[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

from the same match.

You hold in 3rd seat

♠xx
♥xx
♦Jxx
♣KQJ9xx

The auction, the opponents pass through out.

2C (1) - ??? (2)

(1) 2C is your only strong bid, it could contain a semiforcing in the majors (Acol two), or 22-23HCP NT,
i.e. the auction could still stop in 2H / 2S or 2NT
(2) Your agreements are thin, you play 2D as positive, at least one trick, forcing to game, 2H as dead,
other suit as natural, forcing
So your options are either 2D or 3C, which option do you choose and why?


In case it matters, and this is not a BIT TD case, Partner had a long think before he choose to bid 2C.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[smerriman]

What a horrible decision.. if partner has Ax of clubs we have a huge hand; if not our hand is worth virtually nothing in any other strain..

At least we have two options; if we were playing double negative, then starting with 2♦ we wouldn't even have the idea of following up with 3♣.

I don't normally like positive responses that take away so much bidding space from partner, but perhaps an immediate 3♣ will help convey to partner whether the hand is a misfit or not. I don't seem to be much better placed after 2♣ - 2♦ - 2M - 3♣, or even after 2♣ - 2♦ - 2N. Looking forward to seeing what others would do though..

[DavidKok]

3♣, shows the entire hand at once.

[jillybean]

I always respond 2♦ to show a positive response but this is a clear 3♣ as David says above.
If I start 2♦ I am never able to show this hand.

...7nt ?

[jdiana]

I can see an argument for bidding 2♦ depending on your agreements. I would be hoping for a 2NT rebid by opener, which would bring our notrump gadgets into play. I never actually got this far but I had this on my list of "maybe someday" conventions - https://static1.squa...NT+Opening+.pdf

Of course, opener might just as likely (or more likely?) bid 2M, which could get messy.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

if you have bid 3C, partner will bid 3D, and it is your turn again.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[DavidKok]

4♦, we've got support and no alternative. Also partner's bid permitted us to bypass 3NT, with a three-suiter with short clubs that was the indicated bid.

I'm getting somewhat excited about this hand now. Minor suiters are famously lousy to bid through 2♣, so partner is showing extra strength compared to a normal 2♣. We have somewhat accidentally rightsided a diamond contract. And, maybe best of all, we'd have heard 3♦ as well if we bid 2♦, so our decision last turn worked out well.

[jillybean]

4D although I am not as excited as David.
Partner already knows I have clubs, if he is hoping for a major suit cue he is going to be sorely disappointed.

[nullve]

DavidKok, on 2024-March-23, 14:28, said:

3♣, shows the entire hand at once.

Hardly in this partnership.

P_Marlowe, on 2024-March-23, 13:57, said:

Your agreements are thin, you play 2D as positive, at least one trick, forcing to game, 2H as dead, other suit as natural, forcing

[P_Marlowe]

Thanks for the responses.

Most of you did better on the hand than I, than I did on the table, but you will only get style points,
points in the B note, as we like to say in Germany.

If you raise 3D to 4D, you will reach the basically cold 6D contract.

If you (wrongly) rebid your suit via 4C, partner will need the Ten of clubs (doubleton) to fall and the
jack of diamonds as power card entry to make 6C, clubs are 4-2 and partner is missing the Ace.
My major error on the hand was not thinking about, what I should / would do after I bid 3C, and partner
bids a suit on the 3 level.
No thinking ahead, which is a big mistake, sometimes it goes without notice, but one should try to do it.

My 4C bid sold partner a 7 carder, and he wont have a fit for my 6 carder, if he introduces a new suit.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[pescetom]

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