[cherdano]

---

Opponents play 4-card majors and weak NT.

Edit: sorry added double as an option.

[Hanoi5]

I always bid the Major in these situations. Not much to lose, especially here with a suit headed by the Ace.

[whereagles]

Agree to 2♠. If this is a double fit auction, we need to know it as soon as possible.

[Fluffy]

2♠? why would I hide my support? am I going to commit to the 5 level with a stiff ♥K?

[whereagles]

Well, I don't know about you, but I am.

Still, if it bothers you, try a 3♠ fit bid. There, problem solved. Oh wait, it's not in the poll

[Fluffy]

whereagles, on 2015-January-30, 05:22, said:

Still, if it bothers you, try a 3♠ fit bid. There, problem solved. Oh wait, it's not in the poll

What do you think all people are voting for?

[mcphee]

Does not qualify (for me) as a fit jump, so options become 2S or dble, I like dble as my S are not exactly robust.

[billw55]

Fit jump makes sense to me. If not available I would support with 3♣.

[MrAce]

This hand is too good for 3♣ coming from pass, and I cant' imagine why would anyone want to not mention anything about spades. And why is this hand not good enough for fit jump McPhee? Are we expecting to play anything less than 3♠ if we have a fit? Or are we scared to play 4♣? Can't you see that if pd has spade fit he is VERY likely to have diamond shortness? Our hand improved by a LOT, after 2♣ overcall and Axxxx boss suit.

Kxxx
xxx
x
AJxxxx

Kx
Qxxx
x
AQxxxx

Fit jump, not only puts the spades in picture but also mentions that we have 4 card fit, which is a very important and useful message to pd. Only thing that worries me is that pd can devalue his hand with ♠ shortness, say he holds

x
Qxx
KQx
AJxxxx

Or he may try for 3 NT when we have a decent shot at 5♣. But 3♣ or dbl won't get you there. Even if he has only 3 card support, and we come to an awful 4♠, it will probably be better than their 4 even 3♥ partscore.

[mikeh]

Our stiff heart gives us some reasonable inferences, that may help us steer our way through the alternatives, altho I may be indulging in some wishful thinking.

If the opps have only an 8 card fit, then it is extremely unlikely that partner has adequate spades to make that a playable denomination.

If the opps have 9+ hearts, then the odds are high that one of them will take the push to 3♥, even tho they rate to have minimal high card values.

Given that we have the short hearts in the partnership, playing a 5-3 spade fit may not be optimum (altho our clubs will be a trump suit substitute that we can often use to tap the opps).

All of that suggests that the first priority is to raise clubs. Should the opps bid 3♥, I can back in with 3♠.

Edit: I wouldn't fit-jump, altho it is close. Put the heart King in a black suit (even as a Queen) and I would fit jump. Make it a diamond, and even tho a fit jump is supposedly pure, I'd be very tempted, but the heart K in front of opener is a negative value...a card that does me no good at all (most of the time) and it means that the opps hold a King value elsewhere, where it will help them on defence.

[gszes]

3s fit jump hard to imagine not bidding the same way with a small heart
vs the K. It is not always about making a contract sometimes we need to
interfere with opps. The 3s bid is not only hugely informative but takes
away what could be a very important 3d bid from opener in case they wish
to search for a heart game.

The 2s/3c bids appear to be "safer" but they lack the ability to describe
the offensive potential of this hand and they also lack preemptive value.
How many 2s/3c bidders would be willing to compete to 4c over 3h? My guess
is a huge % would. That being the case, why not get that bid in right away
and let the opps stew over what to do and let partner make more informed
higher level decisions:)

[keithhus]

Would appreciate advice re whether 2S would be forcing. Thanks

[whereagles]

No, because advancer is a passed hand.

If he were not, it would depend on your agreements. Some play that an advance in a new suit is NF is RHO acted, others play that any 2/2 change of suit is forcing, etc...

In fact, being a passed hand, there's a good case for 2♠ showing spades AND clubs (a fit-non-jump).

[Phil]

1. Keithhus: I'm pretty sure that any call by a passed hand wouldn't be forcing.

2. MikeH: while partner can likely figure out our hand in a 3♣/3♠ sequence it's quite possible that two things can happen that are negative.

A. They pass out 3♣. This might be right but it could mean we missed our spade fit.

B. They bid 4♥. Jeez now what? We have to take a unilateral position. Pass or 4♠ could both be right.

While 3♠ might get us a little high on balance it will help partner make the proper bid/double/pass decision.

[rmnka447]

I'm bidding 2 ♠ for a couple reasons.

First, I don't want to lose a ♠ fit if one's there. Sure, opener might be bidding a 4 card ♥ suit from 4-4 in the majors. But it's also quite possible opener just has a 5 card ♥ suit. It also provides some inferences when opener bids 3 ♥ and partner fails to raise ♠. Likewise, if partner retreats to 3 ♣ over a pass by opener.

Second, if we defend, partner is unlikely to be able to lead a ♣ looking at ♣ AJxxx or ♣ AQxxx. The ♠ bid provides partner with a potentially safe ♠ lead rather than a blind choice between ♦ and ♠.

[onxx]

rmnka447, on 2015-January-30, 20:57, said:

I'm bidding 2 ♠ for a couple reasons.

First, I don't want to lose a ♠ fit if one's there. Sure, opener might be bidding a 4 card ♥ suit from 4-4 in the majors. But it's also quite possible opener just has a 5 card ♥ suit. It also provides some inferences when opener bids 3 ♥ and partner fails to raise ♠. Likewise, if partner retreats to 3 ♣ over a pass by opener.

Second, if we defend, partner is unlikely to be able to lead a ♣ looking at ♣ AJxxx or ♣ AQxxx. The ♠ bid provides partner with a potentially safe ♠ lead rather than a blind choice between ♦ and ♠.

I'm along the same line. Also, the singleton !h king is bothering as a competitive auction may push the opps to a a makeable 4!h whilst 5!c may be awful despite the club fit.

[nige1]

cherdano, on 2015-January-30, 03:36, said:

Opponents play 4-card majors and weak NT.

---

IMO 3♠ = 10. 2♠ = 8. 3♣ = 7. 3♥ = 6. 4♣ = 5. 3N = 2.
Agree with Phil. As you have already passed, 3♠ is expressive and consultative although it risks getting too high. Unless 2♠ is a FNJ (Fit non-jump), however, it is more dangerous as it may result in 2♠-1 when 5♣ is making.

[Jinksy]

I'm bidding 3♠ on the grounds that I'm secretly bidding 2♠, and this is the sort of auction on which I reliably underbid.

[cherdano]

So am I the only one thinking we might belong in 3NT here? If partner has 6 clubs to the ace, we obviously need very little.

[gnasher]

cherdano, on 2015-January-31, 10:34, said:

So am I the only one thinking we might belong in 3NT here? If partner has 6 clubs to the ace, we obviously need very little.

Well, you need a heart lead and another fast trick, or no heart lead and two fast tricks, or a heart lead and a second heart stop and the wherewithal for a ninth trick.

I wanted to bid 2NT showing a good raise, but you didn't offer me that option. If I did that, partner would probably cue bid with the sort of hand that makes 3NT.