excellent concentration

[gwnn]

QJT9x

Qxx

KQTxx

-

 

3♣ from your right, all white IMPs.

[rogerclee]

I would double, the least of evils. If partner doesn't pass I feel okay. Even if he does, it might be right.

[Guest Jlall]

3S

[helene_t]

agree with dbl.

[gwnn]

I would double, the least of evils. If partner doesn't pass I feel okay. Even if he does, it might be right.

interesting opinion

[mikeh]

I am torn

 

3♠ is an overbid, by a significant margin: the suit is too short and too weak for 3 level action

 

double is horrific: we will dread a pass by partner, and 3N won't fill our hearts with joy either. Nor will 3♥... we can hardly bid over 3♥

 

4♦ shows our shape, more or less, but we are 2 Aces short of having the values

 

Pass is the technically correct bid, but it cannot be winning bridge to pass this hand... partner will almost certainly have too many clubs to take action, and even if he does, we will often be unable to catch up without taking a completely unilateral action.

 

I think 3♠ is the least of the various evils that confront us

 

I left out 3♦... that is a better call, imo, than 4♦... and it leaves room for 3♥ by partner... while 3♠ will effectively eliminate any hope of finding an 8 card, and most hope of finding a 9 card, heart fit. The (obvious) knock on 3♦ is that we won't find an 8 card spade fit and may miss even a 9 or 10 card fit. So I rank the calls:

 

3♠ 90 (no call merits 100), 3♦ 70, pass 50, double 40, 4♦ 10.

[mr1303]

He who has shortness must strive to act - therefore I'm definitely bidding something.

 

This hand looks something not too far away from 3 suited to me, so I'll double. I greatly fear the tap in 3S, and I don't have enough for 4D (assuming this is leaping michaels)

[Guest Jlall]

No offense but I think double is bad to very bad. Partner will be passing way too often when it's wrong, and when he bids 3N you have to pass and you may have missed a 5-3 or (gasp, yes!) 5-4 spade fit. Even if partner bids 3H that could be bad, and if partner makes the dream bid of 4H he may have been bidding that over 3S anyways, and he may be doing it with something like 3433 or 3424 where 4S is better anyways.

[neilkaz]

I think I have enough playing strength to bid 3♠ here and prefer it to X as may not enjoy hearing PD bid 3NT or passing or even 3♥ with my Qxx only.

[peachy]

3S for me.

Dbl is the worst of the available options. First, because partner may leave it in and I really am not looking forward to defending. Second because he may bid 3NT and my hand isn't NT'ish, plus we easily miss 5-3 spade fit, even 5-4 spade fit if his clubs are good and he is balanced. Third, he may bid 4H and I would not know what to do, pass probably. Fourth, he may bid 3H and I don't know what I should do next - we could be in 4-3, or worst case, 3-3 heart fit while having a 5-3 spade fit if I pass, and he could think I am strong one-suited if I now bid spades. I am not so concerned about missing possible diamond fit but even that miss could be bad for us.

[ArtK78]

3♠ is my choice. I don't really consider it the least of evils. It just seems like the right call.

 

Everything else is far worse.

[kenrexford]

When in doubt, go for strain.

 

4♦ (♦+♠) for me. (4♣ is ♦+♥, right?)

[Codo]

I agree with Mikeh that no bid is worth 100 points and go for 3 ♠.

There is no way to find 4 Heart after this start but anything else is possible.

[Finch]

When in doubt, go for strain.

 

4♦ (♦+♠) for me. (4♣ is ♦+♥, right?)

Of course, you never get dealt both majors.

[kenrexford]

When in doubt, go for strain.

 

4♦ (♦+♠) for me.  (4♣ is ♦+♥, right?)

Of course, you never get dealt both majors.

With both majors, double and then bid 4♣ if needed, unless you play Roman Jumps (4♥).

[cherdano]

When in doubt, go for strain.

 

4♦ (♦+♠) for me. (4♣ is ♦+♥, right?)

Wrong.

[Hanoi5]

3♠ even though it's a bit of an overbid. Can you imagine doubling and having partner bid 4♥ with 3-3 in the Majors?

[PrecisionL]

Pass. Partner will expect more defense for a double.

[andy_h]

3S and hope.

[gnasher]

4♦ (♦+♠) for me.  (4♣ is ♦+♥, right?)

Wrong.

Since we've embarked on this digression, I think that the standardish methods of

  4♣ = majors

  4♦ = ♦ + a major

are also wrong. 4♣ should be the ambiguous one, because you have 4♦ available as a relay to find out which it is. I prefer:

  4♣ = S + another

  4♦ = reds

which allows overcaller to bid his second suit without reversing if there is further competition.

[han]

Yeah I also like 3♠ best.

[Vilgan]

3♠, please be understanding partner.

 

P is "safe", but not winning bridge imo. Could end up being right on the hand tho.

X confuses me. There are too many ways this could go way wrong. P = eek. 3NT = eek. 3H = blah.. what if we belong in spades?

3S would ideally be stronger, but at least we get our spade suit and OFFENSIVE hand out there.

The bids discussing leaping to 4m (whatever it shows) confuse me as well. This hand is iffy at 3♠, why are we suddenly eager to leap to the 4 level and -almost- GF?

[Apollo81]

3♠ because someone has to act and we have the void. I strongly dislike all other calls.

[kenrexford]

4♦ (♦+♠) for me.  (4♣ is ♦+♥, right?)

Wrong.

Since we've embarked on this digression, I think that the standardish methods of

  4♣ = majors

  4♦ = ♦ + a major

are also wrong. 4♣ should be the ambiguous one, because you have 4♦ available as a relay to find out which it is. I prefer:

  4♣ = S + another

  4♦ = reds

which allows overcaller to bid his second suit without reversing if there is further competition.

I like this.

 

Except, you are not well placed after 3♣-4♣-5♦. After 3♣-4minor-5♣, Advancer is well-placed. After 3♣-X-5♣, Advancer is OK, and doubler still has the option to double again.

 

Not sure...