[Fluffy]

yeah ruff a spade, maybe you can try ♥A first in case stiff queen drops, but also they might ruff it so not worth it IMO.

[JLOGIC]

Fluffy, on Aug 28 2010, 04:12 AM, said:

yeah ruff a spade, maybe you can try ♥A first in case stiff queen drops, but also they might ruff it so not worth it IMO.

Definitely seems not worth it, if this hand had not been posted then I would have thought ruffing a spade was closer to 100 % than 99 % so I won't use that UI!

[keylime]

2♥, loud and proud. Double is atrocious here.

[dburn]

CSGibson, on Aug 27 2010, 10:18 AM, said:

bluecalm, on Aug 27 2010, 07:54 AM, said:

dbl ?
wtp ?

If partner bid spades afte that we raise. If he bids clubs we bid 3♦ asking for stopper if he bid NT we raise or bid 3♦.

really? Shouldn't X be penalty over the bidder after three different natural bids and a partner who has claimed the hand? Or is it really more useful to say that you have exactly 4 spades?

If partner has "claimed the hand", then presumably we can make a forcing pass here (and I would prefer that to a natural 2♥). But since 2♣ was apparently not forcing, neither of us has actually "claimed the hand" - we were not compelled to bid beyond 2♣, so in theory at any rate we can pass the opponents out in 2♦.

In short: if pass is forcing then it is a kind of "takeout pass" and appears sounder to me than 2♥, which should be a more one-suited hand; moreover, if pass is forcing then double is penalty (yes, I know it is possible to play otherwise, but it is not actually very sensible). If pass is not forcing, then double is takeout and I would double (after which bids of hearts by either side are natural - that double was takeout of diamonds, not hearts). I recommend that pass be forcing (and that these semi-positives are in fact played as forcing for one round), but that is up to you.