[Free]

Scoring: IMP

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

[coyot]

Given the good spade spots, I would most likely vote for 3♠, but it requires agreements with partner about what is the minimum strength for such bid...

If 14 balanced HCP is not enough, I will happily pass (but that means that partner has to reopen 3♦ with almost any 10 HCP...

[P_Marlowe]

Pass.

Marlowe

[mike777]

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?

Pass I expect Partner to balance with almost all 9-10 hcp and shortish D hands.

[Jurek S]

Fine, you can pass and wait for partner but he won't bid with any 10-12, only with short ♦ and majors. And what about LHO 4♦ - pass - pass ?
He will pass with 3325 3334.. when 3NT or 4♠ makes. You have shortish ♦ so you should act. I bid 3♠ but dbl could easly be the winner

[mike777]

Jurek S, on Aug 19 2005, 10:43 AM, said:

Fine, you can pass and wait for partner but he won't bid with any 10-12, only with short ♦ and majors. And what about LHO 4♦ - pass - pass ?
He will pass with 3325 3334.. when 3NT or 4♠ makes. You have shortish ♦ so you should act. I bid 3♠ but dbl could easly be the winner

1) over 4d I wll balance with x
2) agree if pard has 10-12 and 3433 shape over 3d I am skunked.

[flytoox]

I would dbl. Overcalling 3S is too committal. Dbl is more flexible.

[Winstonm]

First choice: Pass
Second choice: Double
Third choice: Slap the Sh*$#* out of RHO for bidding 3D.

File this one under: Preempts work sometimes.

IMO, it's too risky to get involved unless partner has a hand that can balance. Better to take the small plus or the small minus than to turn in a -800 number against a partscore.

Winston

[hrothgar]

Preempts are nasty things.
Thats why we make em...

Here are the bids that I would consider in order of preference

1. Pass
2. Double
3. 3N
4. 3♠

From my perspective, the hand is slightly too weak for direct action.
If I were to make a bid, I consider the spade suit significantly too weak for a 3 level overcall - hence my preference for a more flexible double or even 3N...

[luis]

3♠ following the theory that if you are going to make a mistake it's better to do it as early as possible.
I don't like the scenarios after passing or doubling.

[pclayton]

Double wins the coin flip for me, only because I have short diamonds. With 3 diamonds, pard may find it difficult to balance.

[whereagles]

Do we need to bid NOW? Probably yes, because pard may be long in diams.

Having chosen to bid, my pick is 3H. Not perfect, but the best I could come up with 3S is too one-sided for my taste.

[Walddk]

whereagles, on Aug 19 2005, 09:01 PM, said:

Do we need to bid NOW? Probably yes, because pard may be long in diams.

Having chosen to bid, my pick is 3H. Not perfect, but the best I could come up with 3S is too one-sided for my taste.

Good description of your hand. You do indeed have 3 hearts. I would double, although I normally bid my 5-card major with 5-3. Not this time though, because the spade suit is too weak.

I know, I may end up in a 3-3 fit and violate Burn's Law of Total Trumps. Life goes on, as David would say.

Roland

[Al_U_Card]

After pard has passed, I use the principle of the random 7 count. If he has a random 7 count with say Hx or xxx in Spades then I will bid 3S with my 7 loser and nicely semi solid (KT98x) suit and say that the preempt worked if LHO dbls for penalty.
sat, I just re-read the question and see that it was for a 1st seat preempt. I still like the 3S bid as this hand is too good to pass. (altho it is close)

[Echognome]

Count me in the 3♠ camp.

I don't understand the statement that K10986 is not a good enough suit. Opposite any Hxx from partner you will have around a 50% chance or better of making 4 tricks in the suit. The 8 and 9 really help strengthen the suit.

[awm]

Double seems too likely to end us in a 4-3 fit in hearts. 3♥ seems a little weird, won't this often get you to 4♥ in a 4-3 or even 3-3? I don't like 3NT because if it's making, it will play better from partner's side -- Ax is not a good stopper if it's the only one, but if partner has Qx or Qxx or the like we might make 3NT if we right-side it.

I think the best options here are pass and 3♠. I would tend to bid 3♠ because I believe it will work out (get us to a making 4♠ or 3NT) more often than it will fail. There are many hands where partner has 3-card diamonds and will not be able to balance. But certainly I could go for a number in 3♠. So my choices would be:

(1) 3♠
(2) Pass
(3) Double
(4) 3NT

[P_Marlowe]

Jurek S, on Aug 19 2005, 10:43 AM, said:

Fine, you can pass and wait for partner but he won't bid with any 10-12, only with short ♦ and majors. And what about LHO 4♦ - pass - pass ?
He will pass with 3325 3334.. when 3NT or 4♠ makes. You have shortish ♦ so you should act. I bid 3♠ but dbl could easly be the winner

So what?

If you overcall, partner may take you serious
or you happen to play against a pair, which knows
how to use the red card.

Saying that passing risks game is fine, but bidding has
also risks.

If you always reach any making game, I will gladly play against you,
because you will go down quite a lot for big numbers as well.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[luke warm]

1. double
2. 3s
3. pass

[whereagles]

Walddk, on Aug 19 2005, 07:24 PM, said:

whereagles, on Aug 19 2005, 09:01 PM, said:

Do we need to bid NOW? Probably yes, because pard may be long in diams.

Having chosen to bid, my pick is 3H. Not perfect, but the best I could come up with 3S is too one-sided for my taste.

Good description of your hand. You do indeed have 3 hearts.

I wrote 3H? lol.. I meant double.

[Double !]

Winstonm, on Aug 19 2005, 11:53 AM, said:

Third choice: Slap the Sh*$#* out of RHO for bidding 3D.

Winston

Is this alertable?