[sceptic]

if it was any help, my bidding and play of the three previous hands would not have inspired much trust for my p

Scoring: IMP

---

West North East South

 1♦    Pass  Pass  Dbl
 Pass  2♣    Pass  Pass
 2♦    Pass  Pass  3♣
 Pass  Pass  Pass  

[pbleighton]

2C shows a max of 8/9 hcp, and is a big underbid. Boo hiss

It's still not easy to get there, though. The double is in the balancing seat, and in any case do you want to bid 4C and bypass 3NT? 3C will probably be passed.

Peter

[whereagles]

that's a pretty hard game to bid confidently...

[goobers]

Would people consider a takeout double with the N hand? It would make a little easier to find, I guess.

[pbleighton]

Quote

Would people consider a takeout double with the N hand?

No.

Peter

[kenberg]

...

[kenberg]

I don't really see how the South hand can do more. Over 2D it would be good for the North hand to act since he certainly has more values than he might hold on the bidding so far. But how? The shape is bad. Having denied a major with his 2C bid maybe he could call 2S. Clubs, spades (good three card holding), some values. I still doubt you get there. If by any chance he catches partner with three clubs and four spades they will be in a strong Moysian at the two level and it should play ok. Better than playing a Moysian club fit at the three level. The fact that there are three diamonds in the hand with the hand with the short spades would not be devastating at the 2 level. They cash three diamonds, N pitching losers, then he is in a position to ruff with the short hand, draw trumps, cash winners.

As long as partner understands that 2S call shows a strong three card holding plus values, it should be a safe call. As the cards lie it seems to make 5S if you go all out: With the lead of the stiff club it's easy, with a D lead you make 5 if you don't play safe, ruff the second D, drive out the ace of hearts, ruff another D, draw trump, claim. Maybe not the way one would play it, but also, with the club fit, you will be playing clubs, not spades. Bidding 2S over 2D should be pretty safe.

[dcvetkov]

North has a game values opposite takeout double with a assumed diamond shortness, even if it is a underhog double in 4th seat.... So North should take the blame, South really can not do more.

AS how to get there, starting with 2♦ cuebid seems best, but the usual treatment is that South should bid his 4 card major, so it can get complicated... or very hard to get to 5♣.

[skjaeran]

Over the double, north should cuebid 2♦ and then bid 3♣ over south's 2♥. Should show this kind of hand - opening strenght, balanced, no ♦ stopper.

South then should be able to count 11 tricks in a club contract.

[mink]

skaeran wrote exactly what I would say.

Karl

[mcphee]

The problem was not that the N hand passed 1D, it was failing to cue bid 2D after partners balancing dble. Usually this cue bid shows 11+ hcp, when partner bids a major N simply bids his suit and now the S hand can see the big potential in playing tricks.

Bidding 2C is really very poor and does nothing to help the balancing hand.