Which raise?

[smerriman]

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IMPs.

 

It seems there are at least 5 ways to raise spades here. Opposite a passed hand, is this strong enough for a cue-raise, or just a mixed raise? In either case, is there any logic to preempting the opponents by jumping straight to 3♠ - or even 4♠?

[kuhchung]

I wouldn't bury partner with 4S

 

Maybe there's some tactical merit to 3S but I'll just bid 3D. Either way, getting to the 3 level immediately looks good to me

[sfi]

Given partner is a passed hand, game looks far away and it seems like I should be helping partner to make a competitive decision. This hand is a classic mixed raise and there is no reason to stray from that approach.

[Trick13]

Why not 3♥?

[smerriman]

Given partner is a passed hand, game looks far away and it seems like I should be helping partner to make a competitive decision. This hand is a classic mixed raise and there is no reason to stray from that approach.

My thoughts were that after the support double, 3♦ seems to help the opponents far more than it helps us, because it allows LHO to bid 3♥ and confirm the heart fit.

 

After a 3♠ bid, is LHO likely to be able to bid 4♥ (as a passed hand, opposite a possible minimum)? If he passes, is RHO likely to be able to bid over 3♠, opposite a possible minimum which has 4 hearts?

[sfi]

My thoughts were that after the support double, 3♦ seems to help the opponents far more than it helps us, because it allows LHO to bid 3♥ and confirm the heart fit.

 

After a 3♠ bid, is LHO likely to be able to bid 4♥ (as a passed hand, opposite a possible minimum)? If he passes, is RHO likely to be able to bid over 3♠, opposite a possible minimum which has 4 hearts?

 

That's all possible, although maybe not as likely as you are thinking. RHO would have a simple double to show extras over 3S, so the question is how frequently you stop LHO from bidding to show the fifth heart. On the other hand, you may avoid pushing them into a making game they would not have bid otherwise. After all, LHO knows a lot about both major suits and may simply bid 4H as a two-way shot.

 

Either approach has merit. The one that (IMO) doesn't have much merit is to simply jump to 4S. You could just be giving up 5 IMPs in a partscore hand for no very good reason.

[ahydra]

The hand feels too good for a mixed raise. We have four trumps, good honours, singleton in one of their suits and length (suggesting a shortage with partner) in the other, plus the DK onside. Game isn't out of the question (AKxxx xxxx x QJx), though unlikely.

 

If 3H is a splinter in hearts, then that seems like a good option as we want partner to devalue things like ♥QJx. Otherwise 2D - if it goes 2D-(4H) partner should know what to do, we have about the defence that partner will be expecting. More likely it goes 2D-(2H or 3H) or similar and partner can compete to the right level.

 

ahydra

[msjennifer]

2D shows a strong enough support for partners overcall.2/3 S will show weak raises.3D is not indicated as it may help opponents more than partner.3/4 H are very questionable.For an unfamiliar partner I shall bid 3S.

[msjennifer]

2D shows a strong enough support for partners overcall.2/3 S will show weak raises.3D is not indicated as it may help opponents more than partner.3/4 H are very questionable.For an unfamiliar partner I shall bid 3S.

[dsLawsd]

I decide to walk the dog with 2♠ planning to rebid 3.

My thought is to buy it there and talk E-W out of 4♥ which I think might make. Against some opponents I would just bid 3♠ as that was my first instinct. My diamond card is encouraging but not sufficient to bid a mixed raise that shows a bit more defense.

[The_Badger]

I don't believe being a cleverclogs here even though we hold the anchor suit, ♠s. Any other bid than 3♠ may let the opponents define their hands. Let them make the last guess. 3♠ it is for me.

[nekthen]

I too chose to “walk the dog” with 2♠

We really do not know what is going down here. Both W and N chose not to open so we expect both to have a 5 card suit. The support dbl indicates 3 cards so partner has 4 hearts. I want to be pushed into bidding 3spades and hope that partner can double 4 hearts or at least it goes down.

3 spades is a close second. Anything else might propel partner into an impossible game. I could have a hand, which was planning to open and got stymied by the diamond bid

Eg

AKxx

Qx

Qxx

Kxxx

 

That looks like a 2d bid to me

[Tramticket]

I don't believe being a cleverclogs here even though we hold the anchor suit, ♠s. Any other bid than 3♠ may let the opponents define their hands. Let them make the last guess. 3♠ it is for me.

 

Bidding 4♠ doesn't let the opponents define their hands. And if we want to bid to the level of fit, we surely have 10 trumps. I think that is is close between 3♠ and 4♠ and I may go all in, depending on my view of the opponents.

