[skjaeran]

Scoring: IMP

1♦ - 1♥
3♣ - 3♦
?

---

You've GFed and got a preference. How to proceed?

[han]

Clear 3NT imo.

[Cascade]

If 3♦ can be on a doubleton then 3NT or possibly 4♣ are the ways forward. This might depend on your follow up methods.

On some auctions we frequently give preference with a doubleton or sometimes worse. However when we have fourth suit forcing available below 3NT we prefer that to a false preference. We probably still bid 3♦ though on Hx.

3♠ might be a third alternative since you might need more than one stopper for 3NT. Although I imagine if partner has a spade stopper then I would have heard 3NT on the previous round rather than 3♦ unless partner has real diamond preference.

I'll bid 3NT without much strong conviction.

[mikeh]

I'm bidding 3♠.

1. We have extra values, even allowing for the fact that our ♥A is stiff. Bidding 3N is just too likely to end the auction

2. Part of (1) is that partner, with 2=3 or 3=4 or even some 2=4s in the minors will preference to 3♦ in order to buy time/bidding space, so 3N sort of says that I am not interested in club support unless partner has so many extras that he won't pass 3N

3. I probably need a second spade stopper to make 3N good... as against this, usually notrump will play better from my hand when I hold Kx.. but maybe he holds AJx, Q10x etc.

I plan to pass 3N, which may sound a little inconsistent with my first point, but I may get lucky and hear 4♣ over 3♠. I'm hoping for xxx Kxxx Kx Q10xx as my dream hand... yes, 3N is ok, but 6♣ looks better

[han]

mikeh, on Feb 10 2008, 05:08 PM, said:

1. We have extra values

I thought this was a minimum in Canada?

[Cascade]

mikeh, on Feb 11 2008, 11:08 AM, said:

I'm bidding 3♠.

1. We have extra values, even allowing for the fact that our ♥A is stiff. Bidding 3N is just too likely to end the auction

Partner should know we bid 3♣ for some reason. I guess players that have to bid 3♣ frequently on fake suits have a problem. For me 3♣ is always natural. Partner should expect around 19 hcp with 5=4 or better distribution. With good fitting cards and controls I expect partner to pull 3NT reasonably often.

[P_Marlowe]

3S.

But of course this does not solve the
problem

With kind regards
Marlowe

[pclayton]

3N.

19 count (check)
Big 2 suiter (check)
Spade stopper (check)
No heart support (check)

[han]

I really don't understand 3S. YOu have shown 2 suits, if you require a double stopper in a third suit, when are you going to bid 3NT? And wouldn't you bid 3S as well with xx A AQJxx AKJxx?

[helene_t]

3N, maybe I would like a slightly better spade holding but opps have not bid spades and p could easily have xxxx in spades. Maybe p is supposed to bid 3N over 3♠ with that holding but I need to protect the ♠K. Also if p has ♠Qxx I think 3N is better played in my hand.

[mikeh]

Cascade, on Feb 10 2008, 06:05 PM, said:

mikeh, on Feb 11 2008, 11:08 AM, said:

I'm bidding 3♠.

1. We have extra values, even allowing for the fact that our ♥A is stiff. Bidding 3N is just too likely to end the auction

Partner should know we bid 3♣ for some reason. I guess players that have to bid 3♣ frequently on fake suits have a problem. For me 3♣ is always natural. Partner should expect around 19 hcp with 5=4 or better distribution. With good fitting cards and controls I expect partner to pull 3NT reasonably often.

There is a world of difference between a 3=1=5=4 19 count and a 2=1=5=5 20 count, and 3N suggests the former. I am not claiming that 3♠ will necessarily work out well, as I acknowledged when I chose it

[jdonn]

To me it's obvious 3NT. Most people feel responder should rarely bid 3NT over 3♣, so if we are to get there someone has to bid it! We can't just say no one is allowed to bid 3NT without many stoppers unless the last bid is 3♠, or else we are just missing 3NT too often.

[whereagles]

This is a monster. I'm going with 4♣. Will pass a 4NT bid by pard.

[kfay]

I couldn't help but see Han's post before I've written my response. Probably I'd bid 3NT but I don't think it's clear.

[skjaeran]

I bid 3NT. Partner put down xxx KJxxx xxx Jx.

3NT was down 1, whereas 5♦ was making.

[gnasher]

5D might be better than 3NT, but all games are awful. Given the limited amount of bidding space afforded by the rules, our approach has to concentrate on bidding good games and avoiding bad ones. There isn't enough space to try to differentiate degrees of awfulness as well.