[straube]

Some more problems...

1) Partner has shown 4+ hearts and 4+ diamonds...so any combination of these

What do you do with 1-3-4-5?

A) bid 2H
B) bid 3D

How about 1-3-5-4?

A) bid 2H
B) bid 3D


2) Partner has shown 4+ hearts and a 3-suited hand (4441s or 5440s)

You have 4-3-5-1. You can bid 2H. Or you can find out his shortness and commit to playing 3D or 3S. Whichever route you choose, responder may rebid to show more of his shape. Do you...

A) bid 2H
B) look for 3D or 3S


3) Partner has shown 4-5 hearts but a predetermined coughing agreement informs you that he has either a 5H332 hand or other hands with only 4 hearts.
For example he could be 1444 or 4423 or 1426 but he will not be 2542 or 3631. You have a balanced hand with three hearts and your options are to rebid 1N or to raise hearts. If you rebid 1N you will play there (he will not transfer back to hearts) except partner may have you play 3m with a 4/6 hand. Do you...

A) always rebid 1N
B) sometimes rebid 2H
C) frequently rebid 2H

[foobar]

straube, on 2017-November-22, 00:00, said:

3) Partner has shown 4-5 hearts but a predetermined coughing agreement informs you that he is has either a 5H332 hand or other hands with only 4 hearts.
For example he could be 1444 or 4423 or 1426 but he will not be 2542 or 3631. You have a balanced hand with three hearts and your options are to rebid 1N or to raise hearts. If you rebid 1N you will play there (he will not transfer back to hearts) except partner may have you play 3m with a 4/6 hand. Do you...

A) always rebid 1N
B) sometimes rebid 2H
C) frequently rebid 2H

Hmm...I am allowed to cough up a ♥ to justify bid 2♥ ? Assuming the answer is no, seems like the only non-facetious choice is A).

As for the others, we might need some context around the differences between bidding 2♥ vs. 3♦ etc. My guess is that this is some sort of canape system.

[straube]

I would choose A for that problem, but you do risk something. Partner could have the 5332 and you could have a small doubleton and a suit-oriented hand. Some may argue that 2H will work out better for the 4-3 as well. I meant it as an honest problem.

What are your answers for the other problems?

Not canape.

[foobar]

straube, on 2017-November-22, 01:10, said:

I would choose A for that problem, but you do risk something. Partner could have the 5332 and you could have a small doubleton and a suit-oriented hand. Some may argue that 2H will work out better for the 4-3 as well. I meant it as an honest problem.

What are your answers for the other problems?

Not canape.

I might be swayed to bid 3♦ with the 1=3=5=4 on occasion (values in hearts), but the general preference would be 2♥.

[yunling]

IMO 5-4 3m>4-3 2M>4-4 3m but both edge is small.
For 3) I'll only raise when I want 3NT to be played from the opposite side.

[nullve]

A) in all cases.

[nige1]

straube, on 2017-November-22, 00:00, said:

Some more problems...
1) Partner has shown 4+ hearts and 4+ diamonds...so any combination of these
What do you do with 1-3-4-5?
A) bid 2H
B) bid 3D

How about 1-3-5-4?
A) bid 2H
B) bid 3D

2) Partner has shown 4+ hearts and a 3-suited hand (4441s or 5440s)
You have 4-3-5-1. You can bid 2H. Or you can find out his shortness and commit to playing 3D or 3S. Whichever route you choose, responder may rebid to show more of his shape. Do you...
A) bid 2H
B) look for 3D or 3S


3) Partner has shown 4-5 hearts but a predetermined coughing agreement informs you that he has either a 5H332 hand or other hands with only 4 hearts.
For example he could be 1444 or 4423 or 1426 but he will not be 2542 or 3631. You have a balanced hand with three hearts and your options are to rebid 1N or to raise hearts. If you rebid 1N you will play there (he will not transfer back to hearts) except partner may have you play 3m with a 4/6 hand. Do you...

A) always rebid 1N
B) sometimes rebid 2H
C) frequently rebid 2H

• B. With a guaranteed 4-4+ card fit, as against a possible 7-card fit, 3♦ seems safer, especially at IMPs. We can still reach a ♥ game, with the reassurance of an 8-card fit, if partner is able to rebid his major.
• B. We know we have an 4-4+ fit, so the right strain is likely to be worth an extra trick.
• B (but mostly A).

In all the case of raises that could be 3-card, it would be wise to define systemic continuations to avoid poor 4-3 game contracts,

[Zelandakh]

I am not sure I really have very much useful input to add here but straube asked for my contribution so here it is.

On #1, it seems to me that you are in a similar position to the auction 1♥ - 1NT; 2♦ holding a 22(45) hand. By analogy that would suggest bidding 2♥ with 3-4 and 3♦ with 3-5.

On #2, the modern school of bidding is generally to look for the right strain when in doubt. It does depend a little on just how much game interest we might have but it seems to me that playing in an 8M or 9m fit at the 3 level is generally going to be as good as a 7M fit at the 2 level and it might even lead us to finding a low-hcp game if we find a double fit along the way.

#3 reminds me rather of responding to 1M in Acol, where experience shows that the 3 card raise is the winning action. It is a little difficult to judge the differences in this abstract kind of discussion but my instinct is to go for 2♥ here.

[straube]

Seems like much less of a consensus. Thanks for everyone's answers thus far.

I'm guessing 1) is A for 4 diamonds and B for 5. It's close for me, but kind of gruesome to be up a level and sometimes in the wrong strain 2) I would think B and 3) somewhere between A and B

Yungling's point about the declaration of 3N hadn't occurred to me, but it kind of fits with wanting to support the major with a weak doubleton.

Any other opinions? awm hasn't weighed in.

[awm]

I mostly agree with A,B,B,A. It’s a band...

My tendency is to avoid raises on three when I’m pretty sure partner has only four; there is not as much upside as when partner is fairly equal odds to have four or five. I’d be more tempted to raise at MP though, especially if the point ranges are such that game is not too likely.

[fromageGB]

A, B
A if weak, B if stronger
A