[gwnn]

Here's two problems I recently faced with spades.

1. imps

KJ8743
T2
73
K54

1♥-1♠
2♦-?

2. mps, None

Kxx
Qxx
AQJx
Jxx

1♦-x-1♠-p
1NT-2♣-2♠-3♣
?

1NT showed 13-16. opps aren't necessarily good.

Wayne was right, the auction is now corrected.

[Cascade]

I think something might be missing in the second auction.

On the first auction you have a choice between 2♠ and 2♥.

The spades are not great opposite a shortage so I think i will go quietly with 2♥.

[P_Marlowe]

#1 2S
Playing weak jump shifts helps here
#2 Pass

With kind regards
Marlowe

[jdonn]

1. 2♠, seems perfectly obvious and normal to me.
2. 3♠, they are bidding a suit where I don't have wasted values, and if partner's hand was truly awful with bad spades he could pass over 2♣ so his minimum may be higher and he really shouldn't have five spades almost ever. However I must confess I have never played a notrump rebid range of 13-16 (that's really what you play??) so if I'm supposed to pass because I'm a minimum for the wide range rebid then that's just a reason such a method seems kind of silly.

[gwnn]

we were having fun playing 10-12 nt's, so yes, 1NT is 13-16

[Cascade]

jdonn, on Feb 23 2009, 11:54 AM, said:

... and he really shouldn't have five spades almost ever.

The frequency of partner having five spades is correlated with how often we will rebid 1NT with a singleton and raise with three and a balanced hand.

[the hog]

2H and 3S
On the first, the S suit is not good enough for 2S.

[mtvesuvius]

I agree with Josh here... 2♠ (wtp) and 3♠ (IMO showing support is important here, however I wish I had more than a minimum 1NT rebid)

[jdeegan]

2♥ on the first one, but it seems close to me - somewhat dependent on whether pard might raise ♠ with a three card holding - if so, it makes a ♥ contract a little safer bet. I am trying to avoid a 6-1 fit in ♠.

3♠ on the second one. Nothing wasted in ♣. Pard will usually have 6♠ or at worst a fairly solid 5 bagger.

[Codo]

2 ♠ in the first one. This could be a disaster facing a spade chicane or even opposite a singelton and unluckily a shortage in spades is a big risk. But else, my hand is so much stronger in spades that I take the risk. This is obviously no wtp.

3 ♠ in the second example, time to show support even with this horrible shape.

[MFA]

Yes & yes, 2♠ & 3♠.

[Fluffy]

I find both close, I like 2♠ in the first because it protects the ♣K from the lead.

On the second: Depends on the style obviously, to me 1NT is a way of support, and I expect partner to bid 3 spades himself with many 6 card holdings.

Still we have good honnor allocation, with only ♥Q wasted, 3 spades will be a good shot as long as partner has 6 spades or 3 diamonds, I'll go for it.

[hanp]

Anything but 2S is too deep on the first one.

I'll go with 3S on the second one as well.

[ArtK78]

Neither one seems close to me.

2♠ and 3♠.

[Codo]

I voted 2 ♠, but I wonder about the 2♠ wtp crowd.

Pd has at least 9 cards in the reds, you have a sure 5-2 heart fit, so why is 2 Heart no serious alternative? To me it would be a 55/45 descission.