[pescetom]

A lunatic board from the first day of regional finals, with the only unfamiliar team mate.

IMPS

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Your call (or different start) and where do you think we should be playing?

[mike777]

4C
Diamond void is a negative but still my hand is big, partner is a wide range.

----

Excellent practice hand for a partnership

[jillybean]

Why wouldn't we show our hearts - 3♥

[mike777]

We do have support for partner, why not show it and slam interest?

[jillybean]

Can't partner have 3 hearts?

[mike777]

 jillybean, on 2026-September-26, 19:09, said:

Can't partner have 3 hearts?

Yes, can't do everything
Make choices

I suppose the auction might go
3H, 3NT, 4C or it might not

Perhaps 3S over 3H
Choices

[jillybean]

There are so many different approaches to this game.
My thinking is that we are in a gf, I have time to describe my hand.
If partner does have heart support, we have a double fit and are off to the moon.

[mw64ahw]

After a start of 1♦ 3+ - 1♠ GI - 2N (xs)55 I'd be contemplating the grand in ♣ given the mod. loser count, but I suspect I'd end at 6♣

For reference a 1N rebid covers (30)55 hands.

Playing a standard approach following on from above I'd bid 3♥ which retrospectively will be a control bid after I convert 3N to 4♣ SI

[mikeh]

It’s possible but unlikely that partner has three hearts…normally one expects 5=5 minors so he’d need to be 0=3=5=5 which is possible but how would he bid with x xxx AKQx QJ10xx. I’m not advocating for 3C with that hand but it’s not as if te other possible call of 2N is a great bargain. 2H said nothing about responders hand other than that he has 4+ spades and gf values.

So I’d resolve the immediate problem over 3c by bidding 3H. I’m pulling 3N, if he felt it the best bid…not on this hand of course…to 4C which shows my exact shape.

Opener bids 3S…he’s already denied three spades so this is easy. Now responder has a problem. He expects 2=1=5=5 almost all the time and it’s not clear that 5C is fit showing…I’d expect it was cuebid. Exclusion (5D) would create an unusual situation: one which I’ve never seen nor heard of before. How does, if at all, the responder to exclusion show a different void?

Anyway, maybe responder argues that opener is unlikely to be, say, xx x AKQJx QJxxx and all he needs for slam to be good is Ax and the club queen so it’s worth pushing


Am I claiming I’d think that way at the table ? There’s no way I can know.

[pescetom]

I hate playing without firm agreements, particularly in a final. But his partner flaked out and asked me to take his place for the last round (which should have been well deserved rest for me).
My first thought was to rebid hearts, but I couldn't see a clear way forward over 3S and I had a strong suspicion that pulling 3NT to 4C would be taken as Gerber. I decided to KISS and bid 4C hoping for a control bid, but got keycarded instead. Oh well, that's better than Pass, and his 6C might be the right place.

He even got the hearts Ace lead.
But then discovered that clubs were split 0-5.
6C-2, but it's the same layout for everyone, right?

The other room was in 4S+1.

[mw64ahw]

You win some ...

[P_Marlowe]

jillybean, on 2026-September-26, 17:25, said:

Why wouldn't we show our hearts - 3♥

I would say 3H, instead of 2H showes a gf 2-suited hand with at least 55, so that is an valid option,
but if you are unfamiliar with your p, 2H is ok.

The problem now is, that 3H does not show hearts, it asks for a half stopper.

[P_Marlowe]

mike777, on 2026-September-26, 18:24, said:

We do have support for partner, why not show it and slam interest?

Are you sure, 3C is showing a 5th club? It is pretty common to play the cheapest bid as
default, as far as I see it, 3C could still be based on a 54 minor hand, 3C is the
cheapest bid, that p has and it is common to play this as default.

Obv. there is also a school, that plays, that the default bid is bidding openers first suit,
bidding the 2-suit a 2nd time would then show a real 2-suited hand.
If you are living in a given area you may know, which variant is common among your peers.

I refrain from mentioning, that 2H may or may not be gf, but I am a dinosaur if it comes to
this.

[P_Marlowe]

pescetom, on 2026-September-26, 16:20, said:

A lunatic board from the first day of regional finals, with the only unfamiliar team mate.

IMPS

---

Your call (or different start) and where do you think we should be playing?

Given the precondition, that I have no clue what our agreements are, I would try to keep the ball low.
You could sell the hand has a strong 1-suited hand by bidding 3S, this would send the SI across (for most players),
alternative if you are sure p is able to read it, you could try a natural 4NT, i would settle for 3NT.

And the start of the auction is ok, given the precondition, it was a auction start as standard as you could
make it, that is the way to go, in the given situation.

[WasWinM]

P_Marlowe, on 2026-September-27, 10:53, said:

I would say 3H, instead of 2H showes a gf 2-suited hand with at least 55, so that is an valid option,
but if you are unfamiliar with your p, 2H is ok.

The problem now is, that 3H does not show hearts, it asks for a half stopper.

IMO, any type of stopper ask is a wasted usage once partner has shown at least 4 hearts.

[P_Marlowe]

WasWinM, on 2026-September-27, 11:54, said:

IMO, any type of stopper ask is a wasted usage once partner has shown at least 4 hearts.

This is certainly a valid view point, but given the auction, who did show at least 4 hearts?
Do you think 2H is natural or FSF?

[WasWinM]

P_Marlowe, on 2026-September-27, 11:58, said:

This is certainly a valid view point, but given the auction, who did show at least 4 hearts?
Do you think 2H is natural or FSF?

ah, you're right. I simply overlooked that, an issue I have with any type computer bridge.

[P_Marlowe]

WasWinM, on 2026-September-27, 11:59, said:

ah, you're right. I simply overlooked that, an issue I have with any type computer bridge.

Happens, I know this feeling, being the lone ranger on the wrong side of the highway,
anyway you could argue, that 3H now showes 5+ hearts, given that 3C denied 4+ heart ..., I have no idea,
if this gets played by someone, but this would be a pretty specific agreement with regards to FSF and
leaving open the q, how to ask for a half stopper in heart.

[jillybean]

WasWinM, on 2026-September-27, 11:59, said:

ah, you're right. I simply overlooked that, an issue I have with any type computer bridge.

Thank heavens BBO forums already make me doubt my sanity.

[WasWinM]

jillybean, on 2026-September-27, 12:45, said:

Thank heavens BBO forums already make me doubt my sanity.

It is indeed a tempest, mostly in a teapot, though.