Grrrrr, Ken! The only reason to give 4 hearts the top score, is that the moderator--and many panelists mus fear three loosers, so, I am flummoxed that thebidthat drives to the 5-level gets 7 votes and a big fat 90. But , Dibby- you must cancel my 1 participation points. My word is my bong.
No need.When someone says "I hope to kiss a duck" we do not bring in a duck and insist that he actually do so.
I think it is a balancing of dangers. And there are quite a few dangers to balance. The 3
bid ups the chances that other suits are not breaking well. Also, partner could have five hearts. Over the 3
what is he to do holding a five card heart suit? A direct 4
on five is pretty unilateral. But of course he also might have four. The hand might not make game anywhere. Then again it might.
So: Both 4
and 4NT tale one of these bulls by the tail. It commits us to game. So that's the first choice, we play it in game. After that choice is made, then which game? Unless partner has a very unusual hand, 4
will be passed and we will play in a
game, 4 NT will get pard to choose a minor and we will play in a minor suit game. I opted for the latter, but hardly with confidence.
I regard one thing as clear. If I opt for a minor suit game then I go with 4NT, offering a choice of 5
or 5
, rather than just choosing 5
. So I see the choices as:
First: Game or not? Surely 4
is passable. I chose game.
Second: Ok, game, that's settled. Now do we opt for 4
or do we opt for asking pard to choose the minor suit game?
I can't say that I see either of these as clear cut. I decided to go with the game, and I thought that there were more ways for 4
to go wrong than for 5m to go wrong.