What is an Ace worth?

[jillybean]

[hv=pc=n&s=s93h9543d87632ca2&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1d1s?]133|200[/hv]

[Cyberyeti]

How many diamonds has partner shown ? If 4 I think I'm burying the heart suit and bidding 3♦ which for us is 5-8 usually with 5 or 4 and a singleton.

[DavidKok]

I know this one, four points!

 

I would double. It is important to have agreements on how to get to 2♦ or 3♦ on the subsequent auction without getting partner too excited, but this hand is close to perfect for an aggressive double. You've got 4 hearts, you can run to diamonds if partner doesn't have a fit, and aces are always worth full value. Your doubleton spade also suggests taking action because it is likely worth something on offence and next to nothing when defending for example 2♠. Also if you want to enter the auction later (for example to show your diamonds) it is better to do it now before the opponents have confirmed the level of their fit and their playing strength.

[jillybean]

How many diamonds has partner shown ? If 4 I think I'm burying the heart suit and bidding 3♦ which for us is 5-8 usually with 5 or 4 and a singleton.

Yes, unless 4432

[Cyberyeti]

I know this one, four points!

 

I would double. It is important to have agreements on how to get to 2♦ or 3♦ on the subsequent auction without getting partner too excited, but this hand is close to perfect for an aggressive double. You've got 4 hearts, you can run to diamonds if partner doesn't have a fit, and aces are always worth full value. Your doubleton spade also suggests taking action because it is likely worth something on offence and next to nothing when defending for example 2♠. Also if you want to enter the auction later (for example to show your diamonds) it is better to do it now before the opponents have confirmed the level of their fit and their playing strength.

 

The danger with X is that partner bids or doubles when spades are raised to the 3 or 4 level thinking you have more and you are left with a choice of losing options, if tyhis happens your doubleton spade is bad. Admittedly you have a sure defensive trick.

[AL78]

Partner shouldn't get excited if I double to show hearts then support diamonds later. I can cue bid first time to show a good hand with diamond support, although doubling first would imply a hand better than this. I think I would pre-emptively raise to 3♦ (partner almost certainly has four), not ideal with an ace but sometimes you have to do something without a textbook hand, and I'm an advocate of showing support asap in a competitive auction, especially with a weak hand and when the opponents might hold a fit in a higher ranking suit.

[jillybean]

[hv=pc=n&s=s93h9543d87632ca2&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1d1spp2h2s?]133|200[/hv]

We got cold feet and didn't act on the first round.

[LBengtsson]

[hv=pc=n&s=s93h9543d87632ca2&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1d1spp2h2s?]133|200[/hv]

We got cold feet and didn't act on the first round.

 

good problem,jillybean. I am bidding 4♥ now. double fit. may be overbid but 3♥ does not do hand justice.

[DavidKok]

[hv=pc=n&s=s93h9543d87632ca2&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1d1spp2h2s?]133|200[/hv]

We got cold feet and didn't act on the first round.

If we doubled first round partner the partnership would be in a good position to cooperatively explore game. 2NT for me to catch back up - not natural, we would double with good spades and have acted on the first round with any constructive hand. For me it would show either both minors, or 3.5♥ if we correct to 3♥ (which we intend to).

 

Jumping to 3♦ on the first round seems like a poor bet to me. 4♥ is not out of the question over 1♦-(1♠).

 

As a little jab, notice that the risk has only increased by staying mum on the first round. This hand was never going to be easy to show, so it's best to take the plunge as early as possible in the auction when there is the most time to recover.

[Winstonm]

Double first bid.

4H now

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&s=s93h9543d87632ca2&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1d1spp2h2s?]133|200| JillyBean 'We got cold feet and didn't act on the first round.'

++++++++++++++++++++

In response to 1♦, I rank

1. 3♦.

2. DBL.

3. Pass

Now, over 2♠, I rank

1. 4♥.

2. 4♣.

3. 4♦.

Finally, over 4♠,

1. 5♦.

2. 5♣.

3. Pass. [/hv]

[pescetom]

Yes, unless 4432

As another little jab, this is the first thing I would want to fix.

[mw64ahw]

I have at least an 8 card fit, an almost guaranteed trick with the Ace & 4 of a Major so X first and show the preempt after a 1NT response.

 

In my unbalanced ♦ I do this via a 3♣ transfer advance

[jillybean]

[hv=pc=n&s=s93h9543d87632ca2&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1d1spp2h2spp3c3s?]133|200[/hv]

 

And so it goes on, do you get the picture?

 

pescetom, why are you taking a jab at 4432 1D?

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&d=W&w=S93hH9543d87632Ca2&e=HAKT2DAQT954CK94=n&v=0&b=1&a=1d1spp2h2spp3c3s?]200|200| JillyBean 'And so it goes on, do you get the picture?'

++++++++++++++++++

Deal rotated to make partner dealer. Partner pictured a good hand with a likely ♠ void . With less shape, partner would tend to protect with a double. Hence slam seems a good bet.[/hv]

[pescetom]

pescetom, why are you taking a jab at 4432 1D?

 

I tried it for a year and struggled to see any benefits, then aligned to the more modern standard of 4432 1C and lived happily since. YMMV.

