eternaluke

East must make a move after that strong action by opener. West is strong enough to freebid a take out when pard could be empty. With my regular pard West would already know 2-3 card spade fit as well since we use forcing nt to escape a complete misfit. 4 Hearts seems a healthy bid 4 for working queens a point for a 6 card suit and 2 points for shortness (sure it is in partners first suit, but you can see losers disappearing on partners spades if need be).

I like a negative double that shows values but not shape 1 1/2 Quick tricks is a great spot for a negative double. Sure it would be nice to have ideal shape every bid, but even here that HHh in spades is not at all bad. playing a 4-3 fit wouldn't be horrible. south needed to make the best of bad bids first round and pass didn't cut it there.

I play a much broader variation of Forcing NT (0-18) to show 1. A weak hand with no fit (next round new suit or pass partner's new suit) 2. An invitational hand with 2 card fit (next round cheapest return to original suit) 3. An Invitational 3 card fit (next round jump support openers suit) 4. A game forcing 3 card fit 13-15 (next round bid 3nt over a 2 bid, make a slam try over a 3 level response) 5. A slam trying 3 card fit 16-18 not fit for an immediate slam try and lacking a good 2/1 suit to bid (jump into new suit next round or sign off in 4 spades, or make other slam try) It is very important that my partner never pass the Forcing NT bid since one of its uses is to escape the misfit.