[the_dude]

Game all, IMPs

KQ8xxxxx
x
Q
AJx

1H (P) 1NT ?

[phil_20686]

4S seems obvious to me.

I could live with two spades since you have enough that you might buy the auction there. On the other hand, you might buy the auction in 2S when partner has the club Q and an ace, in which case you are good for 4S.

[billw55]

phil_20686, on 2012-August-01, 06:44, said:

4S seems obvious to me.

I could live with two spades since you have enough that you might buy the auction there. On the other hand, you might buy the auction in 2S when partner has the club Q and an ace, in which case you are good for 4S.

... unless you have two trump losers.

I think I have to ask myself right now if I will bid 4♠ over 4♥. If the answer is yes, I might as well bid 4♠ now.

BTW nice touch specifying the ♠8 with five spots below it. heheh

[Phil]

3♠ seems adequate. I guess I'm getting old.

[lalldonn]

4♠ wtp. 3♠ is lol to me, sorry. The king of clubs alone gives a play for game. Imagine if partner has that and an ace or so, is he just supposed to raise 3♠?

[ggwhiz]

2♠ for no reason other than a preference to let pard show a sign of life including smashing them if they get too high over the 3 or 4♠ I decide to bid next.

Any other bid and all pards bidding cards except the green one vanish most of the time and I have pretty good defence opposite a mild heart stack and a bit of soft minor suit cards.

[rogerclee]

Don't be too smart to make normal bids, there is no alternative to 4S on this hand.

[rhm]

rogerclee, on 2012-August-02, 21:22, said:

Don't be too smart to make normal bids, there is no alternative to 4S on this hand.

What is so smart in going for 500 against nothing?
RHO has probably less than 3 hearts putting 10 cards in hearts between your partner and LHO
What is so clever preempting aggressively after both opponents have already bid?
Should a vulnerable 3♠ bid after both opponents have bid in front of you show a weak hand? I doubt it.
Preempts work best when opponents had no chance yet to exchange information about their hands.
The more they bid already the better they will be able to judge correctly and the stronger and conservative your preempts should be.
Of course partner must be on the same wavelength. If it is right to bid "only" 3♠ in this position he should raise on any excuse.
Yes, I can see a few layouts where it might be best to bid 4♠ straight away or where 4♠ will make and partner will not raise.
It does not prove that 4♠ is the percentage bid.

Rainer Herrmann

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

Most likely I would go with 4S.

An option is also to pass, it is not very likely, that this will
end the auction.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[wank]

rhm, on 2012-August-03, 04:02, said:

Preempts work best when opponents had no chance yet to exchange information about their hands.

A forcing or semi-forcing 1NT response doesn't provide a great deal of information, does it? RHO could have all kinds of distibutional stuff or a heart raise.

Anyway, 4S isn't so much of a pre-empt as a genuine attempt to make game. Partner can't be expected to raise often enough here.

[Phil]

I hate to agree with RHM on bidding theory, but I think his principles are sound.

[gszes]

i would be a ton happier with 4s if my hand were AKQ8xxxx x Q Jxx

there is nothing wrong with bidding 2s now and bidding 4s over lho 4h
since at that point you know neither lho nor rho has long spades and
down 2 should be the worst you should do.

While a direct 4s bid might be successful it is also subject more to the
whims of distribution since we still know so little about lho hand. I would
be more than willing to pay off to missing game opposite xxx xxx xxxx KQx
if it meant never playing 4s x when lho has spade length behind me.

The mere fact I was willing to enter the bidding with 2s in an active auction
should show a fairly decent spade suit and if p can manage a raise
(or even bid 2n) I will be more than happy to bid game.

4s has an additional benefit that 2s does not have and that helping to block out
a potential dia fit for the opps. I do not consider 4s a horrid bid (and would bid it
at MP) I just think 2s is safer overall with not much downside at imps.

2s=8 4s=7 3s=3

[rogerclee]

rhm, on 2012-August-03, 04:02, said:

Of course partner must be on the same wavelength. If it is right to bid "only" 3♠ in this position he should raise on any excuse.

I guess if I played a convention where a 3S bid shows a 4S bid, I would bid 3S.

[JLOGIC]

Phil, on 2012-August-03, 10:06, said:

I hate to agree with RHM on bidding theory, but I think his principles are sound.

lol

Quote

I guess if I played a convention where a 3S bid shows a 4S bid, I would bid 3S.

lol