GrahamJson

N is marked with a club honour by the lead, almost certainly the Q. This gives S a poor 11 count, so he must have some shape. He can't have 6 clubs, playing 3rd and 5th, so presumably 5 clubs and possibly a 4 card major, or maybe 3145. So 3 rounds of clubs, I don't think it matters much if you duck or win the first trick, then cash diamonds. If S follows all the way then either QS or aH honour will drop. If he ruffs a D he has no good exit. If he started with KJxx in H I think you are always going off.

I would never double with the N hand. A double at that laver should show cards not trumps and partner can take out with a suitable hand. 5nt looks ok to me for S.

Rik, thanks for the clarification. I'm a bit new to BBO but thought that there were regular mp events for regular partnerships. However reading the initial question again it is clear that it was real bridge, not the virtual version.

Leaving aside the ethics of this, how sure can you be that it was partner who hesitated, or indeed anyone? Could it not be simply delays caused by the wifi, either your own or others? I'm pretty sure if you played with me you would think I was hesitating all the time (well, at least on some days) whereas in fact it is my dodgy wifi. Service.

I see no point on bidding on such a poor hand. There are several downsides in going on. It might help oppo identify a good fit if one has xxx or xxxx in clubs and judges, correctly, that their partner is short. It might also encourage partner to lead A from Axxxxx against a spade contract, giving declarer a trick with his Kxx. And of course you might end up making a very expensive sacrifice.

To my mind the one thing that 1nt should guarantee is a stop. It is not the same as 1nt in an uncontested auction as it may have to be bid on an unbalanced hand. For example, what would you rebid on the same auction with AJxx x QJxxx KQx?

Playing on BBO with an unknown partner I think it best to keep it simple and bid 3 nt. With a regular partner use your favourite methods. Incidentally, it is usually best for the lead to come up to Ax, not through it. E.g opposite QJ or J10x.

One other thing. