[Cascade]

I don't have the exact hand - I might be able to find it if I am pushed.

Sitting south I have a non-descript 12 count with 3343 distribution.

Some thing like:

Scoring: IMPs

---

1♦ (1♥) Dbl (Pass)
?

What do you rebid?

Not willing to bid NTs without a stopper in the opponent's suit I tried 2♣ but that only led to a worse problem ...

1♦ (1♥) Dbl (Pass)
2♣ (Pass) 2♥ (Pass)
?

What now?

Should I have done something different at my second turn to call?

[paulhar]

Does your double show 4 spades?

Being law followers, we like to bid 1S on this hand and bid 2S on all minimums with 4S. I'm not sure how common this treatment is, but it has saved us on more than one occasion (which is pretty good when we play twice a year)

I might have bid 1S even without the agreement, hoping not to be raised to game

If it denies spades, partner has to have clubs and I'd just bite the bullet and bid 'em again over 2H. What else can you do? Partner has to realize that you could hold this hand. A perfect example of your post on another thread that passing when you have no good bid isn't always wise.

[Cascade]

paulhar, on Jul 28 2004, 01:53 PM, said:

Being law followers, we like to bid 1S on this hand and bid 2S on all minimums with 4S.

I like this idea.

On this occasion double did show four spades.

[1eyedjack]

I have seen it suggested that 1NT need not promise a guard in this situation.
Advancer's failure to support Hearts and overcaller's failure to jump combine to suggest that either partner can guard the suit or the suit is blocked or they are not running too many of them.
If you die in 1NT and they can run the suit you can bide your time discarding losers until you get in, and you may still have enough to make (or if you go down they may be making a partscore in H).
If partner has extras he has room to look for a genuine guard and will be on notice not to expect too much shape from you when you deny (although it does require the discipline to ask about it).
Bidding 1NT may prevent them competing further in H, but if you alert the 1N as not promising a guard then that should not be relied upon (anyway, perhaps you should encourage them to continue competing in H?)

I am not convinced by this reasoning, but as I say, I have seen it postulated.

Personally I prefer the 1S/2S agreement, although it will not always be available: What if your majors were reversed and it had gone 1D (1S) X (P)?

[whereagles]

One of the french schools of bidding also advocates bidding 1S on this hand, with 2/3/4S 4-card support of the appropriate strenght. With reversed majors... well, I suppose 1NT would have to be. I never cared much for stoppers anyway

[Free]

1♠ clearcut. With 4 card ♠ you should always bid 2♠ to keep opps from finding a minor fit to defend in.

I wonder when Luke Warm is going to say that this is a nice 1NT opener according to his standards

[luis]

On your first turn I'd bid 1NT, pd asked for a descriptive bid not for stoppers and we do have a balanced hand, so 1NT is the most descriptive bid. 2♣ in my opinion showing 9 cards in the minors is too missleading.
Once you bid 2♣ over 2♥ you can bid 2NT or 2♠ 2NT showing 2-2-5-4 or 2-2-4-5 is probably better than 2♠ showing 3-1-5-4 or 3-1-4-5.
Anyway when I have a 4333 hand I like to bid 1NT if I can....

[Flame]

id bid 1nt

[Gerben47]

I would've started with 1♠ on my second turn. Now I bid 2♠. 2NT without a stopper is silly at this point. Partner might now think you have something like:

AK
xx
KQxxx
xxxx

but thinking you have a stopper when you don't is worse.

Gerben

[paulg]

With an understanding partner I'd have rebid 1NT but can certainly live with 2♣.

Now the problem seems to have got easier rather than worse, since a 2♠ bid looks clearcut.

Paul

[Rado]

Hi all,
It's usefull agreement to bid 1NT in similar positions showing shape and range nevermind stopper. There is enough space to check for stoppers if we belong to 3NT and the risk of wrong-siding the contract is fairly low comparing with simplicity of the next bids (if any). It's your P behind the overcall so if he has any stops they are well placed.
I've using such methods for the last 10 years and the results seem fairly normal without any tricky bids and misunderstandings.
Regards
Rado

[Trpltrbl]

1♠, and I don't always have 4 for that bid.

Mike

[luke warm]

easy 1nt opening (heheh.. happy free?)

[Antoine Fourrière]

1N, to show pattern and not stoppers. I would bid 1♠ with 3=2=4=4 or 3=2=5=3 (unless I have Kx or Qx to protect) and 2♠ with four cards.