[dickiegera]

Partner N believes bidding should go

1NT -2♦ Transfer
2♥- 2♠
4♠ all pass

I prefer

1♠-3♦ Reverse Bergen
4♠ all pass

Opinions or other suggestion please

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[neilkaz]

A very prime 17 count with a 5 card♠ suit is way too good for me to open 1NT.

1♠ all the way !

[jdonn]

You should upgrade almost every 17 count with a 5 card major out of 1NT, since you get extra benefit from showing the major and the 5 card suit makes an upgrade never far off. And he wants the exception to be AK AK K??? With all due respect to him, your partner doesn't know how to evaluate properly. Did you point out to him that if your clubs and hearts were reversed you were about to play a very cold spade game in 1NT?

I would further add if you had forced me to open 1NT on the north hand and partner transferred to hearts I would consider a superaccept obvious, and I am one of the most sound super-accepters you will ever meet.

[Codo]

Of course this hand is no 1 NT opening, but make it AKxxx,Akx,Jxx,xx.

Now the question is much harder to answer. But it is still a matter of style, both styles are playable.

[peachy]

1NT is out of range
- too good
- too control rich, ie. suit oriented
- good 5-card major

Opening 1S seems clear to me.

[dickiegera]

Our bidding on his hand went

1NT 2♣ Garbage stayman
2♠ all pass

I guess I might have raised to 3♠

I have a great partner we have a very FUN time playing together and
love talking about hands after playing. We are trying to improve and
get as GOOD as we possibly can.

Thanks all for comments and opinions.