[Fluffy]

IMPs, EW vulnerable, dealer north

♠Q2
♥Q109
♦A10874
♣Q93

1♠-1NT
2♠-??

[Jlall]

This seems largely like a style question. I would bid 3S with most people, but in my preferred style of opening very aggro w/r with 6 spades, I would just pass. I do not like 2N at all. If it gets passed I am probably in the wrong partial. As far as game decisions, I like my chances of getting to the right one of 3N and 4S after bidding 3S (partner can offer 3N now) way more than after 2N (partner can't bid 4S with 6 of them ever, etc).

[MFA]

A routine 3♠ for me.

[gnasher]

I usually play 2NT as an artificial spade raise of some sort, like after a weak two. Hands where you really want to bid 2NT naturally are very rare.

[Jlall]

gnasher, on Dec 12 2009, 08:24 AM, said:

I usually play 2NT as an artificial spade raise of some sort, like after a weak two.  Hands where you really want to bid 2NT naturally are very rare.

Meh I don't think a hand with like 11-12 (if you think 12 is too heavy because your openers are quite sound that you can GF with 12 and a stiff in partners suit, then change this range to 10-11) and a stiff spade is that rare at all. Most people I know now play 2N as an asking bid or raise or whatever on the basis that if you are weakish with a 6 card suit and partner has some values and a stiff in your suit, you want to play the 6 card suit as trumps rather than 2N anyways. I don't really agree with that, I think 2N can make on power a lot with 22-24 points, and playing a 6-1 fit at the 3 level especially when the 6 card suit could literally be ANY six card suit seems way more speculative than that. But I play strong club in all of my serious partnerships now, so it's not like I have a lot of experience in this auction.

[mcphee]

3S, not the best 3S but what can you do. On these hands for NT to play well partner requires good S as you need to get 6 of them before giving up the lead. Qxx in 2 suits,0ne of which will be under attack on the lead, facing a dbletn in partners hand means problems.

[suokko]

gnasher, on Dec 12 2009, 03:24 PM, said:

I usually play 2NT as an artificial spade raise of some sort, like after a weak two. Hands where you really want to bid 2NT naturally are very rare.

I do natural 2NT here sometimes with xx♠ and ood looking spot cards in side suits as slow double stopper. I'm still in gain side because once I made vuln 3NT while team mats defeated 4♠ when partner had bad ♠ and ♠ was breaking 4-1. Ok. I sometimes lose a few over tricks.

I agree this is style question and with sounds openings this looks 3♠.

[Fluffy]

partner tried 2NT and was penaliced with 6 running hearts from the start and another trick. I had

♠A987xx
♥xx
♦Jx
♣AK10