[The_Badger]

Bidding 4♠ doesn't let the opponents define their hands. And if we want to bid to the level of fit, we surely have 10 trumps. I think that is is close between 3♠ and 4♠ and I may go all in, depending on my view of the opponents.

 

I thought about this too, but given that partner hasn't opened a weak two in second position, I erred slightly on the side of caution here. However, East has probably the best hand at the table and has used a support double which has some limitations as far as I can see. It guarantees 3 card ♥ support, but it doesn't say much else about East's HCP range. That's why I plumped for 3♠ instead of 4♠ here because the opponents are on real guess, as it's unlikely West has a six card ♥ suit as he didn't open a weak two in first position. 4♠ I saw as a slight overbid, but as you say Tramticket it is borderline.

[pescetom]

I would just bid 3♠. Don't see any compelling reason to risk anything else, if they guess they have game then let them demonstrate it.

[Cyberyeti]

I would just bid 3♠. Don't see any compelling reason to risk anything else, if they guess they have game then let them demonstrate it.

 

May also depend on what I expect for partner's overcall in this seat.

[Tramticket]

I thought about this too, but given that partner hasn't opened a weak two in second position, I erred slightly on the side of caution here.

 

I guess that it depends upon your standards for a weak 2 bid. Many would not open a weak 2 with e.g. six spades and four hearts. I can't see any reason for partner to wade in in the sandwich seat with fewer than opening values unless holding a six-card suit.

[pescetom]

May also depend on what I expect for partner's overcall in this seat.

True, although there isn't that much space for maneuver: I would expect honoured 5-card spades and 5-11 HCP.

 

 

I guess that it depends upon your standards for a weak 2 bid. Many would not open a weak 2 with e.g. six spades and four hearts.

True also: I would probably no longer have a partner if I opened a weak two with a 4-card major on the side.

[miamijd]

Much too strong for a mixed raise. That's generally a good six to a bad 9 with 4 pieces. This hand is worth a whole lot more than that, especially with all prime honors and the Kd likely well placed. Indeed, there are a lot of ordinary hands partner could have that might make game:

 

AKxxx xxxx xx Kx

 

for example, probably does the trick. Unless your partner overcalls on garbage, it's not clear whose hand this is, so with our having the master suit, there is no need to preempt with 4S. I would just show my hand with 2D and see what happens.

 

Cheers,

mike

[msjennifer]

I decide to walk the dog with 2♠ planning to rebid 3.

My thought is to buy it there and talk E-W out of 4♥ which I think might make. Against some opponents I would just bid 3♠ as that was my first instinct. My diamond card is encouraging but not sufficient to bid a mixed raise that shows a bit more defense.

A bid of 2S now and 3S later means one is pushing them to 4H .

[miamijd]

I don't believe being a cleverclogs here even though we hold the anchor suit, ♠s. Any other bid than 3♠ may let the opponents define their hands. Let them make the last guess. 3♠ it is for me.

 

I take it you play 3S shows this type of hand. For me (and I think for most, though not all), 3S is preemptive.

 

Cheers,

mike

[The_Badger]

I take it you play 3S shows this type of hand. For me (and I think for most, though not all), 3S is preemptive.

 

Cheers,

mike

 

The funny thing is, Mike, I agree with what you say, but needs must in this auction especially as both players have originally passed. Let's call it a 'pre-emptive strike' as opposed to a 'pre-emptive bid'. The one thing I learnt from Andrew Robson and Oliver Segal's excellent bridge book 'Partnership Bidding at Bridge' many years ago is that these types of bids puts immediate pressure on the opposition. As I said in my original post 'Let the opponents make the last guess'. I'm all for constructive/semi-constructive auctions most of the time, but we already know that the opponents have the majority of the points so let's make their life as difficult as possible. Pure and simple.

[kanchi]

I just I’d 2h showing. Good support to s and leave it top to decide further

[PhilG007]

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IMPs.

 

It seems there are at least 5 ways to raise spades here. Opposite a passed hand, is this strong enough for a cue-raise, or just a mixed raise? In either case, is there any logic to preempting the opponents by jumping straight to 3♠ - or even 4♠?

 

With 9 hcp opposite a passed hand I would proceed with caution. A simple raise of 2♠ is quite sufficient

[mcphee]

While 4S may not make it could be cold, and since when would you ever defend 4H if they bid it. I hope he is not on AJxxx and some slop in C. For sure he should have at most 2D, if the A is favcorable I am delighted to play 4S.