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mikl_plkcc, on 2025-March-09, 03:16, said:
None of them is a game force for me. A minor suit game needs 29 total points. Every one can be passed if there is a complete misfit and no stopper, and the partner should bid 3NT if he holds at least 1.5 stoppers in all cases.
You need to stop thinking so much in terms of points, especially with very unbalanced hands. Think about how the play is likely to go here for example:
Usually the opponents lead a diamond to the ace. How do you like your chances at making 5♣? Even if opponents lead something else, you can pull trumps (losing a club) and then play a spade to the ace and lead a diamond up. Most likely the 2♦ bidder has the diamond ace (it is a lot more than 50%). Notice that North was given a very poor hand (some people might've passed 1♣); certainly he has no business bidding over 3♣.
Basically you need partner to have the spade ace or the diamond ace or the club king; any of those three and 5♣ is very good. He has something for his 1♠ response, your odds of finding one of those three cards have to be pretty good. It doesn't matter that you have "only 23 high card points" in the example hand.
It is also worth mentioning that if you add ♣K to the north hand, 6♣ is extremely good. Partner is probably still passing 3♣.