[jillybean]

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Here we go again, I’m not unhappy with where we ended however the results gave me pause for thought.

[mw64ahw]

All depends on your continuations.
2♦ for me is min. denying 4♥
2♥ asks opener for shape and implies doubleton ♠
If partner is 5x4x then the response is 3♣
Edit:
Responder's hand is slam going regardless of the 2♦ meaning. Assuming 2♦ is natural in a minimum hand my auction would go:
1♠ - 2♣
2♦ - 2♥ Shape?
3♣ 5x4x - 3♦ Further shape?
Now
3♥ 5x5x or 5242, 3♠ asks which
3♠ 5341
3N 5143

[mikeh]

Not an easy hand without clear agreements

The hand has some slam potential…we have no losers outside of partner’s suits. As little as AKxxx xx KJxx xx gives us decent play for slam but something like AKxxx xx Qxxx Kx makes slam ugly…about 2-1 against even if spades break. You need 3-2 trump with the king onside.

So we can’t drive to slam. Which raises a concern if we chose 3D. Why? Because you may be endplaying partner in the auction.

What will you think a 3H bid by partner would show?

In my partnership we have an explicit agreement that in a game force auction, bidding the 4th suit at the 3 level is ostensibly a try for 3N, denying a stopper. If opener is very strong he may bid 3 H and pull 3N (that doesn't exist here because that sequence would promise a high card control and we have the AKQ).

If you have this agreement, whether (as in our case) explicitly in our system notes or because you both think that’s what it is (as I think many experts would) then 3D is fine.

But without it….how would you take 3S? If 3H isn’t available then maybe 3S becomes the default action on a modest 5=2=4=2 hand rather than showing a 6th spade.

You can see from this that there’s a lot of room for ambiguity if you don’t have a clear agreement, which is why bidding 2N is quite attractive

2N has a lot going for it. Sure, 3N may play better from partner’s side…picture KQJxx xx KQxx Qx….but he’s almost never going to bid 3N on any plausible sequence. Ok…if we distort our hand by bidding 2H, showing 4=5 or better in hearts and clubs…

Meanwhile, if he’s 5=5, he has an easy 3D call and we’re off to the races, driving to at least 5D and maybe reaching a good grand…AKxxx x KQJxx Kx.

And if he’s is 6=4, he’ll bid 3S. He might even bid 3C on 5=1=4=3, which will let us bid 3D.

So if you’re scrambling and know both you and partner are on shaky ground in terms of agreements, I’d bid 2N.

Whether to move over a 3N raise is an interesting question. I think we should…we have a bad good hand so we may risk a minus but we have such great controls and the opps will strain to lead hearts on this auction.

[DavidKok]

I do have the agreement that 1♠-2♣; 2♦-3♦; 3♥ is just a noise/waiting bid for 3NT but I still prefer 2NT here. Give the unbalanced hand space to pattern out.
Note that this becomes more attractive if we intend to pull 3NT anyway. By bidding 2NT and then later 4♦ we show the support while also clarifying our hand type (balanced with 2 spades, depending on the sequence we also show the fourth diamond). I do have the further agreement that 1♠-2♣; 2♦-2NT; 3NT-4♦; 4NT is an offer to play, which might come up here.

This is a difficult hand and requires sharp hand evaluation. Nice problem!

[jillybean]

Thanks, its good to know the methods, even if they aren't accessible to me , yet.

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We played in 3nt , as did the majority of the field (9), 2 pairs got to 6N-1, 2 pairs bid the diamond slam. It's an awful looking 6D!

Afterwards I did apologize to my partner for dragging him through the auction. Having only recently agreed to play my weird 2C* system, I could have made it easier and just bid 2nt / 2D.

This board didn't hurt our 58% game too much.

[mike777]

Easy 3D.

For me 2D neither confirmed nor denied extras. However, partner will strain to not rebid a poorish minor suit. Unfortunately, we don't have a firm agreement on what constitutes a poorish minor.

3H and 3S over 3D is still a probe for best game.

Good problem

[jillybean]

mike777, on 2026-April-01, 08:02, said:

Easy 3D.

[mikeh]

mike777, on 2026-April-01, 08:02, said:

Easy 3D.

For me 2D neither confirmed nor denied extras. However, partner will strain to not rebid a poorish minor suit. Unfortunately, we don't have a firm agreement on what constitutes a poorish minor.

3H and 3S over 3D is still a probe for best game.

Good problem

While I agree that over 3D 3H and 3S are probing for the best game, the key issue is what do those bids mean? Saying they are probes for the best game is pretty much devoid of real meaning absent addressing that issue