[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

the system you are playing is something like SAYC.

You hold as opener

♠KJ ♥A9843♦AKQ2♣T2

and the bidding develops as follows

1♥ - 1 ♠
2♦ - 2 ♥
???

I guess your options are Pass or 2NT.

Which option do you choose?
If the scoring matters, assume IMPs.
If the vulnerability matters, mention it.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[rogerclee]

Pass. With no club stopper and such weak hearts, I am not optimistic about my chances at anything more ambitious.

[kenrexford]

Although slightly misleading, 2♠ may be the winning call. This is especially true for partnerships that would raise to 2♠ immediately with 3541 pattern.

[jtfanclub]

kenrexford, on Jun 29 2008, 02:37 PM, said:

Although slightly misleading, 2♠ may be the winning call. This is especially true for partnerships that would raise to 2♠ immediately with 3541 pattern.

I agree with the above. Also, if partner will tend to bid 1NT with a balanced 6 or 7 even with 4 spades, but never with 5 spades.

[mike777]

I would try 2s.
Partner knows I am bidding on only 2 spades and I got no club stoppers.

OTOH if we open pretty sound I got an easy pass over 2h now.

[655321]

mike777, on Jun 29 2008, 11:34 PM, said:

I would try 2s.
Partner knows I am bidding on only 2 spades and I got no club stoppers.

How does partner know you don't have a 3541 16 count instead?

[mike777]

655321, on Jun 29 2008, 11:42 PM, said:

mike777, on Jun 29 2008, 11:34 PM, said:

I would try 2s.
Partner knows I am bidding on only 2 spades and I got no club stoppers.

How does partner know you don't have a 3541 16 count instead?

I agree your example can be tough to bid. 16 hcp hands are perhaps even tougher in my style. In practice I almost never have them but still fair question.

I would respond 2s over 1s but agree this is a tough hand to bid.

As for the OP hand as I mentioned I think we have an easy pass if we open sound, 2s if something less.

[jdonn]

2♠ seems obvious to me. It should be taught that this only promises a doubleton, but I don't know how widespread of a teaching that has become yet. 2NT is out without a stopper but we are good enough for a third bid to show a hand in the range just below a jump shift.

[the hog]

Well I will bid 2NT. 2S is out with only a 2 card suit, as this is totally misleading about shape as well - 3541.
Second choice is pass, and this is probably what I would do at MPs

[pclayton]

I'm not passing.

2♠ on KJ or 2N on 10-x in the unbid suit? Doesn't seem close to me.

[andy_h]

Agree that I'm definitely not passing! I have such a great hand and game is can still be in the picture and this is imps. What to rebid is the question. Personally, I think I would bid 2S. Even though this may mislead partner into thinking we have 3541, I'm not afraid that we're in a 4S contract in 5-2 with no club stoppers between partner and I. Given this is B/I and if partner really has a thing against 7card fits or against we do something special or 'theoretically better and expect partner to be understanding' or something, then I would bid 2NT. I'm not exactly that fussed about 2NT, but I just think that it's definitely better than passing and also that 2S is a better description (and would get us to the right contract more often).

[han]

pclayton, on Jun 30 2008, 10:23 AM, said:

I'm not passing.

2♠ on KJ or 2N on 10-x in the unbid suit? Doesn't seem close to me.

Ditto.

[ASkolnick]

I think 2S is a fine call. I have good spades and a hand that can almost be treated as a 3-5-4-1 hand. It does not stop me from any other contract. If he raises to 4S it is probably not a bad contract anyway.

[rbforster]

Anyone else consider 3♦ with the nice suit? I like 2♠ better myself, but it seems like another option.

[KamalK]

Generally when we Intermediates play on BBO its almost always with pick up partners. In such cases our thumb rule in such sequences is to pass when partner takes us back to our first suit. Not sure if this is right, but it works out fine.

Any suggestions of course welcome.

Warm regards to all

Kamal