When to bid hearts

[awm]

[hv=pc=n&e=s97hkt743d63cjt93&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=p1cd2d(weak%20natural)p3ddp]133|200[/hv]

 

IMPs, strong opponents. Partner's first double is takeout, second is "cards." What's your plan?

[JLOGIC]

Would have bid the first time and bid 4h now

[the hog]

Failing to bid 2H the first time is weird. 4H is clear now.

[MrAce]

Here it is, i said in the past to those who believed bidding 2♥ in a similar auction, a free bid, requires a hand that would jump bid 2♥ had RHO passed, which i disagreed. I stand still by my previous opinion, i would have bid 2♥ at the first place. And i would have bid only 1♥ if RHO passed with this hand.

 

Now 4♥...what else ?

[Fluffy]

I wouldn't have bid 2♥ previous round but its close for me (strenght equal to 7 balanced would be my minimum, this shape almost makes it)

 

Can't see the alternative to 4♥ now.

[sieong]

Thanks to Adam for reposting the hand here, and to all who have replied. I was East on this hand. I have a few follow-up questions:

 

1. What is the expected range / playing strength for the 2♥ bid? If you choose to bid 2♥ with the hand in question, what would you do with

1a. xxx KQxxx x Axxx

1b. xx KQxxx xx Axxx

1c. xxx KQxx xx Axxx

 

2. Opposite this 2♥ bid, if the bidding continues with 3♦ by opener, do you expect the takeout doubler to compete holding only 3♥? Should X there by takeout doubler be maximal double?

 

3. Back to the hand in question, if you bid 2♥ now, and bidding continues 3♦ - P - P, will you bid 3♥? What if it is MP?

 

The full hand at the table:

 

[hv=pc=n&w=skj32ha86dk9caq42&e=s97hkt743d63cjt93&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=p1cd2dp3ddp4hppp]266|200[/hv]

 

I was not sure how wide range 2♥ should be, and decided to pass and hoped for a second change to bid (I was planning to bid 3♥ after 3♦ - P - P). I decided to jump to 4♥ over the second double because my hand was too good then. ♦A was offside so we went one down.

 

The failure to bid 2♥ the first round put us way behind in the bidding. I think bidding 2♥ is good bridge and would like to know how people handle the follow-ups as well as how would they handle stronger hands than the one in question.

 

Thanks.

[han]

Looks like a normal 1NT overcall to me (hello, easy auction!) so I'll assume that you are playing some system that prevents 1NT.

 

I think the complete auction should then go

 

1C - Dbl - 2D - 2H

3D - Dbl - p - 3H

all pass

 

The second double just shows a strong hand without 4 hearts. Opener's hand is not good enough to act a third time imo.

[gnasher]

I agree with Han's comments. In answer to your other questions:

 

1. What is the expected range / playing strength for the 2♥ bid? If you choose to bid 2♥ with the hand in question, what would you do with

1a. xxx KQxxx x Axxx

1b. xx KQxxx xx Axxx

1c. xxx KQxx xx Axxx

I'd bid 4♥ with the first one, 3♥ with the second, and 2♥ with the third. The range of 2♥ is fairly wide, because we have to be able to compete on hands like in the original post, but we can't afford to jump around on a hand like your third example.

 

3. Back to the hand in question, if you bid 2♥ now, and bidding continues 3♦ - P - P, will you bid 3♥? What if it is MP?

No, I wouldn't bid again voluntarily on the East hand. It's only a 4-count, and partner is allowed to have diamond wastage.