transfer preempt

[han]

(2H*) - p - (3C) - 3S

(p) - ??

 

2H showed a club preempt. You hold:

 

x

Ax

AQxxx

xxxxx

 

Let's say it's all white at IMPs, what's your call?

[awm]

It is very tempting to bid 3NT here, and I would do it if the clubs included the ten or even the nine (partner will often have a singleton honor, or the suit might block, etc). But with five truly small cards I can't make myself do it, and will go with the natural 4♦ bid.

[pclayton]

4♦ seems like a logical move. I'm pretending the bidding has gone 3♣ - p - p - 3♠.

[whereagles]

4♦: We should have a fit there.

[gnasher]

Pass. 4D sounds like it should have a spade fit.

[dbsboy]

4♦. Natural bid wins here.

[keylime]

Agree, 4♦.

 

Pard did not make a takeout double here, so they should have either a single suited hand or a hand ill-suited for a double. We should have fit with 4♦, and the play would be easier than 3NT where the dummy is getting perforced on a club lead.

[neilkaz]

It is very tempting to bid 3NT here, and I would do it if the clubs included the ten or even the nine (partner will often have a singleton honor, or the suit might block, etc). But with five truly small cards I can't make myself do it, and will go with the natural 4♦ bid.

I agree with your nice analysis. 4♦ as I just can't stomach 3NT with 5 small.

[Apollo81]

I wouldn't bid 3NT with the ♣9xxxx either

[blewah]

I bid 4♦ too and my p takes it as NAT.

 

Is there any compelling reason to play it as a fit-bid, instead? How could one describe such a hand?

 

//Regards

[Guest Jlall]

I would pass, but not because I think 4D shows a diamond fit. How can 4D show a spade fit anyways, why wouldn't we just raise spades? I think there's certainly an overlap of hands that can't overcall 3D over 3C but has enough to bid when pard overcalls at the 3 level.

[gnasher]

I would pass, but not because I think 4D shows a diamond fit. How can 4D show a spade fit anyways, why wouldn't we just raise spades? I think there's certainly an overlap of hands that can't overcall 3D over 3C but has enough to bid when pard overcalls at the 3 level.

I didn't mean primary spade support - with that you'd just raise, obviously. I was thinking of something like Hx, offering a choice of contracts. Perhaps I've got this back to front, though: to consider bidding 4D with only AQxxx and a hand that couldn't overcall, I'd want to have a partial spade fit.

[Guest Jlall]

Perhaps I've got this back to front, though: to consider bidding 4D with only AQxxx and a hand that couldn't overcall, I'd want to have a partial spade fit.

Agree in general (though if you made this hand much better I would be bidding, and I wouldn't have considered an overcall. For instance, add a queen). But since 4D doesn't show AQxxx I don't think it shows even a partial spade fit. I would bid 4D with a similar hand to this and 6 diamonds and I wouldn't have overcalled with that either.