What should I Bid? - Best enquiry for April 2007 

Richard Touton made the best submission for the month of April.

 Hand: At IMP scoring, nil vulnerable and North the dealer you hold the following hand at West: :

5432  K74  K3  J1065

Bidding:	West	North	East	South
		Pass	1	4
	?

Comments:    Our basic system is Standard with Negative Doubles up to 3 and higher doubles are optional. 4 , Pass and Double all seem possible. What would you bid and why? 

Peter's Reply:

Hi Richard,

I would Pass.

Playing traditional methods, if the bidding went 1, (Pass) to you, you would bid 2. That is what your hand is worth.

If the bidding went 1, (3) to you, you would have the choice of Pass and 3.

Should you be prepared to be pushed one level higher than your preferred level? Generally the answer to this question is "yes".

Should you be prepared to be pushed two or more levels higher than what you would bid without interference? Generally, the answer to this question is "no".

So, here, 4 is out. To bid 4 on the auction, holding an ordinary shaped hand, you need the values for a limit raise or better.

Apart from anything else, partner needs to be able to judge what to do if your left hand opponent bids 5 over a 4 bid from you. Should you Double? With what? The values to prevent the overtrick?

A Pass in tempo is correct and allows partner to bid whatever is appropriate to the worth of his/her hand.

Regards
Peter Fordham

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