[whereagles]

Matchpoints opposite weak field. Intermediate pard who usually overbids.

All vuln, you hold:

♠ --
♥ AKQ986542
♦ JT97
♣ --

RHO you LHO pard
1♦.....??

Your options are:

1. Any nr. of hearts (preemptive, even at 5 or 6 level)
2. 3NT gambling with stopper

So, what is your favourite bid?

[Walddk]

4♥, unless I have 4♦ available as a very strong (serious) pre-empt in an unspecified major. I will bid more later if I have to. That hand is not suited for defence at any level.

Double followed by hearts is waste of time. Partner will never know if he has the right values for slam anyway. By the way, 4♥ could very well be the limit no matter how strong partner is. AKQ, AKQ in the black suits won't help a lot if he is void in hearts.

On a very bad day we are even down in 4♥ (partner's void and a diamond ruff). And they can't make anything, because partner is loaded in spades and clubs.

Roland

[joker_gib]

4♥ (communication problem is coming ! )

[Blofeld]

Do we know anything about the opponents? If it will make it more likely that they'll let me buy the contract in game, I might try starting with just 1♥ or 2♥ and carry on bidding until they pass/double/whatever.

On the other hand, if they're likely to overstretch to compete, then 6♥ will put them on a nasty guess as to whether to bid 6♠.

I prefer 5♥ to 4♥. Sure, there are times when 4♥ will be passed out, but there are far more where they'll bid 4♠ (unless the opponents are really cautious, in which case 4♥ is probably the right bid). Now they'll have a better chance of correctly guessing what to do over 5♥ (you're not selling out to 4♠, are you?)

I don't really like 3nt. Far too much chance that they'll run a black suit, or if p has stoppers, that he won't have a way of crossing to your hand. If you want to piss around, some number of ♠ is better.

[Free]

Pass. Let them play 3NT and go -5 doubled

[Gerben42]

Yea right Frederick. This never seems to work for me.
I agree with Roland's analysis and bid 4♥.

[MickyB]

Hate 3NT, I'd bid 5♥ at the table but pass could be interesting.

[Echognome]

This is purely a question of tactics. Since partner and LHO have yet to bid, I want to Pass for now and see what develops. I'd much rather play in 4♥X than 4♥. Of course things could go terribly wrong, but since I'm not going to get dealt this hand very often, I might as well have some fun with it when I come across it.

[mike777]

4H

Good Grief cannot I not just bid my hand and try and win in the play and defense? Let the opp make the last guess.

[luke warm]

right, i agree with justin.. if i pass now and partner bids spades, my heart bid sounds like a fit.. i think i'd bid 4♥ at the table

[mike777]

That may very well be winning bid.

We are vul and I always read in bridge magazines "the 5 level belongs to the opp" I pass 4s or let them bid 4s or 4nt over my 4h bid.

This may very well be one of those Judgement hands where the top class will beat me but If playing with Hamman or Bobbie W. or Soloway or Justins I would bid 4h, shut up and hope to learn later. Heck they are UPH.

add on: what does anti law say here?
13-short suit adj-wp adj?
13-0-(see below)
wp
=16-18=-1
=13-15=-2
=10-12=-3
=7-9=-4

Worst case 5h=down 2. Of course this does not say opp are making anything.

[Echognome]

I cannot imagine that there is any "right" answer on such a freak hand. 4♥ or 5♥ could be spot on. A psych of 1♠ or 2♣ might happen to work out beautifully or it might excite partner into the stratosphere. If you want to walk the dog, you could pass, bid 1♥, 2♥ or 3♥. You could even bid 1NT or 3NT.

Personally, I think passing and then bidding hearts might win the day. Yes they might be suspicious, but will they really put me on this hand? Yes there are risks if partner starts bidding, but there are risks with any of the bids.

5♥ is my second choice as I think this puts opponents on the last guess.

4♥ is my third choice as partner could have a spade stack and I might buy the contract here. However, once I take this view, then I don't think I should necessarily push to 5♥.

A fun hand regardless.

[luke warm]

p (1c) 1s (5c)
5h (p) 6s (yeee haaaa)

p (1s) 2c (4s)
5h (p) 6c (oh goodie, a club fit and fit jump)

[Fluffy]

I see 2 options: 1♥ for constructive issues looking to get to slam and 4♥.

4♥ has teh great advantage that aprtner won't bid 4♠ on his first round, at least not to play them.

If opponents aren't strong I would bid just 1♥.

[luis]

6♥ I have a lot of excuses if this doesn't work.

[beatrix45]

3♣, preemptive jump overcall.

[Echognome]

luke warm, on Jun 1 2005, 01:51 PM, said:

p (1c) 1s (5c)
5h (p) 6s (yeee haaaa)

p (1s) 2c (4s)
5h (p) 6c (oh goodie, a club fit and fit jump)

Are we looking at the same auction? RHO opened 1♦. If partner blows you out of the water with a bid, that's the risk you take by passing. You don't compound it by making a bid that isn't part of your system. WTP? Any call you make carries a risk. I just think, let's have some fun with this.