[Phil]

♠AKQxx♥KQJx♦x♣xxx

1♣ - pass - 1♠ - pass
1N - pass - 2♦* - dbl
2♠ - pass - 4♦* - pass
4♥ - pass - ?

Said your all with 4♠ or do you go to the well again?

[JLOL]

Strongly disagree with 4D, 3H seems much better. I would just sign off now though.

[Phil]

JLOL, on Mar 31 2009, 01:07 AM, said:

Strongly disagree with 4D, 3H seems much better. I would just sign off now though.

Well, OK, over 4♥, pard bids 4♣ (at least 2 of the top 3).

[jdonn]

Phil, on Mar 31 2009, 01:09 AM, said:

JLOL, on Mar 31 2009, 01:07 AM, said:

Strongly disagree with 4D, 3H seems much better. I would just sign off now though.

Well, OK, over 4♥, pard bids 4♣ (at least 2 of the top 3).

I agree with him about 3♥, and over 4♣ I bid 4♦ then sign off over 4♥ since I need more than JTx Axx xxx AKxx.

[cherdanno]

I don't understand the criticism of 4♦, but I am assuming partner has denied four hearts. What is the advantage of 3♥?

I also don't understand the problem now, isn't sign-off obvious? We need A AKQ, and partner should cooperate with a minimum without wastage (♠J A AK).

[jdonn]

cherdanno, on Mar 31 2009, 01:33 AM, said:

I don't understand the criticism of 4♦, but I am assuming partner has denied four hearts. What is the advantage of 3♥?

That there is a very large disparity between KQJx and xxx.

[cherdanno]

jdonn, on Mar 31 2009, 01:49 AM, said:

cherdanno, on Mar 31 2009, 01:33 AM, said:

I don't understand the criticism of 4♦, but I am assuming partner has denied four hearts. What is the advantage of 3♥?

That there is a very large disparity between KQJx and xxx.

Well I can see that, but there is also a big difference between x and xxx.
E.g. on your suggested auction, I can't see partner stopping with Jxx Ax Kxx AQxxx, whereas I think over 4♦ he will do the right thing most of the time.

[jdonn]

cherdanno, on Mar 31 2009, 01:56 AM, said:

jdonn, on Mar 31 2009, 01:49 AM, said:

cherdanno, on Mar 31 2009, 01:33 AM, said:

I don't understand the criticism of 4♦, but I am assuming partner has denied four hearts. What is the advantage of 3♥?

That there is a very large disparity between KQJx and xxx.

Well I can see that, but there is also a big difference between x and xxx.
E.g. on your suggested auction, I can't see partner stopping with Jxx Ax Kxx AQxxx, whereas I think over 4♦ he will do the right thing most of the time.

After 3♥ then 4♦ he knows we don't have xxx of diamonds.

I really don't agree that partner will move over 4♠ there given the double of 2♦. He should see that it's up to us to visualize his potential problem if we hold the ace of diamonds rather than a shortness control.

[whereagles]

If you bid 4♠ now, pard, looking at ♠Jxx at best, will pass 110% of the time. So you have to guess NOW whether to bid slam or game.

Unless pard has the magic hand

xxx
Axx
xxx
AKQx

slam is certainly on a club finesse and can easily be worse. Opposite a more normal

xxx
Axx
Qxx
AQxx

4♠ definitely seems like the better guess now.

[karlson]

cherdanno, on Mar 30 2009, 10:56 PM, said:

jdonn, on Mar 31 2009, 01:49 AM, said:

cherdanno, on Mar 31 2009, 01:33 AM, said:

I don't understand the criticism of 4♦, but I am assuming partner has denied four hearts. What is the advantage of 3♥?

That there is a very large disparity between KQJx and xxx.

Well I can see that, but there is also a big difference between x and xxx.
E.g. on your suggested auction, I can't see partner stopping with Jxx Ax Kxx AQxxx, whereas I think over 4♦ he will do the right thing most of the time.

I'm not convinced. 3♥ followed by 4♦ really makes it clear we have no club help, so partner will not be excited about the AQxxx (maybe we have something like AQTxx KQxx AJx x?), whereas 4♦ does suggest something in clubs, so partner may well think Jxx Ax Qxx AQxxx is gold.