[flytoox]

Both Vul, Dealer: west. You hold in south:
S: AQ9XX
H: KQTX
D: AX
C: AX

W N E S
P P 2D X
P 3N P ?

do you pass or bid sth? what 4s would mean?

[irg20]

I pass.

I think this problem is more interesting if partner were an unpassed hand (indeed his bidding is quite extraordinary given that I could be fairly light with short diamonds - in which case 3NT is not going to be a great success).

NT is quite likely to be a fairly good strain to play in with diamonds so well held between the two hands. Spade contracts might suffer at the hands of heart ruffs.

If partner were unpassed then I might bid 4S: this does not show a simple single suiter (which I could have shown earlier by jump bidding some number of spades).

Best wishes to all,

Ian

PS. I think an underated strength of the weak 2D bid is the difficulty opponents might have in sorting out the optimal major suit strain to play in at any level.

[inquiry]

Quote

Both Vul, Dealer: west. You hold in south:
S: AQ9XX
H: KQTX
D: AX
C: AX

W N E S
P P 2D X
P 3N P ?

do you pass or bid sth? what 4s would mean?

4S would show a great hand too good for a 2S overcall. and probably a better spade suit. First stop to think about what your partner will have for his jump to 3NT.

I think vul, 10/11 to 12 hcp seems clear (he is a passed hand. He will not have a big diamonds stack (probably not four and certainly not five) as he would pass 2Dx when they are vul with a balanced hand and buncho of diamonds. He is unlikely to have four cards in either major (after all you do have the diamond ACE and rho opened 2D vul, albeit in thrid seat, so he must have a fair suit, partner rates to have diamond KT9 or maybe KT83, something like that at most. More likely, partner has Diamond Kx(x) and a good club suit he is hoping you have a fitting card for. I suspect his hand could easily be...

S-K
H-xxx
D-QJx
C-KQxxxx

and he is hoping you have the fitting club ACE (you do) and a few quick tricks. The other possibility is that your RHO is a wild man, and your partner has a balanced 11 or 12 with two solid diamond stoppers. Think KQx of diamonds.

What ever your partner has, you can make one mild slam try, as you need very little from him for a fair shot at slam, I would bid 4D and see if he bids a three card spade suit. If he retreats to 4NT, I give.

[luis]

Quote

Both Vul, Dealer: west. You hold in south:
S: AQ9XX
H: KQTX
D: AX
C: AX

W N E S
P P 2D X
P 3N P ?

do you pass or bid sth? what 4s would mean?

4N, expecting pd to bid 6N with 12+. He can pass with 10/11 balanced.