[manudude03]

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North deals. East will bid 2S assuming possible, how do you bid these hands? A new-ish partner and I ended in 3N by south going down 2 when partner misguessed the spades.

edit: IMPs scoring if it matters.

[gszes]

1c (2s)
3c invitational what else? if p is min we surely dont want to
be in game right?
3d heck yes looking for game and showing stop
3h heres a heart stop no spde stop (might have a partial)
lack of neg x round 1 makes it clear this is not a heart suit.
5c if p no spade stop than 5c should have decent play.

[kayin801]

1C-(2S)-2NT
3S(strong forcing, probably implies shortness)-4C
4D(KC)-4NT (2 no Q)
6C

I find it hard to stop short of slam. I've been in worse ones.

[Codo]

1♣ (2♠) 3 NT (2 NT is non natural, so I need to overbid a little).
4♣ 4 ♦(asking, minimum)
4♥ 5♦ (Kc?) 2 W/O)
6♣

I guess that bidding just 5 ♣ is better, but this is what I had done.

[JLOGIC]

manudude03, on 2012-September-17, 16:04, said:

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North deals. East will bid 2S assuming possible, how do you bid these hands? A new-ish partner and I ended in 3N by south going down 2 when partner misguessed the spades.

Were you playing matchpoints? 1C 2S 2N p 3N is probably a reasonable auction at MP (and indeed 3N is certainly a reasonable contract). At imps north should probably bid 3S over 2N and south would then not play NT (I do not agree that 3C over 2N would be forcing).

[manudude03]

JLOGIC, on 2012-September-18, 02:23, said:

Were you playing matchpoints? 1C 2S 2N p 3N is probably a reasonable auction at MP (and indeed 3N is certainly a reasonable contract). At imps north should probably bid 3S over 2N and south would then not play NT (I do not agree that 3C over 2N would be forcing).

IMPs, adding it to OP.

[Quantumcat]

I would go:

1♣(1) (2♠) 3♥(2) (P)
4♦(3) 4NT(4)
6♣

1. 15+ balanced, or natural 14+ hcp, not 5+♣/4+♥ or 5+♦/4+♣ unless of good reversing strength, and not 5+♣/4+♠ unless 21+ hcp
2. Cue-raise, would like a 3NT bid if opener is balanced with stopper.
3/4. RKCB, 2 without queen

If there had been 4♠ showing 0 or 3, opener would ask for responder's diamond holding with 5♣, an ask in the lowest side suit (not signoff if responder has three or more keycards). With a response of 5♥ (doubleton or queen), opener will ask which with 5♠, after 5NT (doubleton) opener bids 7♣, and after 6♣/6♦, showing queen third or longer/queen doubleton, opener can bid 7NT. If responder had bid 5♦ (Jxx or worse/longer), opener can ask in hearts with 5♥, if opener bids 5♠ showing nothing, opener can bid 6NT, if he bids 5NT showing doubleton or queen, opener bids 6♦ asking which, if responder bids 6♥ (doubleton) opener can bid 6NT, if responder bids 6♠ (queen third or longer) opener can bid 7NT, if responder bids 6NT (queen doubleton), opener can pass.

[rhm]

gszes, on 2012-September-17, 18:30, said:

1c (2s)
3c invitational what else? if p is min we surely dont want to
be in game right?
....

Looks to me mighty conservative when holding an opening and a club fit.
3♣ would not occur to me, which I would bid with an ace less.

I think the options are

3♠: Hoping that partner can bid 3NT. I rather play 3NT from partner's side than 2NT from my side
Pass: And Pass the reopening double. If partner bids 2NT raise and bid 3♠ on anything else.

1♣-(2♠)-3♠
4♠-5♣
6♣

Rainer Herrmann

[lalldonn]

1♣ (1♠) 2NT
3♠ and then responder definitely doesn't bid 3NT.

This seems clear to me at both forms of scoring.

[PhilKing]

I would overbid with 3NT for systemic reasons, then:

4♠(self-supporting clubs, slam try, plus shortage)-6♣

From South's point of view, his hand is now huge, and slam would be cold with the red suits reversed.

Slam is better than first glance for a couple of reasons. Firstly, whilst the spades are probably 6-3, the hearts rate to be at least 63 the other way, so the diamond finesse is far from a lost cause.

Secondly, East may hold ♠AKTxxx ♥Jx ♦Txxx ♣x or similar, and we stumble into a show-up squeeze.

[JLOGIC]

lalldonn, on 2012-September-19, 10:40, said:

1♣ (1♠) 2NT
3♠ and then responder definitely doesn't bid 3NT.

This seems clear to me at both forms of scoring.

I really disagree with this at MP. I mean look at this hand, you would get to clubs instead of NT. No, 6C is not hopeless, but it's not a slam I'd want to be in either. And I definitely would hate to be in 5C rather than 3N, maybe I am overestimating my chances of guessing spades but I feel pretty good about them

[lalldonn]

JLOGIC, on 2012-September-19, 15:45, said:

I really disagree with this at MP. I mean look at this hand, you would get to clubs instead of NT. No, 6C is not hopeless, but it's not a slam I'd want to be in either. And I definitely would hate to be in 5C rather than 3N, maybe I am overestimating my chances of guessing spades but I feel pretty good about them

I think you would want to be in slam. If the 2♠ bidder has the A and K then you make if he has either the Q or T of diamonds. If he doesn't have both the A and K then you still make if he has the queen of diamonds or you guess that he has Tx, and don't you like your odds of guessing that as much as the spade guess in 3NT?

My really strong feeling is about 3♠. Even at mps why can't opener describe his hand below 3NT? There really isn't any cost, and then if responder thinks he should play 3NT at mps anyway I guess that's up to him.

[JLOGIC]

lalldonn, on 2012-September-19, 16:30, said:

My really strong feeling is about 3♠. Even at mps why can't opener describe his hand below 3NT?

Because, you don't describe your hand. 3S shows doubt about NT, here we have solid clubs. Wouldn't you also bid 3S on x Axx Kx KQxxxxx? Partner is never going to bid 3N over 3S with 1 spade stopper and no club filler, which will be a shame since we want to play in 3N opposite that when we have solid clubs.

[JLOGIC]

lalldonn, on 2012-September-19, 16:30, said:

I think you would want to be in slam. If the 2♠ bidder has the A and K then you make if he has either the Q or T of diamonds.

If this were true, it would be a great slam, unfortunately it is not! It is similar to calling Axx opp KJT 100 % since you make if either hand has the queen.