[Free]

Here's the full hand:

Scoring: IMP

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I doubled and we easily ended up in 4♥. However I agreed with my partner that my hand is probably a little too weak to Dbl. According to the responses it's not. For those overcalling 3♠, I wonder if partner bids 4♥ or 4♠...

[coyot]

K10986 is a good suit, considering the strain we're under. With any significantly worse spades, I pass.

I don't like the double at all. If partner with a weak hand picks hearts (possibly even on 3card), we can go down a lot when opps can make 3-4♦ but not 3[NT].

Yes, partner with a bad shape might not reopen 3♦ - I will then shrug my shoulders and say "ok, the preempt worked this time... such is life.

IMHO it is better to shrug a few times when they make 3♦ or go down a few when we have 3♦ than to go down a little more often (and sometimes doubled) with the excuse "oh, I had 14 HCP, I had to bid so that we don't miss a game".

If LHO raises diamonds, I have a nice reopen double... if partner is long in diamonds, we get a reasonable plus score, if he is short, we find a game.

Try to have another look at the problem:
How often, after your preempts, opponents pass and miss a good game?
How often, after similar preempts, opponents bid hurriedly and end up in a bad contract?

Into which of the groups you want to belong?

[Fluffy]

coyot, on Aug 20 2005, 09:57 AM, said:

K10986 is a good suit, considering the strain we're under. With any significantly worse spades, I pass.

K109xx is a good 5 card suit, but to overcall at the 3 level you need more than 5 cards, 5.5 at least I would say, so that suit doesn't rate for it.

I normally pass with all 14 counts at the 3 level, but our hand is just too good, AAKK.... I don't need to learn to count zar to know this is worth more than quaky 17 if we are to play in 3/4M.

[P_Marlowe]

Free, on Aug 20 2005, 03:47 AM, said:

Here's the full hand:

Scoring: IMP

---

I doubled and we easily ended up in 4♥. However I agreed with my partner that my hand is probably a little too weak to Dbl. According to the responses it's not. For those overcalling 3♠, I wonder if partner bids 4♥ or 4♠...

Of course you would also have reached 4H, if
your partner had passed.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Chamaco]

coyot, on Aug 20 2005, 09:57 AM, said:

K10986 is a good suit, considering the strain we're under.

No, IMO a 5 card *good* suit is a suit that either
1. needs AT MOST one entry to dummy to finesse, in case pard is weak, or
2. has realistic chances of playing for 0-1 losers even if pard contributes little.

So it should be close to semisolid.
This is not the case here.

True, the suit does not suck completely, but still it's a big gamble to bid such a 5 bagger. If LHO has values, we are likely to find any spade honors offside, and go for a number.
To make up for the quality of the suit, I would like that my hand has either extra overall hcp strength OR extra length in the suit


I prefer pass or double.
(I would have passed).

[jdulmage]

Free, on Aug 19 2005, 07:22 AM, said:

Scoring: IMP

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RHO opens 3♦ in first seat. Do you bid (what?) or not?

Good spade spots, I'll try 3♠.