[mtvesuvius]

All Vul at IMPs you hold:

x
AKTx
AK9x
AJTx

You deal:
1♦ - (1♠) - X - (3♠*)
??
*Weak

How do you show this, or do you just accept it, and bid 4♥?

Sorry if this is wtp.

[TylerE]

5♥ feels about right.

[gnasher]

4♠, followed by 5♥. That invites slam and shows spade control. A direct 5♥ invites slam but denies a spade control.

[jdonn]

4♠ then 5♥ if you are going to, but I accept it and just bid 4♥.

[Lobowolf]

I'd take a shot, through the 4♠ route, but I've got a bit of the Barefoot Optimist in me.

[Codo]

Bidding 4 ♥ with this hand is a not showing this hand.
So I bid 4♠.
But what to do after the possible rebids from partner?

Is 5 ♥ enough after his possible 5 ♣ call?
What shall we do after the expected 5♥ bid? I think we must pass but what shall partner do with at most one KC? There are not many hands which allow him to cooperate with no red first and second round control.

[Hanoi5]

4♠, but I don't know why followed by 5♥. What if partner bids 5♥? And if he bids 5♣, why would I bid 5♥? I think I'll just take 5♣/5♥ to 6, but over 5♦ I might try 5♥,

[Little Kid]

What would double show?

[gnasher]

Hanoi5, on Jun 19 2009, 11:07 AM, said:

4♠, but I don't know why followed by 5♥. What if partner bids 5♥? And if he bids 5♣, why would I bid 5♥? I think I'll just take 5♣/5♥ to 6, but over 5♦ I might try 5♥,

It depends what 4♠ means. If it promises heart support (as maybe it should), then 5♣ or 5♦ would be a cue bid. If 4♠ might also be a slam try with diamonds, or with both minors, then partner's 5♣ or 5♦ is just an attempt to play there.

[gnasher]

Little Kid, on Jun 19 2009, 03:32 PM, said:

What would double show?

Takeout, but not with four hearts - 1354, 2353, 2344, etc. I'd be quite worried about partner passing it.

[helene_t]

Little Kid, on Jun 19 2009, 03:32 PM, said:

What would double show?

Double is significant extras and asks p to bid 3NT with a spade stopper. It will often include 3-card heart support but I don't think it's a good idea to double with 4-card support. Partner will often pass the double when it's wrong.

[aguahombre]

gnasher, on Jun 19 2009, 09:41 AM, said:

It depends what 4♠ means.  If it promises heart support (as maybe it should), .......  If 4♠ might also be a slam try with diamonds, or with both minors, then partner's 5♣ or 5♦ is just an attempt to play there.

Presumably, you would then have to bid 5H after partner's attempt to play at the five-level in a minor to confirm that you really had 4 hearts. This seems fine if you are willing to play slam in a minor suit if the original negative double did not include four hearts (XXX XX QXX KQXXX). Maybe not so fine if XXX XXX QXX KQXX.

I really dislike having to pass originally with those hands, but if the neg double guaranteed hearts and partner couldn't take a joke if i bid 1NT, no choice.

[gnasher]

aguahombre, on Jun 19 2009, 05:44 PM, said:

This seems fine if you are willing to play slam in a minor suit if the original negative double did not include four hearts (XXX XX QXX KQXXX). Maybe not so fine if XXX XXX QXX KQXX.

I really dislike having to pass originally with those hands, but if the neg double guaranteed hearts and partner couldn't take a joke if i bid 1NT, no choice.

This may not be mainstream, but I'd raise to 2♦ on either of those hands. Partner's about 100 times more likely to have five diamonds than three.

Anyway, you certainly can't double on either. Negative doubles without the unbid major might be OK if you're strong enough to control the auction, but a balanced seven count doesn't qualify.

[jdonn]

gnasher, on Jun 19 2009, 01:52 PM, said:

aguahombre, on Jun 19 2009, 05:44 PM, said:

This seems fine if you are willing to play slam in a minor suit if the original negative double did not include four hearts  (XXX XX QXX KQXXX).  Maybe not so fine if XXX XXX QXX KQXX. 

I really dislike having to pass originally with those hands, but if the neg double guaranteed hearts and partner couldn't take a joke if i bid 1NT, no choice.

This may not be mainstream, but I'd raise to 2♦ on either of those hands. Partner's about 100 times more likely to have five diamonds than three.

Anyway, you certainly can't double on either. Negative doubles without the unbid major might be OK if you're strong enough to control the auction, but a balanced seven count doesn't qualify.

I would pass on both, my major qualm with raising diamonds on 3+ is that partner holding any amount of diamonds 4+ may overcompete later in the auction. But it's certainly evident you can't double with those.