[gnasher]

I don't think 3NT showed anything clearly. 3NT can be played as minimum balanced, minimum and a misfit but not necessarily balanced, medium balanced, or probably other things. I suspect that the first problem was that the players didn't have an agreement about what 3NT meant.

Similarly, 3♣ can be played as natural, "something in clubs" (Phil), "clubs" without necessarily being descriptive (Han), or fourth-suit forcing. Not knowing which of these meanings was in use, it's hard to judge whether this hand should bid 3♣ or something else.

[whereagles]

If you play 3C as natural (instead of 4SF or stop ask or whatnot), then I think it's clear to bid that. It cannot show less than a 55 and North can still have 5413/5431.

[billw55]

It seems there is some dispute over whether responder should rebid NT or clubs, and indeed what a club bid would show.

My question is: with the misfit in evidence, why should south not consider a simple preference of 2♠? Is Jx so terrible that south should shun it entirely? Or would 2♠ definitely promise 3 cards?

[kenrexford]

billw55, on 2011-September-29, 13:30, said:

It seems there is some dispute over whether responder should rebid NT or clubs, and indeed what a club bid would show.

My question is: with the misfit in evidence, why should south not consider a simple preference of 2♠? Is Jx so terrible that south should shun it entirely? Or would 2♠ definitely promise 3 cards?

This question is strangely related.

I would guess that those who like to bid 2♠ with hands like these tend to favor notrump/strain probes and right-siding over slam probes when in doubt.

Those who instead bid 3♣ as artificial probably have the same bent toward notrump/strain probes and right-siding over slam probes, but with a purity to the major raise, probably.

Those who bid 3♣ naturally might be in the first category (also bidding 2♠ as possibly two) and thus favor notrump/strain probes and right-siding over slam probes when in doubt. However, they want side-suit purity.

Those who bid 3♣ as real, 2♠ as 3+, and 2NT as waiting (and possibly wrong-siding) probably stress slam auctions more than right-siding and strain probing.