQx Axx or a similar hand where they go off in 4 of a major and your 5♣ depends on the 2-1 trump split.

That's why i said that pass/4♣/5♣ decide the board early.

[skjaeran]

4♣ is just too much with this hand IMO, 5♣ is ridiculous, 2♣ is a huge overbid.

I'll go 3♣, the alternative being pass.

[ASkolnick]

OK. So a hand where my partner is concentrated in the minors with a 12 count I miss game. Isn't it just as likely or more likely that my partner will have useless cards in the majors. If partner is short in one of the majors, he can always take an action with his hand if appropriate anyway. It only works if you know partner has working cards. He must have Aces in the majors and help in the minor.

what do you want to do when partner has

KJxx
QJxx
Kxxx
x

Not sure you like your 5C now.