What should I bid? - Best enquiry for December 2008

The best submission for December came from Barbara Travis.

 Hand:   You are dealer Vul vs not:

-  AK109  AKJ742  865

Bidding:	YOU	LHO	Partner	RHO
	1	2	double	Pass
	?

Comments:   What would you bid? You are playing standard, 1  normally being 4 but occasionally 3 if 4432, (15-17 NT).

Partner has just made a normal negative double.

I find this a fascinating problem.

Sartaj's Reply:

Hi Barbara,

That's a tough one.

This is one of those hands where the best result will depend on what partner actually holds. The more diamonds he has, the more we should be bidding. The more stuff he has in spades, the less we should be bidding.

While passing the double has to be an option, the vulnerability is not suitable for such a view. Also, we rate to not get very rich when partner has say Qxxx of diamonds.

Bidding our long suit, 3, has to be an option. But its a pointless bid that aims too narrowly for a 110,130,150 type number and while I prefer to go for the 600s,500s or 1370s.

Cue-bidding their suit is unlikely to tell us anything intelligent as partner with short hearts will likely bid 4-of-a-minor and we haven't learnt anything and haven't told partner anything useful.

In any slam investigation, the key is going to be our spade void. It's hard to see anyway where partner can appreciate that the difference between KQJx of clubs and KQJx of spades. Or similar.

Call me an animal, but I go for 3NT. At least we play a game contract. And at least we have some sort of a chance of getting to slam. Partner has heard us jump to game when he has shown only a few points. If he has some genuine support and some extra values, perhaps he will make a move.

Sartaj

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