What’s your call?
| 4♠ | 4NT | |||
| 5♣ | 5♦ | 5♥ | 5♠ | 5NT |
| 6♣ | 6♦ | 6♥ | 6♠ | 6NT |
| 7♣ | 7♦ | 7♥ | 7♠ | 7NT |
| Pass | Dbl |
You can’t (or you choose not to) bid in first seat. Do you really want to come in, red, opposite an admittedly-underpressure-passing partner at the four level?
Not Lee, who passes. “It seems too speculative to me to bid. We have a lot of defense and no assurance of a fit.”
A reluctant pass by Sanborn. “It is tempting to bid 4♠, but who even knows whose hand it is? Righty could be raising on a stiff heart and a big hand. We could have them beat and go for a ginormous number if I bid.”
According to the Sutherlins, “This is not a good enough hand to enter the auction. We could have a plus versus 4♥.”
Hampson is a stalwart passer. “I wouldn’t consider bidding as an unpassed hand, and I have the wrong void to be bidding as a passed hand.”
Cohen smells a rat. “‘4♠ over 4♥’ comes to mind (always!), but it is too dangerous here. My three-card heart support makes it odds-on that righthand opponent raised on strength as opposed to a LOTT three-card raise. RHO could easily have a 4=1=4=4 20-count or the like.”
Boehm shares that suspicion. “Sometimes East raises on a big hand with a singleton heart honor, resulting in minus 1100 for us if we bid.”
Stack says he’s tempted by that old “4♥ is a transfer to 4♠” cliche, too – especially with 5–5 distribution. “We may have three defensive tricks plus whatever partner contributes to the pot. It appears that our prospects are better on defense than on offense.”
Here’s the kicker: Meckstroth passes. “If I were void in hearts, I would be bidding.”
“I can’t resist,” says Korbel with 4♠, “but I’m prepared to apologize if I’m wrong. 4♠ by a passed hand would be played by a lot of partnerships as showing a second suit – improving our chances to land on our feet.”
Weinstein agrees this is an easier problem as a passed hand. “4♠ should show a two-suiter here. We might make 4♠ or 5♣. It might be a good save if 4♥ is making. It could even be a double game swing.”
Lawrence is a bidder. “4♠, hoping for a singleton heart and a spade fit. It’s this or pass.”
A fearless 4♠ by Rigal: “Real men don’t worry about minus 500 penalties – they blame partner for putting down the wrong hand. I will, of course, find the Lightner double of 5♥ if they go there.”
No coward Colchamiro, either: “4♠ and pray. Maybe it’s partner who is short in hearts. If it’s righty, then he has massive high cards, and I’m gonna get hammered. But if, as is more likely, righty has two hearts and partner has only one, it doesn’t take much for 4♠ to be the big winner.”
Meyers: “Close my eyes and bid 4♠.” Spoken like a true Hall of Famer!
