[johnu]

 smerriman, on 2018-November-21, 18:34, said:

But 4♣ couldn't be right - as a couple have stated, you're losing the first 5 tricks unless partner has the club Ace, which seems highly unlikely.

Partner reversed. I don't think partner having the ♥A would be that surprising if they have nothing in clubs.

[mikeh]

 johnu, on 2018-November-22, 15:01, said:

Partner reversed. I don't think partner having the ♥A would be that surprising if they have nothing in clubs.

While partner did reverse, when he holds a 5=6 hand with decent to good suits, he needs nothing on the side. While you passed over 2H, that does not deny a hand that offers good play for at least game in one or both of his suits, and yet it would be most unwise to double with such a hand. You ought not, tho, read too much into his bidding. Look at the example I gave, which I suggested was an appropriate minimum.

[nige1]

 Tramticket, on 2018-November-20, 16:05, said:

You could have bid 3C on the first round, but didn't. It seems to me that 3C on the second round is saying that you want to play 3C. You have told partner the message and I will rescue partner once, but not twice. Pass.

 mikeh, on 2018-November-20, 17:50, said:

Assuming partner knows what he is doing, and trusts us to know what we are doing, I'd expect partner to often be 5=2=6=0, in which case not only have we no play for 5C, but we're very likely to be doubled.

 heart76, on 2018-November-21, 02:01, said:

Something is weird to me. Assuming 2H is weak and pass from W is either misfit with any hand or weak with max 3 H. Assuming also partner needs to be 18+ with 6+ D and 5 S. I place partner with 5-1-7-0 or 5-1-6-1 and pass 3S since I expect W to have 4 or 5 of them and I don't get in to finesse anything. 4C is not a possible bid for me, even assuming that p gets the message that he shall pass. After all we've got 2 C losers and 3 H losers if they play H and C.

 smerriman, on 2018-November-21, 18:34, said:

My initial reaction - and partner's initial reaction to my pass - was that 3♠ was forcing.
But 4♣ couldn't be right - as a couple have stated, you're losing the first 5 tricks unless partner has the club Ace, which seems highly unlikely. If partner had 10 tricks in her own hand, I thought the bidding may have gone differently. So I passed (first time deliberately passing a bid I thought was "forcing"?)
3♠ makes exactly, while 4♣ is down 2, as expected.
(Why West didn't bid 3♥ the first time, which may well have pushed us too high, I have no idea).

---

On reflection, Tramticket, Heart76, MikeH, and SMerriman are right And the last-named got it right at the table

[helene_t]

 smerriman, on 2018-November-21, 18:34, said:

My initial reaction - and partner's initial reaction to my pass - was that 3♠ was forcing.

No, you could have zero points and if partner wanted to force opposite that, he would have opened 2♣. In the rare event that he has game in his own hand but too little defense for a 2♣ opening, he would have to jump to 4♠ at his second turn, or bid 3♥ maybe (doubling 2♥ before bidding game is of course also possible).

2♠ already denied GF strength (if 1♦ didn't, after all 1♦ is not forcing either), so 3♠ is not forcing.

[rmnka447]

I'm passing 3 ♠. Partner has shown at least a reversing hand that is 6-5. But my hand is of little or no use to partner and the hand is likely a misfit. I don't think that 3 ♠ is forcing. I'm electing to play in our 7 card fit rather than our 6 card fit. If I try to "save" partner, there's no guarantee that playing in ♣ will be any better and could just be raising the amount of the set.

[Tonyda]

I play 'step" after a reverse as showing a bad hand. So 2NT says my next bid is my last or I may pass your next bid.

[johnu]

 mikeh, on 2018-November-22, 15:54, said:

While partner did reverse, when he holds a 5=6 hand with decent to good suits, he needs nothing on the side.

The comment I was responding to did not address the possibility of having the ♥A. While opener doesn't have to have anything outside the 2 suits bid, I wouldn't be surprised if he did have ♥A, nor would I be surprised if he didn't have ♥A. That's all I am saying. As it was, opener had ♥K.

[aquahombre]

very close call between pass and 4 clubs. I lean to 4 clubs. Why? because I go by general rule never lay down an 8 card suit in dummy. I don't think either contract is making but in clubs this hand is pulling some weight, in spades this hand gets 1 trick (a diamond ruff)against competent D. Oh and if pard bids 4d I will correct to 4s.

[aquahombre]

 nige1, on 2018-November-22, 16:15, said:

On reflection, Tramticket, Heart76, MikeH, and SMerriman are right And the last-named got it right at the table

how do you figure 3s is making? heart out and spade return play the hand.

[smerriman]

 aquahombre, on 2018-November-29, 12:48, said:

how do you figure 3s is making? heart out and spade return play the hand.

Finesse the jack, play AK trumps, then diamonds from the top.