response to a balancing X

[temp3600]

You are South, red vs green at IMPs.

 

[hv=d=e&v=n&s=sj876hk6dk93cak92]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

 

The bidding goes :

 

(3♦)    pass   (pass)   X

(pass)   ?

 

What are your thoughts ?

[mike777]

3NT

 

But 4S or 4D may be winning bid.

[pbleighton]

4S, second choice 3NT (close).

 

Peter

[the hog]

3NT. Pd does not have to have 4S.

[HeartA]

3NT.

[Guest Jlall]

4S.

[Fluffy]

4♠

[pclayton]

3N. 4S is my 3rd choice behind 4D.

[joker_gib]

4♠

[P_Marlowe]

4S.

 

First impulse was 3 NT, so it is close, but

partner primarily asks for a mayor, I have

one.

He does not need to have a 4 card suit,

but 1 stopper may not be enough for 3 NT.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[whereagles]

3NT on grounds that if pard has 3 spades 4S will be hard to make, and if he has 4 spades 3NT may still play well. Would bid 4S if the diam king were doubleton.

[luke warm]

4♠, mainly because not to bid it would deny 4 of them, and that could be a mistake... neither 3nt nor 4♠ bars partner, he may have more to say

[Walddk]

3NT. "If 3NT is an option .....". Plusschreiben und gewinnen.

 

Roland

[inquiry]

I am surprised no one at least voiced a few words for pass. In balance seat, I expect my partner to reopen when short in diamonds. This is imps, so 3Dx down two isn't a total disaster, down when we have game would be ok, but better if we guess wrong game (say we CAN make 3NT but not 4S or vice versa but we guess the wrong one to bid. And down four is probalby ok. All these contracts going down of course is better than if we bid and go down.

 

The problem is, partner rates to have more than minimum. So, I am going to bid like everyone else, and with us being vul, I am going to bid game. I begruddingly have to admit to liking phil's 4D option followed by 4S. This gives us a chance to find five or six clubs. While 4S puts us there regardless of fit. 4D also gives us a better chance to find 6S/6C. So for me... 4D, and then 4S over 4H.

 

Ben

[Finch]

I wouldn't pass vul against not at IMPS.

 

I bid 4D (two places to play) and 4S over 4H, showing the black suits.

 

I don't like 3NT with only one stop, particularly when the pre-emptor may have a 6-card diamond suit only. It's gambling on partner having a doubleton, or on us having 9 tricks. Obviously it's possible to construct hands where 3NT is the only making game, but we have so many high cards it's unlikely. Also, partner will pass 3NT on, say,

 

KQ10xx

Axxx

A

Qxx

 

(I suppose the good news is that it makes...)

[beatrix45]

:)

3NT - Bob Hamman showed the world how to handle this type of bidding problem.

 

 

Trixie

[luke warm]

true, but bob hamman can also play the spots off the cards

[whereagles]

Well, if you're afraid of going down in 3NT maybe you can pass the double for 1 down!?? B) Who knows? Maybe it's even the right action, as ben would have it B)

[kenberg]

I see from the poll that the 3nt voters are sweeping the country. That was my first thought, but I have been convinced otherwise by the 4D voters.

Here are some thoughts, probably not going much beyond what has already been said.

 

Often, not always, 3NT and 4S will both end the auction. Either could be right, either could be wrong. Bidding 4D and then, over the expected 4H, bidding 4S will offer an alternative (I know, that alternative is no longer 3NT) providing partner understands. He should. Famous last words. From this I take 4D to be definitely superior to 4S.

 

It is possible partner has hopes of going beyond game. The 4D-4H-4S route should give a clearer picture than either 3NT (diamond stop(s) and some decent values somewhere) or 4S (shows the 4 spades but partner may talk himself into the idea they might be better or longer. They could be on such an auction.) After 4D-4H-4S partner can infer good values (for a passed hand I would say these are good values), a good club holding, and exactly 4 spades, probably of marginal quality. Further, since you are saying that neither 4S nor 3NT nor 5C is your clear choice, it would be reasonable, a small stretch perhaps, to think that some of your values are in hearts as well. This should help him decide what to do next. You have clearly indicated you are not sure about the best contract and this information itself can be of use.

 

I admit this seldom occurs to me at the table. I think it should.

 

Ken

[beatrix45]

true, but bob hamman can also play the spots off the card

:blink:

 

Trixie is not too bad a dummy player herself, but she is no better than the merest novice at playing king empty fourth opposite jack empty fourth.

[luke warm]

i'm sure you're a wonderful card player

 

but

 

bob hamman can play the spots off the cards

[the hog]

I see from the poll that the 3nt voters are sweeping the country. That was my first thought, but I have been convinced otherwise by the 4D voters.

Here are some thoughts, probably not going much beyond what has already been said.

 

Often, not always, 3NT and 4S will both end the auction. Either could be right, either could be wrong. Bidding 4D and then, over the expected 4H, bidding 4S will offer an alternative (I know, that alternative is no longer 3NT) providing partner understands. He should. Famous last words. From this I take 4D to be definitely superior to 4S.

 

It is possible partner has hopes of going beyond game. The 4D-4H-4S route should give a clearer picture than either 3NT (diamond stop(s) and some decent values somewhere) or 4S (shows the 4 spades but partner may talk himself into the idea they might be better or longer. They could be on such an auction.) After 4D-4H-4S partner can infer good values (for a passed hand I would say these are good values), a good club holding, and exactly 4 spades, probably of marginal quality. Further, since you are saying that neither 4S nor 3NT nor 5C is your clear choice, it would be reasonable, a small stretch perhaps, to think that some of your values are in hearts as well. This should help him decide what to do next. You have clearly indicated you are not sure about the best contract and this information itself can be of use.

 

I admit this seldom occurs to me at the table. I think it should.

 

Ken

The problem with 4D is that you have by passed 3NT and you cannot make your bids retorogressive. 4S MAY be a good spot, but not if pd has 3 and 5C MAY be playable. 3N is the most likely making spot.

[luke warm]

Well, if you're afraid of going down in 3NT maybe you can pass the double for 1 down!?? B) Who knows? Maybe it's even the right action, as ben would have it :rolleyes:

i'm not afraid of going down, i just think 4s is better... and, at the risk of repeating myself :), none of us posting plays the cards (whether 3nt or 4s) like hamman does (or did, or whatever)

[whereagles]

none of us posting plays the cards (whether 3nt or 4s) like hamman does (or did, or whatever)

Well, speak for yourself :P