[Antrax]

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[broze]

2NT (if you have a good way of finding a 5-3 heart fit that is)

[EricK]

2♣ - strong hand, no clear direction - not single suited, probably not primary ♥ support, not suitable for NT.

[the hog]

2C. Can't bid NT with no C stopper here.

[han]

If you wrote a book about the 2C bid in this auction, you'd give this hand as an example.

[Cyberyeti]

What would you do with a 3136/2236/3226/2326 19 count with AQJxxx clubs ? I often wonder whether over a 2+ card club the UCB should be automatic after an embarrassing accident with something similar where neither of us could bid clubs naturally with a massive fit.

[Antrax]

Thanks. What are responder's rebids? NT with a stooper and balanced no doubt, but other than that? What length would 2♥ or 3♥ promise? What about new suits?
(Up until reading your replies, I was sure 2♣ should show a fit, but once I gave it thought I realized it makes little sense, since a raise here is plenty strong, not competitive)

[gordontd]

broze, on 2012-August-18, 03:48, said:

2NT (if you have a good way of finding a 5-3 heart fit that is)

Not only do you lack a club stopper, but 2NT would be a bit of an over-bid.

[Quantumcat]

Cyberyeti, on 2012-August-19, 09:14, said:

What would you do with a 3136/2236/3226/2326 19 count with AQJxxx clubs ? I often wonder whether over a 2+ card club the UCB should be automatic after an embarrassing accident with something similar where neither of us could bid clubs naturally with a massive fit.

I like (1♣) 2♣ and (1♦) 2♦ as natural

I also like (1♦) P (1♠) 2♠ as natural too

For the original post, 1NT. An immediate 1NT would be (15)16-18, so double then NT would be (18)19-21 (or similar). There is lots of room to make sure you have a stopper before 3NT, so you don't actually need one to make this bid. If partner has a near-yarborough and you play in 1NT, then you are probably still fine, since there was no club raise (pard probably has 4-5 small ones).

I would take 2♥ as invitational (with no interference). If you would jump to 2♥ responding to a takeout double with say 8-10, then bidding 2♥ as takeout doubler you would probably have 4 hearts and around 17-18 HCP. But if there was interference, you might bid 2♥ with a lot of hands and 4 hearts, not invitational. I would take 3♥ as about the same but a five card suit (setting trumps in case responder was forced to bid a 3-card suit to stop them not wanting to play in hearts).

[Cyberyeti]

Quote

What would you do with a 3136/2236/3226/2326 19 count with AQJxxx clubs ? I often wonder whether over a 2+ card club the UCB should be automatic after an embarrassing accident with something similar where neither of us could bid clubs naturally with a massive fit.

Quantumcat, on 2012-August-19, 21:35, said:

I like (1♣) 2♣ and (1♦) 2♦ as natural

Fine, but I think you're in a small minority and an even smaller minority wouldn't think the hand was too good for the simple overcall.

[han]

1C - 2C as natural against short clubs is very common in the Netherlands.

With a 19-count and 6 clubs you can pass, double and then bid clubs. Or pass and then jump in clubs. Or defend 1C.

[Cyberyeti]

han, on 2012-August-20, 08:53, said:

1C - 2C as natural against short clubs is very common in the Netherlands.

With a 19-count and 6 clubs you can pass, double and then bid clubs. Or pass and then jump in clubs. Or defend 1C.

This was my point, you need to agree which of (1♣)-2♣, (1♣)-P-(P)-1suit-(P)-2♣, (1♣)-P-(P)-1suit-(P)-3♣, (1♣)-X-(P)-1suit-(P)-2♣, (1♣)-X-(P)-1suit-(P)-3♣ actually show clubs, and I'm not sure what the best agreements are, we play michaels over even a 2 card club as it rarely is 2 cards.

[kuhchung]

Antrax, on 2012-August-19, 10:58, said:

Thanks. What are responder's rebids? NT with a stooper and balanced no doubt, but other than that? What length would 2♥ or 3♥ promise? What about new suits?
(Up until reading your replies, I was sure 2♣ should show a fit, but once I gave it thought I realized it makes little sense, since a raise here is plenty strong, not competitive)

If advancer rebids 2H, that is his weakest possible action. It does not even guarantee extra hearts.

No matter what, responder's hand is limited to like 0-8ish. So everything is within that framework. I'd guess that 3H is at the top of that range, with a 5th heart. 2S would be like 5H4S. (With 44 majors in response to a takeout double, we bid spades first.)

[han]

Cyberyeti, on 2012-August-20, 09:40, said:

you need to agree which of (1♣)-2♣, (1♣)-P-(P)-1suit-(P)-2♣, (1♣)-P-(P)-1suit-(P)-3♣, (1♣)-X-(P)-1suit-(P)-2♣, (1♣)-X-(P)-1suit-(P)-3♣ actually show clubs

I play that none of these shows clubs, and it doesn't seem a big issue to me. Starting with a takeout double and bidding clubs definitely not shows clubs to anybody, seriously! If the auction goes

1C - p - p - 1H/S
p -

then you should probably play that 2D is the good raise and 2C shows clubs. After all, you can't have diamonds and you can have clubs. Unfortunately that doesn't work if partner bids clubs.

Perhaps a jump to 3C is better played as long strong clubs (but NF, not a 19-count) but I don't play that.