[sathyab]

Double seems like the most flexible bid, but the follow-ups are also quite a few. One in particular, a response of 4 ♣ is particularly troubling as it robs you of 3nt at MP. If you do bid 3nt, would you expect partner to bid (or transfer to) 4h with a decent suit and some values ?

I wanted to make it clear that you hold this hand in the balancing chair. It is LHO who opens 3♦.

This post has been edited by sathyab: 2009-January-20, 11:56

[JLOL]

I would double and bid 3N over 3H, and 4S over 4C.

[gnasher]

I'd bid 3NT, though JLOL's approach is attractive too. Opposite a 3325 shape I think I'd prefer to play 3NT rather than 4♠, and opposite five hearts 3NT may well be as good as 4♥.

I don't expect partner to remove 3NT to 4♥ unless he has six good ones, because I might be bidding with a solid suit, and because after a preempt 3NT often plays as well as four of a major anyway. I don't think he needs values to bid 4♥ - ♥QJ10xxx and nothing else would be fine.

[mtvesuvius]

I agree with JLOL...

[whereagles]

I'll just bid 3♠. There's a pretty good chance pard supports that and, if he happens to be able to make a cue on the way to 4♠, we might get to something more than game.

[MarkDean]

I had this hand, same auction, and I bid 3NT.

[Phil]

Double and 3♠ over 3♥. This feels like a good spot opposite a weak dummy. While I'm reasonably sure I can shot out LHO's diamonds, I still have the issue of developing tricks in 3N.

[jdonn]

I think this is a very good problem, mostly because I completely hate all my options. Instinctively I want to bid 3♠ but that's probably not enterprising enough. Doubling may increase our chances of reaching the right strain, but I'm not even sure that is true and it could lead to something really silly in that regard (not only being in a bad game, but say partner is 4414 he will respond 3♥ then pass 3NT). Even doubling and passing 3♥ could easily turn out right. Ok enough ranting about how much life sucks. I'll settle on double then 3NT over 3♥. I think the odds (relative to a direct 3NT) that we belong in hearts and can only find them this way are greater than the odds partner will respond 4♣ or something when we belong in 3NT.

[JLOL]

Josh, I don't think partner should pass X then 3N with 4414. I mean, I could definitely think of many 3334s/3325s that I would X and bid 3N with, probably most that only had 1 diamond stopper. But 3N doesn't seem like any bargain opposite 1 diamond stopper anyways when we have a stiff diamond, and partner will probably have 4 spades greater than 50 % of the time anyways when he bids that way.

Anyways, maybe your point was just that we might miss a 44 spade fit which is definitely true since if partner is balanced I would expect him to always pass 3N, just thought it was interesting to think about what partner should do with 4414 since I don't think it's clear.

Also I think that the comment about the possibility that Xing and passing 3H being right to be a bit fatuous, of course it could be but at this point we should all be comfortable assinging partner 6 or 7 points or whatever and bidding accordingly in these spots, we rarely have a hand where it might be wrong to pass the 3 level when partner could have nothing.