How far ahead do you plan?

[GrahamJson]

With hands like this I usually consider doing something clever, such as bidding 3H, but always end up making the obvious bid, in this case 4H. It usually turns out to be the winning tactic, or at least the one that doesn't lose.

 

I note that when hands like this come up in bidding competitions, in which your bid is compared with a panel of experts, the straightforward bid usually gets the most support, and 10/10.

[miamijd]

The opponents surely have a 10 fit in spades. You have a nine fit somewhere and probably only two short suit losers

 

That suggests that the opponents will surely bid 4s over 4h and that you should then bid 5c. And indeed that's one way to do it

 

Another approach -- and one that makes it tougher for the opponents -- is to bid 4nt over 2s with the idea of correcting 5d to 5h. Partner rates to have better d than h and if you get dropped in 5c that may not be bad at all. I like this approach better in IMPs than in MPs though.

 

If you bid 4h and partner hitches over 4s I think you have to pass. Partner can't seriously have been considering a double because 4h shows good offense but minimal defense. With more HCP you would bid 3s. So he was considering 5h. I think pass is reasonable, because it's quite possible that both 4s and 5h are -1.

[cartruck]

I would bid 3♠ asking my partner to bid his best of his 2 suits. If he bids ♦ I pull it to ♥. Then we would go from there accordingly.

 

I guarantee I have the other major covered at game level with that 3 spade bid.

[Phil]

Another approach -- and one that makes it tougher for the opponents -- is to bid 4nt over 2s with the idea of correcting 5d to 5h. Partner rates to have better d than h and if you get dropped in 5c that may not be bad at all. I like this approach better in IMPs than in MPs though.

 

I like this approach too. If you are willing to bet the 1:10 horse (I am) that you are not buying this hand in 4♥, you might as well apply direct pressure to LHO. I also do not mind a direct 5♣, but if partner is a little offshape like 2=4=5=2, this could turn out very silly.

[WellSpyder]

(1♠) X (4♠) 4NT is clearly two places to play.

 

Is the same true of (1♠) X (2♠) 4NT?

[aguahombre]

(1♠) X (4♠) 4NT is clearly two places to play.

 

Is the same true of (1♠) X (2♠) 4NT?

For us, the answer should be "Yes, but two specific places."

 

4c=hearts and clubs

4d=hearts and diamonds

4nt=minors.

 

but, I think I am repeating myself..although it does seem a bit silly to show hearts and something else ABOVE the 4-heart level.