So many possible strains

[MarkDean]

[hv=d=e&v=n&s=sj98643hqtdktcat7]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

 

Home game. Last board of 8 - you have been absolutely drilled the first 7.

 

Opps silent:

P-1♥

1♠-2♦

2♥-3♦

?

[JLOGIC]

Bidding 4H is kind of tempting, it seems like even if partner is 2551 hearts might be right.

 

Still, bidding 3S seems normal. We didn't open 2S or rebid 2S, so it's not like partner will take us for 6 good ones and raise on a stiff honor. I will just try to get to my 6-2 fit if possible and not be a genius.

 

I guess if partner bids 3N we have the decision of whether to pass or correct to 4H also. I wish all of my decisions were so nice to have!

[pooltuna]

Dealer: East Vul: None Scoring: IMP

♠ J98643 ♥ QT ♦ KT ♣ AT7

 

Home game.  Last board of 8 - you have been absolutely drilled the first 7. 

 

Opps silent:

P-1♥

1♠-2♦

2♥-3♦

?

choices are clearly pass, 3♥,3♠,3NT. Pass and 3♥ are clearly choosing to play conservatively in that strain and I would pick 3♥ over pass unless I really, really wanted to be sure partner didn't go on. 3♠ is targeting the small possibility that partner has 2 when he has already shown 10+ red cards although this will be no picnic if he has 2 small. 3NT would be my choice as I expect partner to have maxed out his hand after 3♦ and my spot cards in the reds are really good plus I have the black suit stoppers.

[gnasher]

I'd bid 4♥. I don't want to play in 4♠ on a club lead opposite ♠Kx and ♣x.

[Finch]

choices are clearly pass, 3♥,3♠,3NT.

?????

 

You have an obvious game drive.

 

How about 4C, offering choice of games? You can't suddenly have a slam try after your 2H bid last round, so this must be offering a choice. Except that choice is probably between hearts and diamonds, which isn't what I want.

 

OK, I'll bid 4H

 

JL* had convinced me to bid 3S, but then gnasher convinced me 4H was better, and he came later.

[whereagles]

Excellent fillers and a side ace = game, so 4♥ is canonical.

[JLOGIC]

If partner has Kx x in the blacks his hand is probably one of these:

 

Kx AKxxx AQxxx x

Kx AKJxx AJxxx x

Kx AJxxx AQJxx x

Kx AKxxx AJxxx x

 

 

Opposite these hands, what is the best game? They all seem like pretty worthy play problems. I'm thinking 4H is better, so gnasher is indeed right. Though I suspect if we did this excersize with Ax of spades, spades would come up (much?) better.

 

So my last reason for 3S maybe being better than 4H is if we get to 3N when it's right. Presumably partner will have a stiff spade and Kx of clubs in those examples, so we can just switch the black suits in the previous examples to:

 

x AKxxx AQxxx Kx

x AKJxx AJxxx Kx

x AJxxx AQJxx Kx

x AKxxx AJxxx Kx

 

In these hands we have just so much good values (~26 HCP and a stiff oppoiste our J and Kx opposite our ace) that both games become extremely good. 4H is always in danger of some 5-1 splits, but 3N is in danger of losing 4 spades tricks with HHTx behind us. As I suspected if we bid 3S and partner bids 3N it's a pleasant decision whether to correct or not and we can't go wrong really.

 

So I'll agree with gnasher that 4H>3S.