[nigel_k]

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Scoring is IMPs. You're playing support doubles but no other relevant agreements.

[gwnn]

3♣ should be enough no?

[Cyberyeti]

Does the pass say anything about values ? What's the style of the club and no trump range ? (particularly what do you open if 3244, and is there any shape you can open 1♣ and have only 3 alongside 2 hearts, some people open 4243 1♣) What do other bids mean over 1♠ ?

This auction is very different to a weak no trump pair than a strong no trump pair, for us for example partner is guaranteed to hold 5+ clubs (and an unbalanced hand if weak) or a 15-19 count with 4, (we open 1♦ on a 4144) so I might well be bidding much more strongly (although I'd actually have started with 2♣ inverted, F3♣, not denying 4M which we still use over the double).

If partner can hold a weak no trump, you may need to be a lot more cautious although AKxx clubs and Ax hearts is plenty for 5♣. I think I'd bid 4♣ assuming partner guarantees 4 with the pass over 1♥ and this is natural invitational rather than minorwood. The chances of 3N being the right spot are minimal but not zero (10xxx, xx, KQJ, AKxx maybe), so I'd like partner to evaluate his hand on the basis that heart and club cards are good, minor honours in the pointies aren't.

[whereagles]

2S + clubs afterwards. Seems simple.

[mike777]

3c no problem yet.


4h, 5+c, unbal, and around 12-13 or so.

[pooltuna]

torn between 2♠, 4♣, & 5♣. probably choose in that order as 2♠ is the most flexible call

[Phil]

Partner seems likely to hold 3=2=3=5, although I suppose 3=1=4=5, 4=1=3=5 or 4=2=3=4 are possible. xxx Qx Axx AKxxx, Qxx xx Axx, AKxxx and xxx Ax KQx Axxxx are all unremarkable hands, yet I want to be in game on all of them.

I think this hand is just too good for 3♣. Give the inferences, I might be bidding 3♣ with four.

What is 3♦? If its a club splinter, this looks perfect. If its undiscussed, then I will just bid 2♠ and hope we can work out the pointed suits before 3N.

[neilkaz]

2♠ for me. Things look quite promising on this bidding.

[kenrexford]

3♦

[wank]

3♦ as a splinter seems a little far fetched. what about the 5-5 hands people normally have for 3D in 2 way checkback auctions?

[mikeh]

To me, 3♦ would be natural. How else do we show an invitational 2 suited hand? 2♦ would be merely competitive and 2♠ followed, if possible, by 3♦ sure sounds forcing to me.

I agree with Phil's reasoning on shape for partner unless partner is a practitioner of the 1♣ opening on 4=4 minors. I assume that opener doesn't bid like that or we'd have been so informed.

So I am going to commit to game....and I am avoiding notrump...even if partner surprises me with 2N over 2♠, there is just too much risk of a diamond lead. So 2♠ it is....then the question becomes whether the hand is good enough to splinter over 3♣ (I couldn't.....4♦ would be keycard for me)...I wouldn't....I'd set trump via a forcing 4♣ and see what happened thereafter.

[gnasher]

I think partner is far more likely to be 4234 than 3235. When we have an 11-card fit the opponents don't often subside at the one-level. I don't think it matters much, though - we're not going to need three ruffs in dummy.

[kenrexford]

mikeh, on 2011-October-04, 15:53, said:

To me, 3♦ would be natural. How else do we show an invitational 2 suited hand? 2♦ would be merely competitive and 2♠ followed, if possible, by 3♦ sure sounds forcing to me.

Since you asked, I would use:

a balancing double as one additional means of distinguishing ranges of non-forcing options, as well as
bump raises by Opener to allow Responder to distinguish other ranges of non-forcing options

[ggwhiz]

I would have bid 2nt, limit in ♣ instead of 1♥ and hope to recover that strain later if we belong there (I doubt it).

I'm probably worth 4♣ or a 3nt probe at my next turn depending on what happens next.

[mike777]

I agree I think this is alimit hand not a gf hand unless pard opens pretty sound.

I mean pard can have a pretty poor hand at this point, still.


If pard has a great 13 or unbal 14 she knows to bid game

[nigel_k]

The hand opposite was a rather perfect Qxx Ax Axxx Kxxx (Sorry I forgot people on this forum open 1♦ with that shape). ♠K and ♣Q were both onside so there are 12 tricks in clubs.

My view of the hand was that you probably want to play 3NT when partner has slow stuff in diamonds and invite game in clubs otherwise. I have had these hands before and still don't know the answer. Starting with 2♠ makes it hard to pass partner's NT bid with any confidence and also means that further club bids will be forcing.

I just bid 4♣ and partner bid 5 which was ok but I wonder if there is a better way.