[ajm218]

Scoring: IMP

1♠ (X) 4♣ (4♥)
4♠ P P (5♣)
P P X

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[hanp]

I'm not sure what kind of comments you are looking for. Doubling 5C is not so strange, even though you can make 5S as the cards lie.

1S and double are of course normal.

4C I don't like. It's an overbid and makes the auction forcing. I think that's too much. Moreover, it makes it easy for the opponents by allowing them to double, or to bid 4H. 4S instead is probably frowned upon by many but I think this bid will often work out well in practice. A support jump might have worked out really well.

4H is normal.

4S seems fine, I imagine that pass would show slam interest.

pass, pass and 5C seem normal.

Pass seems good, if partner has a void you definitely want to compete, and even with a singleton it will probably be right if partner bids 5S. You do have two aces and you expect 5C to be down (at least I would, but I expect a better hand for 4C).

Pass of 5C is ok, though 5H instead is also fine.

Double seems ok, I don't see a good reason to bid.

Had east held the diamond queen (as you would expect) then 5S would have been down. On the other hand, if spades were 3-1 then 5C could easily have made.

5-level decisions are tough.

[hanp]

Oh, did north lead a heart? That was terrible.

[Phil]

@Han - What makes you think a heart was led?

I agree that 4♣ is too much, but this hand evaluates to a game bid vul at IMPs, and hopefully 3N can show a hand like this. I don't like of 4♠ if 3N is available but my 2nd choice is 2N. I guess I'm still playing 1990's bridge because 4♣ would be a fit jump in some of my partnerships.

I think the pass of 5♣ is clear. 5♥ could have some handling problems if partner is 4-5 or 4-6.

[hanp]

Quote

@Han - What makes you think a heart was led?

The title of the thread.

[Phil]

hanp, on Oct 5 2010, 01:04 PM, said:

Quote

@Han - What makes you think a heart was led?

The title of the thread.

♥5?

[Fluffy]

wrong agreements, over the double forrester is better, splinter when you are not gonna play the hand only helps the opponents. However if south had bid 4♦ to show spades and diamonds north will take the push to the correct contract.

[billw55]

I think the point is that NS must cash their 3 tricks off the top to beat 5♣ or 5♥. This might not always happen, since N may be reluctant to lead an AJxx(x) suit. In this case, he probably should not be reluctant, but not everyone pays keen attention to the auction.