[keylime]

1. 2H, even with my forcing club mentality screaming at me to bid 3H (I open a forcing club and hope the opps don't bury me - 3 suiters are not fun for us). The reasoning is very simple - if pard is on the lower range of his NT, 5-7, they likely have club honors which doesn't amount to a hill of beans with your super hand. If pard takes preference back to 2S, then you have the chance to bid 3D to pattern out and still show extras. Also, pard may have a 10-11 hand with 4 hearts too and thusly you need to give pard a chance. It's a good hand, yes, but don't hang pard for making their forcing NT response on xx xxx xxx KQxxx.

2. Also 2H; pard will give preference in spades. May also be your best fit versus an awkward 6-1. Berkowitz-themed hand here.

[ycos]

Maybe the 2♣(not 1♠) openning rezolve the problem of first deal.

[jdonn]

Why are you using the possibility of a slam in diamonds as a reason to jump shift, it is a reason NOT to jump shift as that makes it impossible to get to diamonds if partner rebids 3NT. Unless you are bidding 4♦ over 3NT in which case you have overbid on a 17 count, wasted a level of bidding space, and made it impossible to ever play 3NT any more.

Yes 2♥ is very wide ranging. That is MUCH better than having 3♥ be wide ranging, as you have an extra level to sort it out, and can play a partscore when partner is weak.

And Kxxxx AKxx xx xx is not an opening hand by any normal standards. I would not open Kxxxx AKxx Jx xx, and consider the pass normal (but would open that hand with improved spade spots, which frankly is still a light opening bid.) So 2♥ is not quite as wide as you are making it out to be.

[Walddk]

ochinko, on Sep 12 2007, 03:49 PM, said:

Obviously I am missing something here as it seems like most experts are unanimous that with both hands the normal rebid is 2♥. I am a bit disappointed that very little reasoning was presented.

The hand is powerful, but only if we have a fit. None is guaranteed after 1NT, and that's why it's no game force at this point. If you are afraid of missing a diamond slam, the only certain way to miss it is to rebid 3♥. 4♦ by responder would not be natural as most people play it.

If you rebid 2♥, however, there is still a chance that the diamond fit is located. Am I worried about missing a major suit game if I rebid 2♥? No, responder will always support hearts with four, and if he has an invitational hand with three spades, his next bid will be 3♠.

Many tend to add distributional points too early in the auction. In my view it's a good idea to wait until a fit has been established (if ever). This is a 17 count, a medium opening hand, and it remains a 17 count if we don't have a fit.

If we end up in notrumps or in spades/hearts on 5-2/4-3, you can throw distributional points out of the window.

As an example, the actual hand needs ♥Q instead of one of the small ones to make it a jump shift (game force) in my book. Even then game is by no means certain, but you will go for it regardless.

Roland

[han]

jdonn, on Sep 13 2007, 01:20 AM, said:

Yes 2♥ is very wide ranging. That is MUCH better than having 3♥ be wide ranging, as you have an extra level to sort it out, and can play a partscore when partner is weak.

Good point imo.