[benlessard]

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MP
Do you agree with the bidding ?

[ArtK78]

This is very difficult because of the form of scoring. From North's perspective, South would have to have about the exact hand he actually holds for 6♦ to be a reasonable spot. Playing in 5♦ is likely to be a disaster. But while slam in spades is unlikely, game in spades should score as well or better than game in diamonds. So 4♠ at matchpoints is not unreasonable.

At IMPs, playing in 5♦ should be OK, so it makes sense to show the diamond fit and the club ace by bidding 5♣. Here that will lead to 6♦, which is a very reasonable contract. Still, 6♦ is not the greatest contract in the world, and I would not be shocked if it failed.

Bottom line - at matchpoints, the bidding shown in the OP is fine.

[mikeh]

No, I don't agree with the bidding.

Imo, responder should mark time over the 3♦ call with a quiet 3♠. I don't like 3N since unless opener can rebid 3N over 3♠, we are almost certainly looking at having to run 8 tricks after we stop whichever suit they lead (and indeed it is possible that they can run 5 hearts on the go).

I understand 3N and I appreciate that my view is unlikely to be unanimous, but I generally prefer to mark time on these auctions unless I am very short in spades, or have significant diamond length. I would be far more inclined to bid 3N with xx Q10xx Jxx A108x as examples, where I am far more sanguine about our prospects of playing notrump successfully should partner pass.

Once partner pulls 3N to 4♦, I think we owe him a 5♣ call (Clearly a cue in support of diamonds)rather than signing off in spades, but once again I appreciate this won't be unanimous. It's not as if slam is terrific, and the mp condition argues in favour of trying for 620/600 or 650/620.

Put another way: I disagree with both late actions by South but I wouldn't describe either as egregious errors. I do think that the 3N call was a worse transgression than 4♠, altho at imps I would be far more critical of 4♠ than I am at mps.

[TWO4BRIDGE]

I agree w/Mikeh ... Responder should rebid 3S = minimum hand with as few as 2 cards ♠ .
A jump to 4S by Responder would show a limit raise with 3 cards -- a hand that would have jumped to 3S over a minimum rebid of say 2D by Opener.

[TylerE]

At MP I'm just going to Hammon's Law it.

Pass 3NT

[the hog]

3NT is a poor bid. I agree with mikeh that 3S is the bid to make. 3NT for me looks something like xx QJTx xxx KJTx.Anyway to answer the question - playing with a real Bridge player, I would pass 3NT. Over 3S - 4D North should cue 5C.

[MrAce]

I agree with 3NT, someone has to bid it and responder doesn't even know yet that pd has 5-5.

I would be ok with 3♠ if it was Hx but definetely not with xx.

I would now bid 5♣ over 4♦ at IMPs but at MP it is tuff, i would probably have the same auction in OP

[gnasher]

MrAce, on 2013-June-19, 17:17, said:

I agree with 3NT, someone has to bid it and responder doesn't even know yet that pd has 5-5.

Can't that someone be opener? With 5422 he'll always bid 3NT after 3♠. With 5431 and a singleton honour he'll usually bid 3NT. With 5431 and a small singleton, he'll probably stay out of 3NT, but we probably didn't belong there anyway.

[wank]

3nt should be much more packed in the unbid suits imo

[PhilKing]

MrAce, on 2013-June-19, 17:17, said:

I agree with 3NT, someone has to bid it and responder doesn't even know yet that pd has 5-5.

I would be ok with 3♠ if it was Hx but definetely not with xx.

I would now bid 5♣ over 4♦ at IMPs but at MP it is tuff, i would probably have the same auction in OP

I'm definitely in the 3NT is completely terminal camp. Responder can give preference to 3♠ even with one spade and 3 diamonds. And opener then bids 3NT with any non-shapely game force.

Of course it would be better to play conventional continuations over 3♦:

3♥ = various, but usually no strong preference
3♠ = transfer to 3NT (various)
3NT = 5+ hearts NF
4♣ = agrees spades

But it's probably not really worth it.

[benlessard]

This hand was asked to me and i wasnt sure..

IMO artificial methods are great after a J-shift or reverse however if you play natural I think 3NT is normal, I hate bidding 3S with a minimum, 1 pts in partner suits and no ruffing power.

Im pretty sure I would have passed 3Nt, but if my pd bid 4D I thought that 4S was ok (at MP).