gszes, on 2012-August-07, 10:19, said:
4c over 3d
It is much easier to envision p shortness in dia after a 3d bid than over pass.
This greatly increases the chance of making game. If p wishes to advance over
4c they can bid a 4 card major on the way and we can play there instead of 5c.
If we x now (lets say showing both majors) are we going to be happy if p bids
3h or 3s?? The club QJ are such superb support that not showing it via 4c will
make it most diffcult for us to reach game.
I suspect that bidding 4
♣ will make it even more difficult to reach 4M!
Partner will only bid 4M over 4
♣if he has the values for 5
♣ when, as is likely from his p.o.v., we don't fit his major (I would always take 4M as an offer to play there rather than as a cuebid).
So he needs a good hand, indeed, to bid 4M.
Whereas if we double, he will upgrade a hand with say 6 clubs and a 4 card major, which is what we want him to do...and the reason we want him to do that....indeed, the only reason we ventured the aggressive double....was that we held the QJ of clubs...thus we are happy of we hit a major suit fit and not unhappy if he is forced to retreat to 4
♣ (and if by some miracle he bids 3N, we are likely to be very happy).
'one of the great markers of the advance of human kindness is the howls you will hear from the Men of God' Johann Hari