[gwnn]

unfavorable IMPS

KJTxx
KTx
xx
Kxx

1♥-p-1♠-p
2♣-2♦-?

Your amazing table-feel suspects RHO doesn't have a penalty pass of 1♥.

[rogerclee]

3♥, ♠KJ is awful.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

show an inv. hand with hearts, however
you have agreed to do it.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[whereagles]

3♥. Due to RHO's late overcall, there's a high chance pard will have diamond wastage and likely spade shortage. Not the time for a shoot-out at 4. If the hand were instead


JTxxx
KTx
Kx
Kxx

then 4 would be a no-brainer

[jdonn]

I can't even think of a bid but 3♥, am I that uncreative?

[pclayton]

Am I taking a call with a doubleton heart here over 2♦? Is it our style to always raise hearts when we have 5-6 spades?

I'm starting to feel like 2♥ should be a weak limit raise here. Tempting, but those Kings are pretty nice. 3♥.

Plus, I don't fell like being confrontational today.

[dcvetkov]

3♥, but would not be surprised if it goes down 1

On a side note, what is double in this auction? What kind of hand would double suppose to show? Is it Penalty with 4 Diamonds?

[jdonn]

pclayton, on Apr 30 2008, 11:00 AM, said:

Am I taking a call with a doubleton heart here over 2♦? Is it our style to always raise hearts when we have 5-6 spades?

I'm starting to feel like 2♥ should be a weak limit raise here. Tempting, but those Kings are pretty nice. 3♥.

Plus, I don't fell like being confrontational today.

Actually, if you had to give it a special meaning (which I don't think is practical, but I'll pretend) then I think 2♥ would be best used to show two hearts and four clubs.

[neilkaz]

3♥ for me here, not close to good enough for 4, but having a bit too much for 2, and expecting my K of ♣ may be useful, if my ♠ are not that useful on this auction.

.. neilkaz ..

[whereagles]

pclayton, on Apr 30 2008, 04:00 PM, said:

Plus, I don't fell like being confrontational today.

what's the matter with you? a forum without flames is like Texas without cowboys: it's not fun

[goodwintr]

One vote here for two hearts.

This shows real support, not strained preference on a doubleton, and therefore more than an original raise to two hearts. (With just a raise to two hearts, you would/should raise to two hearts.) In fact, the two-diamond overcall has made your job easier: without it, you would have been more or less compelled to bid three hearts, to distinguish your hand from "mere preference."

The sequence (including the "free" raise to two hearts) is a lot like 1H-1S; 1NT-2H, which shows more than 1H-2H.

[TimG]

jdonn, on Apr 30 2008, 10:44 AM, said:

I can't even think of a bid but 3♥, am I that uncreative?

I was thinking the same about 2♥.

[keylime]

I bid 3 at IMPS, 2 at MPs.

[jdonn]

goodwintr, on Apr 30 2008, 11:58 AM, said:

One vote here for two hearts.

This shows real support, not strained preference on a doubleton, and therefore more than an original raise to two hearts. (With just a raise to two hearts, you would/should raise to two hearts.) In fact, the two-diamond overcall has made your job easier: without it, you would have been more or less compelled to bid three hearts, to distinguish your hand from "mere preference."

The sequence (including the "free" raise to two hearts) is a lot like 1H-1S; 1NT-2H, which shows more than 1H-2H.

I disagree, I think it still shows a doubleton. This auction is different because your only alternative is to defend, whereas in your example auction you have an alternative contract to declare.

[helene_t]

keylime, on Apr 30 2008, 08:20 PM, said:

I bid 3 at IMPS, 2 at MPs.

If this hand is borderline between 2 and 3, maybe you should have bid 2♥ in first round. Assuming we play constructive raises.

[goodwintr]

Jdonn: you mean playing in 1NT (as opposed to 2H) is a viable alternative after 1H-1S; 1NT, but defending 2D (in the original sequence) isn't a viable alternative when you have two-card "support" for hearts? I guess you have a point, if you just want to focus on what your side can make by playing the hand, without regard to whether you might do better to defend. In the original sequence, if you pass over 2D with a doubleton heart, partner is still there, isn't he?

[jdonn]

goodwintr, on Apr 30 2008, 04:21 PM, said:

Jdonn: you mean playing in 1NT (as opposed to 2H) is a viable alternative after 1H-1S; 1NT, but defending 2D (in the original sequence) isn't a viable alternative when you have two-card "support" for hearts?

No, I am certainly not saying I would bid on every hand with a doubleton heart. If you want to defend I'm sure you know what to do, but it's possible to have a doubleton heart and not want to defend as well...

[655321]

The original hand looks like a 3♥ WTP to me.

I confess I might well respond 2♥ instread of 1♠ with jlall's example hands - certainly on (3), anyway.

I can see why it does make sense to respond 1♠ on these hands, but I pretty much always raise 1♥ to 2♥ in preference to bidding 1♠. If these hands are 1♠ bids, are less extreme hands (Axxxx Kxx xx xxx) also 1♠ bids, or is it just the disparity in the majors that makes 1♠ preferable?