[silvr bull]

Not vul and playing with a good partner against vul BBO random opponents, RHO opens 1NT and I hold this:

♠AK7532
♥
♦K4
♣KJ632

What structure or approach or convention would you prefer to show this hand? Double as a first bid to show strength feels risky here. It could then go all pass (they might be able to win my low ♠ lead and then take the next six or more tricks in the red suits), or the opponents might bid ♥ or ♦ to the 3 level before I can begin to show my ♠ suit to partner.

My partner and I use Astro (as defined here) to compete with weakish two suited hands after the opponents open 1NT. A "perfect" hand for overcalling after 1NT could be little more than KJxxx in two suits, though one of the suits could be only 4 cards with compensating values in the hand. I wanted partner to know that I have a two suited hand (even though he will not yet know about the shape or playing strength), so I bid 2♦ to show ♠ and a lower suit. Partner bid 2♥ which is a neutral suit negative that denies 3 card ♠ support, but says nothing else about his hand. Then RHO bids 2NT! How would you proceed?

[phil_20686]

Much as I hate Astro, it does leave you well placed here, if you show spades and another, and partner bids 2S (which he should do whenever he has three spades basically), you can then just blast 4S.

[aguahombre]

Since people often use different methods over weak vs strong NT, do we get to know which one we are dealing with here?

[kenrexford]

Crunched Cappelletti approaches work here. (http://ebooksbridge....products_id=486)

Bid 2♣ as "One or Both Majors." If partner bids 2♦ as a reply (prefers spades), bid 3♣ as a game try (clubs and spades).

If partner (more likely) bids 2♥ (prefers hearts to spades), bid 2NT (spades and a minor, extras) and then act accordingly as the auction unwinds.

[Phil]

Id overcall 2♠ multi-landy (♠ + minor).

If LHO bid 2N, (edit) doubling 3♣ is a cheap way to get my clubs in, and then I can compete to 3♠.

[SteveMoe]

There's a lost approach that works well here - bid 2N showing
1)minors
2)Strong 2-suiter

Then over partner's/opponent's continuation bid ♠
If opponents carelessly bid ♥ you can make a Michaels bid.

1N-2N-P-3♣/♦
P-3♠ (Strong 2 suiter) - P - Raise/3N (ask other suit)/Pass

[silvr bull]

SteveMoe, on 2012-November-15, 19:39, said:

There's a lost approach that works well here - bid 2N showing
1)minors
2)Strong 2-suiter

Then over partner's/opponent's continuation bid ♠
If opponents carelessly bid ♥ you can make a Michaels bid.

1N-2N-P-3♣/♦
P-3♠ (Strong 2 suiter) - P - Raise/3N (ask other suit)/Pass

This is excellent! Thanks!! Giving 2NT a dual use is the best solution I can see with strong two suited hands like this.

aguahombre, on 2012-November-15, 09:07, said:

Since people often use different methods over weak vs strong NT, do we get to know which one we are dealing with here?

All the BBO random players I have seen play SAYC strong 1NT (15-17+ HCP). The partnerships who play a weak 1NT (like us) would alert that. I assumed the 1NT was strong, and did not ask, so I presented the same information here that I had at the table.

[Fluffy]

I'd rather bid 4♠ than 2♠ no matter what they mean