[CSGibson]

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First of all, do you agree with showing an invitational hand with 5+ hearts? Other systemic choices would be to X (ostensibly take-out, but partner has the right to leave it in), or to sign off at the 3 level.

2nd, after you make the invitational + heart bid, partner pulls an undiscussed cue-bid out of his butt. Any thoughts as to what this should mean?

[straube]

I voted dbl for the first, but I'll raise hearts and hope. I think the hand is too weak to invite hearts (3D). For instance, if partner rebid 3N I would worry we didn't have enough. My second choice would be to drop partner in hearts (2N), but insisting on hearts seems unilateral with two other places to play. I'm only a little concerned partner may pass the double.

I voted COG for the second. I'm a passed hand so cueing for hearts seems less useful and may tip off the opponents that we have a great fit.

Interested to see what other responses you get.

[relknes]

I think this hand is too weak to invite hearts, so I voted for the takeout double.
Absent partnership agreement, I would take partner's cuebid as looking for a spade stopper to play 3N. I could also see it as agreeing hearts, however. Competitive auctions are tricky, by nature, and this situation should really be discussed. The basic situation of opponents agreeing a suit and you showing a suit of your own is frequent enough that a cuebid should be well defined for a consistant partnership, imho.

[Zelandakh]

When 3♦ is invitational or better in hearts then 3♠ shows a maximum without a heart fit or a spade stopper. You can call this cog if you like but I would prefer to just say what the bid shows rather than attaching a label to it. After all, 3NT (max without fit, with stop) is cog too if you want to see it that way.

[mgoetze]

3♦ at IMPs, double at MPs.

[straube]

Zelandakh, on 2012-June-29, 02:44, said:

When 3♦ is invitational or better in hearts then 3♠ shows a maximum without a heart fit or a spade stopper. You can call this cog if you like but I would prefer to just say what the bid shows rather than attaching a label to it. After all, 3NT (max without fit, with stop) is cog too if you want to see it that way.

Partner overcalled NT after the opponent's major suit open. Most people promise a stopper with that call. If partner took a chance with spade length and no stopper and maximum NT values, it seems unlikely he would be looking for a stopper in partner's hand after a spade raise.

[gnasher]

3♠ shows doubt about strain - probably a single spade stopper and a doubleton honour in hearts.

[fromageGB]

I wouldn't invite with this hand, but would want to play in a contract. Takeout X is good.

Having invited, 3♠ must be GF but not hearts, so will be a hand with good minor(s), I think. I bid 4♣ and if he corrects to 4♦, I pass.

edited after posting - reread the OP

This post has been edited by fromageGB: 2012-June-30, 07:18

[CSGibson]

fromageGB, on 2012-June-30, 07:12, said:

I wouldn't invite with this hand, but would want to play in a contract. Takeout X is good.

Would you be unhappy if partner passed the take-out X? He has the right to do so in our methods with a decent 4 card holding, irrespective of the rest of his hand, so we tend to have invitational values with a singleton or void as compensation for our lack of the expected 2 spades.

[benlessard]

Assuming imps, I find a take out X risky since I expect partner to pass fairly frequently (KJ8x is enough). Inviting is a bit too optimist to my taste unless I play a stronger range than standard (I prefer a 16-19 range).

Signing off in 3H might turn out wrong but its the less evil option for me. At MP a take out X looks normal.

[benlessard]

I would play 3S as COG. 2 stopper (but somewhat useful for 4H contract) and a fit or a single S stop (but somewhat useful for 4H contract) and no fit.

[fromageGB]

straube, on 2012-June-28, 23:46, said:

I voted COG for the second.

OK, everybody wants COG, but what's that? The bridgebase search of course refuses to tell me, being an abbreviation, and otherwise it is a pop group or an obscure organisation. COG bridge, on the other hand, is in Scotland or Canada apparently.

[mgoetze]

fromageGB, on 2012-July-01, 03:28, said:

OK, everybody wants COG, but what's that?

Choice of Games.

[fromageGB]

mgoetze, on 2012-July-01, 05:58, said:

Choice of Games.

Obvious - if you think of it ! Thanks
Maybe the pinned "useful abbreviations" thread should have just one entry, editable by everyone, to keep these all in one place.

[psyck]

I like the Rumpelsohl version - Your sohl or mine? - not that it matters much in the decision to be made here...

[JLOGIC]

Zelandakh, on 2012-June-29, 02:44, said:

When 3♦ is invitational or better in hearts then 3♠ shows a maximum without a heart fit or a spade stopper. You can call this cog if you like but I would prefer to just say what the bid shows rather than attaching a label to it. After all, 3NT (max without fit, with stop) is cog too if you want to see it that way.

True if it went 1N 2S 3D p 3S, but here partner overcalled 1N over 1S so I don't think that he can show no spade stopper.

[lalldonn]

I agree with choice of games but to me it's more likely to be heart fit but wants to leave 3NT alive, not 1 spade stopper without a heart fit.

Also I totally agree with 3♦. I won a game swing recently after 1♦ (precision) 1NT 3♦ bidding 3♥ inv+ spades with QJTxxx xxxx x xx, figuring I was better off even if I had to be in 4♠ than defending 3♦. Double with the void and with five hearts is just too flawed for me on the problem hand.