[gprentice]

If you open 1H (showing 5+ card suit) and LHO jumps to 3 spades, what does partner need to bid over this if they don't have heart support? What does double show - does it require at least 4/4 in the minors, and how many points? What should partner bid after the 3S if they have the following - spades - xxx, hearts - x, diamonds QTxxx, clubs AKxx.

[mikeh]

Preempts work, which is why, in the modern expert game, many preempt (especially not vul v vul) on hands that would make most experts from previous eras think they’d misheard the auction,

As for what you need in order to bid as responder, say after 1H (3S) as you posited….

Firstly, recognize that any bid you make over 3S is forcing to game. Partner didn’t promise more than a minimum with 5 hearts so committing to game requires something close to or preferably at least an opening hand.

1H (3S) 4C or 4D are both forcing and you have no guarantee of a fit if you don’t have heart support. Plus the suits may not be breaking well given the RHO has long spades….though against some players, if they are favourable, don’t assume they have 7 spades.

It is normal to stretch a little over a preempt. So a hand that looks like a maximum limit raise bids 4H even though you’d only bid 3H had RHO passed.

As for a double, I’d expect at least 4=4 and usually 5/4 or 4/5 or 5-5 or better, with a very nice 10+….definitely not the example you gave of xxx x Q10xxx AKxx

With that hand, my advice is to pass in tempo. It’s a very good habit to ALWAYS pause for around 8-10 seconds whenever an opp jumps…if you sometimes pass (or bid) quickly and then, when you’re debating what to do, you hesitate then you are doing what is sometimes called soft cheating….your slow pass tells partner your were thinking of bidding. Even a slow bid risks telling partner things he isn’t supposed to know.

If you tend to pass quickly with no difficult decision but pass slowly here because you were considering a negative double, an ethical partner will pass out 3S even with a normal looking double, unless it’s so obvious to bid, based on his hand and not your improper tempo.

Many club players don’t understand this point…they cheat almost all the time over preempts and most would swear on a stack of bibles that they weren’t cheating….while their partners almost always claim that ‘I didn’t notice anything’ before taking full advantage of the tempo…passing obvious reopening hands when partner insta passed and reopening borderline hands when he slo-passed.

Sorry for the rants and partial hijack…good questions. Hope I’ve helped a little

[gprentice]

Great answer, thankyou.

[Cyberyeti]

mikeh, on 2025-August-28, 21:57, said:

As for a double, I’d expect at least 4=4 and usually 5/4 or 4/5 or 5-5 or better, with a very nice 10+….definitely not the example you gave of xxx x Q10xxx AKxx

With that hand, my advice is to pass in tempo.

This hand is an easy pass, it's where you are the one with short spades that partner may struggle to reopen where you may need to push

[HardVector]

As an add to Mikeh, I would suggest that the hands that would "stretch" a little should have shortness in whatever was preempted. If you have length in the suit preempted, you should be much more solid in your actions. Shortness will dictate your aggression. Don't assume because you have length that partner must have shortness, the preempt could be a bad move by them.

[Stephen Tu]

 mikeh, on 2025-August-28, 21:57, said:

With that hand, my advice is to pass in tempo. It’s a very good habit to ALWAYS pause for around 8-10 seconds whenever an opp jumps…if you sometimes pass (or bid) quickly and then, when you’re debating what to do, you hesitate then you are doing what is sometimes called soft cheating….your slow pass tells partner your were thinking of bidding. Even a slow bid risks telling partner things he isn’t supposed to know.

Not only is it a good habit, it's REQUIRED by the rules to pause 10 seconds any time your rho jumps and look like you might have a problem whether or not your call is easy.

Some jurisdictions like the acbl got rid of the stop card, but they did not get rid of the rule requiring the pause. Sadly far too many players are ignorant of the rule, or ignore the rule.

[blackshoe]

The "rule" is a regulation, not a law, so it likely will be different in different jurisdictions. That said, it is certainly true in the ACBL that a jump bidder's LHO must pause for ten seconds before making his call -- while not making it obvious that he's only doing it because it's a rule.

[mikeh]

Stephen Tu, on 2025-August-29, 21:22, said:

Not only is it a good habit, it's REQUIRED by the rules to pause 10 seconds any time your rho jumps and look like you might have a problem whether or not your call is easy.

Some jurisdictions like the acbl got rid of the stop card, but they did not get rid of the rule requiring the pause. Sadly far too many players are ignorant of the rule, or ignore the rule.

Very few club players, where I play, pay any attention to this rule, and calling the director on this would create massive resentment.

[Stephen Tu]

 mikeh, on 2025-August-30, 09:54, said:

Very few club players, where I play, pay any attention to this rule, and calling the director on this would create massive resentment.

I usually gently educate after the hand and it doesn't seem to cause problems. One of my partners often does so much less diplomatically despite my pleas not to, and does cause massive resentment.

[johnu]

blackshoe, on 2025-August-29, 23:05, said:

The "rule" is a regulation, not a law, so it likely will be different in different jurisdictions. That said, it is certainly true in the ACBL that a jump bidder's LHO must pause for ten seconds before making his call -- while not making it obvious that he's only doing it because it's a rule.

The ACBL thinks so highly of this regulation that they got rid of the "STOP" card which at least got rid of some of the cheating, or made it easier to confirm.

[mikeh]

Stephen Tu, on 2025-August-30, 15:10, said:

I usually gently educate after the hand and it doesn't seem to cause problems. One of my partners often does so much less diplomatically despite my pleas not to, and does cause massive resentment.

I’ve tried that and heard people express thanks and understanding. Then next week they insta pass again.

[mycroft]

johnu, on 2025-August-30, 15:16, said:

The ACBL thinks so highly of this regulation that they got rid of the "STOP" card which at least got rid of some of the cheating, or made it easier to confirm.

...while not getting rid of the cheating (or making it more difficult to confirm) that was the reason for the STOP card, and frankly happened (and still happens) at least 10 times as often as the other. Okay, maybe only about as often, if you mean actual intent or discussed agreement.

While gaining the "I don't have to pause any more" misreading of the regulation change. Not that they ever did, but now they think it's a "get out of fast-pass free" card. Which amazingly their partner reads incredibly well, but of course, that's not *why* they fast-pass.