[Gerben42]

2♥ but I'm not convinced...

[paulg]

2♥

Seems like we have the choice of double, 2♥ or 3♦. There is a lot to be said for a quiet 2♥ bid - partner can show spade length, correct to 3♣ with a poor hand (after which I can bid 3♠) or do something more constructive. The only real issue is a jump to 4♥, at which point I'd have to hope that I can bid 4♠ and escape.

Paul

[hrothgar]

This is a really brutal problem...

I can't find a single call that is even remotely appealing
I'm torn between Pass, 2♥, 2NT, and 3♣

Each of these bids is a dreadful misrepresentation.
I feel more comfortable lying about a stopper than anything else, so mark me down for 2NT... On a good day, LHO will be afraid to lead Diamonds into my positional stopper.

[mikeh]

This is truly one of the toughest problems I have seen. All calls are bad: perhaps 'redeal?' is best.

Ok, they won't redeal.

For me the choice is between:

Pass

2♥

double

I choose a slow, slow 2♥ and here is why:

Pass is not as terrible as it seems. If partner, with short(ish) ♦ cannot bid, there is at least a decent chance that we cannot make anything. Having said that, pass is a mighty big position to take with these values... even downgrading the hand as I do for the sterile shape.

2♥, the fake reverse, gets the job done in terms of conveying hcp but it is not particularly accurate in terms of shape. Ok, it is only 1 card out, but what do we do if partner raises? Can/will he raise on 3 card support? I don't think so, because he should have no more than 2♦ 95% of the time but that other 5% worries me: Jxxxx AJx xxx xx: what can he do other than raise ♥? If he raises, showing 5+♠ if he has 4♥, can we get back to ♠? I don't think so, not without strongly suggesting a 3=4=1=5 powerhouse. If we get raised in ♥, we stay in ♥. But he may be able to prefer ♣ or rebid ♠. I raise ♠ and worry about ♣ later.

double as the fake support double: I have extra hcp and my doubleton ♠ looks almost as strong as xxx However, it doesn't look quite as long, and partner is getting tapped.

[barmar]

Lying about a stopper in a suit that one opponent has bid is one thing, since there's a chance partner has the stopper you need. But I don't think it's a good idea to lie about it in a suit they've bid and raised seems really reckless.

I doubt I would find the 2♥ bid at the table, I'd probably go with the 3♣ underbid.

[FrancesHinden]

How do we play a 2NT bid here?
(I'm not saying it's the right call whatever it means, just that it affects what inferences partner has)

[Chamaco]

I am ready to play in the 5-2 fit in spades with HH doubleton, and pard did make a free bid of 1S.

I'll start with Double (yes, even playing support doubles, I lie on the 3rd spads, but it's more flexible to hear pard's rebid), and if pard does not bid 2NT, I'll bid 4S since we are likely to have nothing wasted in diamonds, and anything pard provides in the side suit should help.

[barmar]

I'd probably bid 2♠ to show delayed doubleton honor support. If partner has ♦ stopped maybe he can bid 3NT.

[Al_U_Card]

I guess 3D looking for a stopper is not tenable? (18+6 hcp = game with a D stop). Pard will have to handle the D tap if we end up in S but my 2 honors will help with the drawing of trump in 3S...

[Winstonm]

Pass - in tempo I hope.

I have to put faith in my methods and my partner. My methods have no convenient way to show this hand while my partner is holding short diamonds and will act with many hands.

If he happens to hold weak spades and a flattish hand with a doubleton diamond honor, we might get to play 2D - and that might not be that bad anyway.

The real nightmare comes when pard reopens with a double - what the heck can I do then except bid 3D? Only thing I know for sure on this hand is that if partner at any time rebids spades I will treat it as a transfer to game.

Winston

[mikeh]

Jlall, on Dec 7 2005, 11:18 AM, said:

Question for the 2H bidders, what is your planned rebid over 3C?

I wish you had not asked that

Actually, for me the 3♣ bid establishes a gf: partner had 2N as an artificial weakness bid, so I would bid 3♦, postponing my decision for yet another round

[mike777]

I rebid 3clubs, will leave the 2H rebids to the experts.

BTW is good/bad 2nt on here, meaning we could not rebid a natural 2nt 18-19?

[Winstonm]

All you bidders have rebid problems.....I would like to point out that I have no further bidding concerns after partner's balancing seat pass....

Winston

[bridge2k]

I double, with KQ good support, it's fine even you play support dbl here.

If pd bid 3C, I'll bid 3D to look for ♦ stopper.

[mike777]

Jlall, on Dec 7 2005, 11:18 AM, said:

Question for the 2H bidders, what is your planned rebid over 3C?

If I had rebid 2h, 3 clubs for me would be game force by responder.

Yes that means responder without 4 hearts would rebid 2s with weak hand and 5 spades or is forced to rebid 2nt which would not, repeat not, promise a stopper in D.

Assuming partner had rebid 2nt, no stopper promised, I then would rebid 3clubs, non forcing.....

Not that bad of a sequence actually....

[pclayton]

I thought you came up with a reasonable approach when you played it against me. But I thought Josh's call at the other table was OK too, although it led to complications.