[skjaeran]

For me this hand is sub-minimum for a 2♣ overcall. But it's a style thing.

3♣ is not a good idea IMO, I'd normally pass with this hand.

[karlis_ooo]

Codo, on Jul 20 2009, 10:02 AM, said:

Now you have to clear it up a bid and show that you have a quite weak hand within the possible range of a 2 ♣ call.

3 NT does not limit the hand.

OK, 3N does not limit my hand (in terms of HCP).
But it warns partner that there might be a diamond wastage for club play.
3N shouldn't need much to make. Just some tricks and luck with ♣ establishment.

Isn't 4♣ worse?
Partner might count on 9-12 points on average outside ♦. Say non-maximum hands like ♣AKQxxx; ♣KQTxxx ♠AQ ♦xxx ♥xx
But i have considerably less.

[Codo]

When partner has no 3 NT bid by himself, you need these cards from him to make 3 NT:
Axxx,Axxx,xx;Kxx

Any other queen or king makes the contract not safer.
Give him KQxx,KQxx,xx,Kxx and you are down even with a diamond lead.
Give him AKQx, AKQx,xx,xxx and 3 NT is on a finesse (through the opener, so this is more then 50 %.
Give him shorter clubs and you need the clubs to break.

So 3 NT may be a big winner opposite the idle hand- but it is a big risk too.
Of course 4 club is no lock either and when 3 NT makes, you look like a moron, but I would prefer this bid opposite a hand which made a negative double, facing a raise to 3 ♦ which normally shows 9 diamondsd between the opponent hands.


And you cannot have both: You cannot "count on 9-12 HCPS" outside of diamonds and bid 2 Club with these hands. If you decide to overcall with this hand, your partner must reduce his expectations.

[karlis_ooo]

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Give him KQxx,KQxx,xx,Kxx and you are down even with a diamond lead.

But 5♣ doesn't make either... 4♣ is also not safe.

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Give him AKQx, AKQx,xx,xxx and 3 NT is on a finesse (through the opener, so this is more then 50 %.

But 5♣ is worse...

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Give him shorter clubs and you need the clubs to break.

Is that a reason against bidding 3NT? I mean... how does this help ♣ play? Just seems worse as opponens might double with those bad breaks more confidently.

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And you cannot have both: You cannot "count on 9-12 HCPS" outside of diamonds and bid 2 Club with these hands. If you decide to overcall with this hand, your partner must reduce his expectations.

On average... why should he count me on ♣AQxxxx ♠xxx ♥xx ♦xx?

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So 3 NT may be a big winner opposite the idle hand- but it is a big risk too.

What risk? That 4♣ might make and 3N go down? If so, risk seems acceptable to me.

I guess i am moron that doesn't understand nothing from this game, but these arguments doun't convince me..

[Codo]

Maybe I am the moron and the examples had been bad, I may even hold a minority view and most players will try 3 NT with the given hand. ...