a simple one

[Guest Jlall]

xx KQJTxx x AKQx

 

W/r imps 1D on your right, your bid? Would this change if the vul is different (if so how)?

[Apollo81]

I think if I bid 4 and they bid I will feel unsure about what to do, whereas if I bid 1 then 4 I will feel like I've shown my hand better, so I will do that.

[kenrexford]

1♥.

 

2♥ if red on white, because intermediate. It's a big intermediate, but I'm expecting the auction to continue and I'm prepared to solo 3♦ if necessary.

[catch22]

4♥. Very dependant on the vulnerability, you need a plan for if they bid 4♠. At favourable I'm willing to put the maximum pressure on now and take action if they bid 4♠, 5 level rates to be cheap. A good hand for playing a double of 4♠ as I want to sacrifice, but happy if you want to defend.

[whereagles]

4♥ and I don't care about colors. A lot of plusses for this bid and few minuses.

[ewj]

I've always bid 1[H] on these sort of hands.....maybe I should be bidding 4[H] though as it puts plenty of pressure on the opponents.

[Apollo81]

I sorta like 4♥ better if red on white, I would never bid an intermediate 2♥ with this hand, lol

[Free]

4♥ for me.

[pclayton]

I kind of like the 4♥ / double route. Gives us a lot of options here and applies pressure. I realize that LHO will bid 4♠ when its remotely right to do so, but that doesn't mean they made the right decision.

 

I certainly would not take offense if my pard bid 1♥.

[han]

I love the 4H bid.

[Guest Jlall]

I assume the 4H bidders are Xing whatever comes back to them (expecting partner to usually pass)?

[fachiru]

I can't beleive the number of people preempting with 4♥ on this hand in second seat. It's a simple 1♥ overcall for me; spades will surely be bid by someone (judging by my hand and opening bid) and I'll have the opportunity to jump at the appropriate level in ♥, thus cleary describing my hand in terms of offense and stregth.

[Guest Jlall]

I can't beleive the number of people preempting with 4♥ on this hand in second seat. It's a simple 1♥ overcall for me; spades will surely be bid by someone (judging by my hand and opening bid) and I'll have the opportunity to jump at the appropriate level in ♥, thus cleary describing my hand in terms of offense and stregth.

Yes, and the opps will have time to clearly describe their hands. Bridge is a fascinating game because there are opponents.

[whereagles]

Why do we need opponents for? I'm pretty sure left alone we can mess up stuff ourselves :)

[the hog]

4♥ and I don't care about colors. A lot of plusses for this bid and few minuses.

Agree with Nuno again!

[the hog]

I can't beleive the number of people preempting with 4♥ on this hand in second seat. It's a simple 1♥ overcall for me; spades will surely be bid by someone (judging by my hand and opening bid) and I'll have the opportunity to jump at the appropriate level in ♥, thus cleary describing my hand in terms of offense and stregth.

Just read this and here is an interesting question: If the bidding goes

(1D) 1H (P) 1S

(P) 4H

 

D you not think this might imply at least some spades and not a stiff? Why has your hand suddenly improved because of the S bid so that you can now bid 4?

 

As has been pointed out, there are 3 opponents; why give the other 2 a chance to bid spades?

[kenrexford]

I can't beleive the number of people preempting with 4♥ on this hand in second seat.  It's a simple 1♥ overcall for me; spades will surely be bid by someone (judging by my hand and opening bid) and I'll have the opportunity to jump at the appropriate level in ♥, thus cleary describing my hand in terms of offense and stregth.

Just read this and here is an interesting question: If the bidding goes

(1D) 1H (P) 1S

(P) 4H

 

D you not think this might imply at least some spades and not a stiff? Why has your hand suddenly improved because of the S bid so that you can now bid 4?

 

As has been pointed out, there are 3 opponents; why give the other 2 a chance to bid spades?

I'm not sure I follow your point. The pattern is 2614, which means that you don't have a stiff spade, like you suggested. So, is this an argument in favor of overcalling 1♥ -- because you have a doubleton spade?

[Guest Jlall]

I really like bidding 4H with this hand, when you buy it it rates to be good since you have like 9 tricks of playing strength, and it will shut the opps out a lot as opposed to 1H which lets them bid and raise as freely as they want. It will also sometimes bully them into bidding when it's wrong. I definitely think you are committed to smacking them off if you overcall 4H though otherwise it might be a reverse steal (lol). Sure it's a little high variance and they're forced to X you when you might make someitmes and you're forced to X them when they might make, but I just think that 4H is the percentage action to begin with, and then when something comes back to you that Xing is the percentage action.

 

There has always been a myth in bridge that if you don't know what to do after making a jump like this, you shouldn't make that jump. That's silly. It could easily be right to bid 4H because your potential of buying it is so high and their potential of making a mistake is high. If they DO bid over it you may be in a tough spot and may have to guess, and you may guess wrong sometimes, but that doesn't mean the initial bid was wrong.

[the hog]

I can't beleive the number of people preempting with 4♥ on this hand in second seat.  It's a simple 1♥ overcall for me; spades will surely be bid by someone (judging by my hand and opening bid) and I'll have the opportunity to jump at the appropriate level in ♥, thus cleary describing my hand in terms of offense and stregth.

Just read this and here is an interesting question: If the bidding goes

(1D) 1H (P) 1S

(P) 4H

 

D you not think this might imply at least some spades and not a stiff? Why has your hand suddenly improved because of the S bid so that you can now bid 4?

 

As has been pointed out, there are 3 opponents; why give the other 2 a chance to bid spades?

I'm not sure I follow your point. The pattern is 2614, which means that you don't have a stiff spade, like you suggested. So, is this an argument in favor of overcalling 1♥ -- because you have a doubleton spade?

I misread the hand Ken as I posted on pg2. I thought he had a stiff S. My eyes are getting bad or my screen resolution is too low.

[kgr]

I wonder how bad it is to start with DBL.

[gnasher]

I wonder how bad it is to start with DBL.

Very bad, IMO. Double has all of the disadvantages of 1♥ - letting them bid spades cheaply, allowing them limit their hands - and the extra disadvantage that if the bidding comes back to you at 4♠ you're going to be completely stuffed. I'm struggling to think of any compensating advantages.

[MFA]

1♥.

If I bid four, I'll find myself x'ing 4♠ with xx & x in their suits. I can't do this.

 

I think X has a lot more going for it than gnasher says. We don't risk all pass, and we might get something valueable from partner, for instance a ♦-response. If part jumps to 4♠, we are likely toast, but if the opps get there in one round, I'll have a comfortable 5♥.

[effervesce]

4♥, avoiding the last guess.

[catch22]

I definitely think you are committed to smacking them off if you overcall 4H though otherwise it might be a reverse steal (lol).

 

There has always been a myth in bridge that if you don't know what to do after making a jump like this, you shouldn't make that jump.

Sounds like you did know what you were going to do.

[P_Marlowe]

<snip>

There has always been a myth in bridge that if you don't know what to do after making a jump like this, you shouldn't make that jump. That's silly. It could easily be right to bid 4H because your potential of buying it is so high and their potential of making a mistake is high. If they DO bid over it you may be in a tough spot and may have to guess, and you may guess wrong sometimes, but that doesn't mean the initial bid was wrong.

But the myth does not say, never bid 4H, if you have to guess later.

The myth says only, if you bid 4H, make up your mind, what you

will do, if they bid, make the guess / decision what to do before vou bid,

... else you will give the show away.

 

And this is certainly a sensible advice.

 

A similar advice is, if one intends to ask for key cards, one should guess /

decide what to do (in case an unpleasant answer is given) before one asks.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe