Can you reach slam?

[sfi]

The vote is evenly split. Currently 22 votes for 3H, 20 votes for pass and one vote (there's always one!) out on his own with 4H.

 

Nobody for double? Surely someone can think of a reason to do so...

[nullve]

(3♦)-P-P

[P_Marlowe]

The vote is evenly split. Currently 22 votes for 3H, 20 votes for pass and one vote (there's always one!) out on his own with 4H.

The claim that 4H promises less defence than 3H speaks for themself, ..., you can have this agreement, but this is certainly

non standard.

[Lovera]

It is true that the hand has 6 losers but by bidding 3 ♥ we do not help the partner and we indicate a hand similar to that of opener when instead we have the void at ♦. We can assume that he has 3 cards there and expect two cards in ♥ and almost see 4-4-3-2. Missing 28 points, can half be in our line and if the cards turn well? Why play the opponents' game? The possible options are X, 4 ♦, 3 ♥ and 4 ♥ but 3 ♥ does not seem to express well that shape that plays a role here.

 

 

[mycroft]

With my style of overcalling pre-empts, I'd be more worried about 7♥-1 than anything else if I overcalled 3♥ with this hand. I can't imagine North stopping short of 6.

 

If you overcall on "any hand worth competing on, they're not going to steal from us", North is in a pickle. 12 scattered with hopefully 6 hearts to an honour might be down in 5, a real overcall has a shot at a grand. But at least this hand doesn't have to apologize for their 3♥ call if they do end up in 7.

 

I almost like 4♥ here, if it shows, well not exactly "a preempt over a preempt", but "I think I can take 10 tricks with the other 28 high equally split; but I don't have *cards*." Who's going to get that right at the table absent discussion, though?

[Lovera]

With my style of overcalling pre-empts, I'd be more worried about 7♥-1 than anything else if I overcalled 3♥ with this hand. I can't imagine North stopping short of 6.

 

If you overcall on "any hand worth competing on, they're not going to steal from us", North is in a pickle. 12 scattered with hopefully 6 hearts to an honour might be down in 5, a real overcall has a shot at a grand. But at least this hand doesn't have to apologize for their 3♥ call if they do end up in 7.

 

I almost like 4♥ here, if it shows, well not exactly "a preempt over a preempt", but "I think I can take 10 tricks with the other 28 high equally split; but I don't have *cards*." Who's going to get that right at the table absent discussion, though?

 

Not me since I'm interested in getting to the small slam. But for the grand slam there are some squeeze positions (I think E could have a 7-2-2-2) and a result of 6 (+1) should be great without trying your luck.

 

 

[dokoko]

As an aside, would you play for the drop or finesse? (I assume drop is obvious, but I'm never entirely sure how to weight the probabilities in this sort of situation).

 

If East were known to hold at most 1 trump, it would be close whether finessing or playing for the drop is the better chance to avoid a trump loser. But East may hold more than one trump ...

 

And even if finessing against West were a 50-50 shot, in case of a trump loser your chances for a 3-3 break in clubs are better when East is void of trumps than when he isn't.

[cherdano]

So I didn't realise this was an old thread, scrolled back to the beginning, started reading the first few replies and thought "Hm wow, I might be defending 3♦ here, am I the only one?"

 

At least I am consistent LOL

 

 

 

I admit my first reaction seeing the hand was "I might be defending 3♦ here!"