[FrancesHinden]

One hand, two auctions. Pretend you haven't seen the other auction when you see this one!

---

teams-of-8, cross-imps converted to VPs, love all.

LHO deals

2♠  3♦  3♥  3♠
Pass  4♣  4♠  5♦
Pass  Pass  5♠  ?

(pass would be forcing here)

or,

LHO deals

2♠  3♦  3♥  4♠
Pass  5♦  5♠  ?

(pass would be forcing here as well)

or,

LHO deals

2♠  3♦  3♥  5♦
Pass  Pass  5♠  ?

(pass would not be forcing here)

And which of those three options at your first turn do you prefer?

[655321]

Agree with 4♠ then double.
Think 4♠ (showing singleton spade and forcing to game) is clearly better than 3♠ (showing nothing about your hand) or 5♦ (not showing any values at all)

[jtfanclub]

Sorry for my ignorance. 3♥ was natural and forcing?

If so, this looks like death to me. RHO's probably 4-6-(30) with slam potential, otherwise why not say 4♠ right away? If so, I suspect they're going to make it, with two heart tricks and a whole lotta trumps, losing only two clubs.

I'm not real happy with a pass being forcing on this auction when the opps have made what looks like a slam try. At any rate, I'm passing, and if we end up down 1 in six diamonds, so be it.

I'm sure I'll be in the minority, though.

[FrancesHinden]

jtfanclub, on Feb 13 2008, 09:28 PM, said:

Sorry for my ignorance. 3♥ was natural and forcing?

If so, this looks like death to me. RHO's probably 4-6-(30) with slam potential, otherwise why not say 4♠ right away? If so, I suspect they're going to make it, with two heart tricks and a whole lotta trumps, losing only two clubs.

I'm not real happy with a pass being forcing on this auction when the opps have made what looks like a slam try. At any rate, I'm passing, and if we end up down 1 in six diamonds, so be it.

I'm sure I'll be in the minority, though.

No ignorance. I had to ask at the table.
Yes, natural and forcing.

But there is always a live possibility that RHO has something like

KQxxxx
x
xxx
xxx

or some other random psyche/pre-empt.

or a lead-directional effort on

AQxxx
AQx
x
xxxx

this is one of the most popular auctions for inventing suits known. That's why you are in a forcing pass - if you don't like the forcing pass, bid 5D on the first round.

[pclayton]

Love the 4♠ start. Don't care for 3♠ and hate 5♦.

I guess I double now but its close. Pard could have 5♣'d over 4♠ or even KC'd.

[Fluffy]

I wouldn't get over 3NT on first round. On any auction over the 5 level I just double, don't wanna play 6 with no aces nor extras (on last bidding double to show 5♦ was to make at least)

[whereagles]

I'm gonna bid 6 here. We're probably off the heart ace, but maybe pard can ruff it. Or maybe he has the spade ace. In any case I don't think we're going to get rich in 5♠X, so I might as well try for 6.

[Halo]

I'd bid 5D and double 5S.

Don't see a problem and not too bothered if partner thinks we are in a forcing auction.

[FrancesHinden]

jtfanclub, on Feb 13 2008, 09:28 PM, said:

I'm sure I'll be in the minority, though.

You are, but you are right.

If you pass (having made any of the three suggested bids on the first round) partner will bid 6D and either you are -300 or they bid 6S and go one off.

Those defending 5Sx, as I did at the table, concede 650.

Both pairs of team-mates got to 6S without being pushed which was a little embarrassing; we were losing a load of imps whatever we did on the hand...

Partner has
x
x
AQJ10xx
QJ9xx

If you double quickly partner might - maybe - pull, particularly if you started with the 4S splinter. Stupidly I doubled 5S slowly and partner viewed, correctly I think, that he couldn't ethically pull it.