[mikeh]

I don't think that we can risk 3♥. All too often, partner is going to be end-played in the bidding... he may even have to choose between rebidding 4♦ on a not-great suit or make a raise with 2 card support... picture a 3=2=6=2 hand with Hx in hearts, and a minimum... Axx Kx KQxxxx xx.. while this is a low-frequency risk, the downside is probably fatal... either red suit game is probably down very quickly, while 3N seems like a pretty good spot.

I don't think we can risk a pass.. again, picture any non-strong hand (can be more than a minimum) with 4252 or the like... he can't reopen with a double unless he can stand our bidding his short major. I also echo gnasher's point about a 3-level reopening double... is it mandatory? I don' t see how that is playable.

We cannot double ourselves, since we can't stand a 4♠ bid by partner, and we are not well placed over 3♦ or 3♠... we can hardly bid 3♥ over 3♦, since that is (usually played as) nf, and so we are going to bid 3N over both of partner's probable 3 level bids.

Thus the pragmatic 3N seems fairly clear. Thank you, bridge god, for the club 10.

Note that 3N may be the best spot even if we have a good heart fit.

BTW, if you are passing, how clear is it that you didn't break tempo? While most of us, I expect, have schooled ourselves to make these decisions in tempo, close calls like this can cause us to hiccup.

[han]

mikeh, on Dec 22 2008, 01:43 PM, said:

BTW, if you are passing, how clear is it that you didn't break tempo? While most of us, I expect, have schooled ourselves to make these decisions in tempo, close calls like this can cause us to hiccup.

RHO has preempted, I am confident that I can make my decision in the hiccup time that is expected of me.

[benlessard]

Quote

And when partner bids 4♠ directly, expecting you to actually have your bid?

Most expert today play that a neg X at the 3 level is forcing to game or to 4m or at least guarantee another bid. So partner will only bid 4S with a 65.


1C----(3D)------X-----(P)
???

Here with a good hand and a 4 card M, you dont need to jump.

If you play that 3M is minimum and 4M is maximum than partner need to have both majors to X wich is a too big drawback.

[mikeh]

benlessard, on Dec 24 2008, 05:46 PM, said:

Quote

And when partner bids 4♠ directly, expecting you to actually have your bid?

Most expert today play that a neg X at the 3 level is forcing to game or to 4m or at least guarantee another bid. So partner will only bid 4S with a 65.


1C----(3D)------X-----(P)
???

Here with a good hand and a 4 card M, you dont need to jump.

If you play that 3M is minimum and 4M is maximum than partner need to have both majors to X wich is a too big drawback.

This is news to me... and I have doubts that it is playable in a strong nt method, on which opener's 1m opening bid is frequently on a weak notrump hand.. are you suggesting that responder pass after 1♣ [3♦] with 4=4=2=3 10 counts? Or that we are allowing the opp's preempt to force us to game on this hand when opener has a 4 card major and some 4432 hand?

I am not saying categorically that you are mistaken: I don't play much anymore and may be out of touch.

[Winstonm]

I would be curious to know how many would vote for double if a penalty double option were available?

Secondly, does this hand argue sufficiently to play negative doubles only through 2S at matchpoints?

[jdonn]

Winstonm, on Dec 24 2008, 06:13 PM, said:

Secondly, does this hand argue sufficiently to play negative doubles only through 2S at matchpoints?

Not even close!

[rogerclee]

Pass was the winning action, you will collect 1100 opposite partner's ♠Axxx ♥Kxx ♦AKxxx ♣x (yes, a perfecto, though this kind of hand is an argument that you would get 800 pretty often anyway). Reaching 3N is a fairly bad score, 4♥ will make one more trick.

[rogerclee]

mikeh, on Dec 22 2008, 11:43 AM, said:

BTW, if you are passing, how clear is it that you didn't break tempo? While most of us, I expect, have schooled ourselves to make these decisions in tempo, close calls like this can cause us to hiccup.

I held a hand very similar to this in Beijing, not behind screens. I thought for a long time and bid 3NT, which was a losing action then. I'm glad to note that I made my call in tempo this time.