The devil made me bid it...

[helene_t]

Chalk and cheese!

P had less chance to bid over 2♥ than 1♥, also the example has equal vul we are red v green here

 

Take each hand on its merits, not by rote.

True but isn't it so that the hands that would act over 1♥ but not over 2♥ are mainly hands with 5+ spades? Which we can sorta reject just by looking at our own hand.

 

That p did't act over 1♥ at least tells us that he doesn't have a WJO in a minor (or an unusual 2NT) which is actually reasuring when we consider a 4♠.

[BillPatch]

Ran 10 sample hands through Jack. It doesn't understand the 4♠ bid, usually overbidding by 2 tricks, even though its hands in this sample had no duplication in red suits. Despite partner's overbidding, and one phantom save, the overcall led after 10 hands 34-17 in IMPS. The law of total tricks works for the saints.

[jdgalt]

Why is this even a problem? Change it so their side is vul and we are not, or have partner double; then it might require thought. Otherwise, not only pass but "what were you thinking?" if partner disagrees.

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&s=sqj98642h7d6ck965&d=w&v=n&b=12&a=1hp4h]133|200|

IMPs, Vulnerable vs. not (naturally), LHO deals and the bidding goes 1♥ - 4♥.

It's your call.

[/hv]

IMO 4♠ = 10, Pass = 8. If partner does not become over-excited (and a good partner will make appropriate allowances), then such bids are the winning long-term action.

[blackshoe]

Nobody voted "close position" but that seems to be the best answer. <shrug>

[Taiwan_up]

Averaglly speaking, 4S is better than defending against 4H and 5H is better than defending 4S.

[KurtGodel]

Interesting how the results were very close, but everyone thought their decision was clear cut.

[PhilKing]

Can we have the full hand please?

[foobar]

Here are the complete hands. In retrospect, it's an interesting companion piece to the 1♥ - 4♥ thread.

 

 

 

[hv=pc=n&s=sqj98432h5d8ck943&w=sathk9874dqt5cqj5&n=s5hqj6dk97432cat2&e=sk67hat32daj6c876&d=w&v=n&b=12&a=1hp4h4sppdppp]399|300[/hv]

 

E-W weren't playing a limited opening system and East's 4♥ was a little unusual.

 

 

[Jinksy]

Interesting how the results were very close, but everyone thought their decision was clear cut.

 

What results were close? The only sample set I've seen above is BillPatch's results with Jack:

 

Despite partner's overbidding, and one phantom save, the overcall led after 10 hands 34-17 in IMPS

 

It's a small sample, but still, 1.7 IMPs per hand is a huge gain in my book.

[BillPatch]

What results were close?

The results of the poll are close. All afternoon they have been 42 for pass, 40 for 4♠, and 0 for uncertain.

[manudude03]

The results of the poll are close. All afternoon they have been 42 for pass, 40 for 4♠, and 0 for uncertain.

 

 

That may have been because the third poll was originally something along the lines of "4S if the pips were better".

[gwnn]

When the poll options were changed there had only been about 10 votes cast, though.

[helene_t]

Yes but the problem is that the options are not mutually exclusive. I may think it is close in the sence that I would think about it and that I wouldn't insist that it was "obviously" the right call in the post mortem, but not close in the sense that I would let it depend on the state of the match or which partner I was playing with. So it is better to phrase the poll:

yes/no/tossup

or, alternatively

certainly/probably/maybe/probably not/certainly not