[jillybean]

Hand1:
3nt made but I think the auction stinks

Scoring: IMP

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West North East South

 Pass  1♥    1♠    2♣
 Pass  2♦    2♠    Pass
 Pass  3♦    Pass  3NT
 Pass  Pass  Pass  


Hand2:
This often seems to happen with distributional hands where neither partner will pass, should I pass 4♦?.

Scoring: IMP

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West North East South

 1♠    2♥    2♠    3♣
 3♠    4♦    Pass  5♦
 Pass  Pass  Pass  

[ArtK78]

Hand 1:

I have some sympathy for South's 2♣ call over 1♠. He has to do something and he can't pass intending to pass a reopening double of 1♠ - his spades are not good enough.

I do not understand East's 2♠ call - he is 5-5, but his hand is terrible and his spade suit is terrible for a 5 card rebid at IMPs.

Even at IMPs I would double 2♠ holding the South hand. Of course, North will pull and South will still bid 3NT.

The auction was strange, but the final contract is fairly normal.

Hand 2:

North has got to decide if his hand is one-suited or two-suited. If he is treating it as a one-suiter, he should overcall hearts and not introduce his diamond suit later in the auction. If he is treating it as a two-suiter, he should make a Michaels cue bid over 1♠ (or use whatever methods the partnership employs for two-suited overcalls) and be done with it. His hand is not good enough to overcall hearts and then bid diamonds. South has a right to expect North to have a more suitable hand on this auction - for example, x AJTxx AKTxx xx or better. Passing 4♦ on this auction is impossible.

On this auction, I would expect to make 6♦ more frequently than fail in 5♦.

[TimG]

You might decide to try 4H on the second hand.