[DavidKok]

And so it goes on, do you get the picture?

Is it too early to call the coroner?

[jillybean]

I will post the entire hand later, off to play now!

[mikeh]

I’ve not read all the thread yet, but saw that a double of 1S was popular. I should take names, so as to know who never to play with. A negative double on this hand is one of the worst suggestions I’ve seen in this forum, and I’ve seen a lot.

 

We have crap. Our heart suit is even weaker than our hand. We have xx in spades, and can realistically expect a spade raise much if the time…yes, I read far enough to see that it didn’t happen, but so what?

 

Wtf are we doing, bidding as if we held something like xx KJxx Qxxx Jxx, which is what a minimum negative double looks like? Doesn’t anyone here play with partners? Or is everyone here the only member of their partnership allowed to make decisions?

 

We’re going to be so happy when partner doubles them or bids 3N, etc.

 

Hint: when you’ve got nothing to say, say nothing

 

/end rant.

 

Actually, here I do have something to say in my methods, where 1D promises 4+….3D, which (not coincidentally) describes my hand pretty damn well, unlike that fatuous negative double. With partner possibly being 4432 I’d like to be at favourable to bid 3D but I’d do it anyway. And if he has 4432 and 3D works poorly, maybe we can change to 1D showing 4+, so we’ve won anyway, lol.

[mikeh]

Having berated the negative doublers, now I berate ( just kidding) jb for passing over 2S. I can empathize with passing 1S, tho it’s not my choice, but to pass 2S with a double fit, an ace, and having already seriously limited my hand, is very timid.

 

Partner will often be 5=6 reds for 2H, since you’ve denied hearts with values, and he is often forcing you into a 3-level preference with short hearts. So I’m torn but I think 4D is the best compromise. Bid freely, this shows a good hand in context…what was a bad hand has become much better now. 4D allows for 4H ‘along the way’ with 5=6, and I’ll let him play it there.

 

As it happens, everyone, possibly not including south seems to have consumed a tab of lsd before the game.

 

North has a spade preempt but is walking the dog for reasons I’m sure seem good to him but which have given us all kinds of room. Partner has a good three suiter but denied that by bidding 2H, which would usually bury the club suit.

 

Meanwhile, we found ourselves unable to move a bidding card onto the table during either of the first two rounds.

 

And of course it’s possible that south had a spade raise earlier.

 

Over 3S I am finally going to make a bid. 5D. Sure, nobody’s expecting that, but then nobody’s expecting I’d pass twice with this hand.

 

At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised by anything (other than nige’s 0=4=6=3 construction….opener should be very slowly hung, drawn and quartered if he inflicted that on us…that’s a double of 2S).

[nullve]

Style question:

 

1♦-(1♠)-3♦ = ?

 

In particular, what is partner supposed to do with 18-19 BAL? Pass? Not pass below 3N?

[mikeh]

Style question:

 

1♦-(1♠)-3♦ = ?

 

In particular, what is partner supposed to do with 18-19 BAL? Pass? Not pass below 3N?

Our rule of thumb is that opener should not expect to make 3N with a balanced 19 count after we make a preemptive raise

[jillybean]

[hv=pc=n&s=s93h9543d87632ca2&w=sqt7hk876d95ct654&n=s6hajt2dakqjtcqj7&e=sakj8542hqd4ck983&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1d1spp2h2spp3c3s4dppp]399|300[/hv]

 

I played in 4♦+1. lead A♠

Partner has come from the bridge lessons where new players are taught that Aces are worth 4 points but fail to tell them that they will need to develop bidding judgement after learning the fundamentals.

 

Having berated the negative doublers, now I berate ( just kidding) jb for passing over 2S.

You know me better than that, an Ace is more than enough for me to get into the bidding. :). Take away the Ace and I'll still bid 3♦

 

At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised by anything (other than nige’s 0=4=6=3 construction….opener should be very slowly hung, drawn and quartered if he inflicted that on us…that’s a double of 2S).

Ouch. Thank heavens I was 1453

[Douglas43]

I'm with mikeh. I would add that from a tactical viewpoint Spades outrank both of our suits. If the opponents had overcalled in hearts and I had spades and diamonds, I might stretch to make a negative double, but here it's pointless. Finally, what values I have are defensive - an Ace is a black suit.

[mikeh]

[hv=pc=n&s=s93h9543d87632ca2&w=sqt7hk876d95ct654&n=s6hajt2dakqjtcqj7&e=sakj8542hqd4ck983&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1d1spp2h2spp3c3s4dppp]399|300[/hv]

 

I played in 4♦+1. lead A♠

Partner has come from the bridge lessons where new players are taught that Aces are worth 4 points but fail to tell them that they will need to develop bidding judgement after learning the fundamentals.

 

You know me better than that, an Ace is more than enough for me to get into the bidding. :). Take away the Ace and I'll still bid 3♦

 

Ouch. Thank heavens I was 1453

I cannot construct a 1453 hand where opener’s bidding makes sense. What would you require for a reopening double of 1S?

 

If partner sits for it, and you can make game, you are almost surely going +500 or more. It’s nearly impossible that you have missed a slam since responder should not pass with a big red suit holding (in either red suit) without ‘impossible’ spades.