[Kalvan14]

Scoring: IMP

1S-(P)-2C*-(3D)**-??
(*): GF
(**): weak

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Are you showing your 2nd suit or passing (FP)?

[mike777]

Kalvan14, on Dec 29 2005, 08:19 PM, said:

Scoring: IMP

1S-(P)-2C*-(3D)**-??
(*): GF
(**): weak 

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Are you showing your 2nd suit or passing (FP)?

3H

I am showing my second suit before the auction gets even more messy. Partner knows I am bidding under pressure so she should not assume a rock crusher. With that said this is a pretty good hand compared to most of my openers.

"A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral"

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

[Kalvan14]

I agree that S should show his 2nd suit (and would not promise extras), since he is not changing level.
The classic auction is: 1♠-(P)-2m-(2♥). Here 3 om would show extras, since opener is changing level.

[the hog]

Partner appears to have game forced. I appear to have a H suit, even better it seems that I have 5 of them. I bid 3H - seriously, wtp?
Incidentally this is a FAR from minimum hand, and even without the K of D I would bid 3H.

[joker_gib]

Agree with the others, the hand is far from a minimum with 5-5 and the ♦K more likely well placed so 3♥ is OK and automatic.

Alain

[P_Marlowe]

3H, describe your shape as fast as possible,
it may be your last chance to introduce hearts
naturally.

Marlowe

[Fluffy]

Looks like a no brainer . But recently I had a similar deal with reversed vulnerability where my partner decided to bid his 4♥s at the 3 level, converting +1100 into -50.Of course that's a very different problem

[Winstonm]

I'm with the rest - bid 3H now. There is a useful principle called pass weakest wherein pass is always the weakest action, bidding shows a tad extra and may be extra shape, while double shows substantial extras. This has some merit in auctions such as:

1S-2C-2S-3C
3D

Instead of being purely game try, 3D can be made on a shapely weaker hand without being necessarily a pure game try. Game try would be double.

Winston

[Flame]

I think the more important question is what to bid with only 4 hearts. with and without the third suit, with and without extra.

[Kalvan14]

The auction is already committed to game, and so a pass would be forcing.
A double would show extras now. It can be discussed if it can include or not 4 hearts.
If it can include 4 hearts, 3♥ is either a 5-5 in the majors (distributional extras, can be still a minimum) or a 5-4 with extras.
IMHO, this is a better treatment than the other one.

In reality, I wanted to have a discussion on the meaning of pass/double/3♥ in this auction, rather than just a simple yes/no to 3♥ with the given hand.

[Fluffy]

At this vulnerability you might want to bid 3♥ with extras, but at any other I think double to show any extras is better. You have 29+ HCP and they are a the 3 level? maybe we should get some insurance in case bad splits don't let us make 6