[masse24]

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Familiar partners, but first time playing together...so undiscussed.

You are responder...
What is partner up to?
How strong is he?

[helene_t]

Partner has gf strength so his pass is forcing. I suppose some would bid 3♥ with a limit raise in spades but that is misguided - the 3♥ bid is overloaded enough already, and besides he shouldn't make an undiscussed bid with a hand that is suitable for an unambigous, natural call (in this case 3♠).

He might have 3-card spade support if you don't play support double. He could have a balanced 18-19 with two spades ad no heart stopper (or an anti-positional one) if you do play support doubles, but in that case he probably would have doubled 4♥. He could have either if you don't know if you play support doubles or not. In any case, he could have a strong 1-suiter.

If you double now he will probably pass although he might want to show a monster by using pass-and-pull. This will typically be a one-suiter with too little HCP strength for a 2♣ opening. Maybe something like Qx-(void)-KQx-AKQxxxxx.

[ahydra]

He has a big hand of some type (perhaps BAL, perhaps with spades, perhaps with lots of clubs), and 3H is initially asking for a stop in hearts. You replied with 3S, denying a stop in hearts. Given that he hasn't doubled 4H nor has he bid 4S, chances are that he has the long clubs, but I suppose he could have a 17 BAL-ish or similar with no stop in hearts and not enough aces and kings to comfortably double 4H.

He might also have something like KQxx - Kx AKxxxxx looking for slam in spades.

It would help to see your hand - maybe that offers some clues?

ahydra

[ArtK78]

3♥ was a general force, asking primarily for a heart stop. In my opinion, it was forcing to 3♠ and no higher. So, I do not beileve that partner's pass over 4♥ is forcing.

[masse24]

Responder's hand:

♠T9742
♥-Void
♦Q853
♣Q863

[kenberg]

I guess I would bid 5♣ with the hand shown. I'm not passing and I am not doubling, and I see no reason to bid my spades again. Twice is enough.

I don't see that partner can have spades. Over the 2♥ he could have bid 2,3 or 4♠. If he had only three he could have made a support double. If he had spades but with such strength that he also wanted to show a heart control then I can imagine him starting with the 3♥ but then the pass over 4♥ makes no sense to me. Cuing hearts and bidding 4♠ seems like a fine way to show a heart control, four spades, and a big hand.

So I think he has clubs and a big hand. I suppose I could bid a "pick a slam" 5NT, or I could just bid 6♣, my heart void should be useful, but I am a simple minded soul and will just show my clubs by bidding 5♣. If he can make six opposite this pile of stuff, he can bid 6.

I'm guessing that this hand is posted because it makes 6 or 7. And wasn't played there. Maybe I should bid more but really it seems there are a lot of losers. So I bid 5. Added: Also, since they have not played together before, partner absolutely cannot have spades. He simply cannot bid this way with a new partner when he has a clear way of showing spades. So forget spades. I bid some number of clubs, I choose 5.

[SteveMoe]

Whether 3♥ is forcing 1 round or to game might depend on partnership agreement. I prefer GF - something on the order of 21 Support Points or 4.5 losers.
NT, ♣s and ♠s are on the radar screen. The on ehand we know partner does not have is 7 running ♣s and pointed suit stoppers.
For NT, we have to decide whether 3♥ asks (Western) or shows a NT stopper.
I like Auggie Boehm's suggestion "1 Ask, 2 Show". With two unbid suits by our side, a cue bid shows a NT control.
So, 3♥ shows a ♥ stop and expresses doubt about ♦ if partner is interested in NT.

In the given auction, the subsequent pass by North is forcing and denies first round control of ♥ (North would double to show the ♥A).
South should double with transferable values, and bid 4♠ with more offense than defense. Here I'd bid 4♠, though double might be right.

If instead you choose to play 3♥ as Western asking for a stopper, then the subsequent pass is forcing with no ♥ wastage.

(Here South might have missed a step. South has a perfect hand for either black suit. Perhaps a 4♥ control bid (void) instead of 3♠ would be what North wants to hear).

[Fluffy]

masse24, on 2013-October-24, 06:21, said:

Responder's hand:

♠T9742
♥-Void
♦Q853
♣Q863

its tempting to bid 6♣ but out hand is too weak. I will only bid 5♣ this time.

3♥ = game forcing with long clubs.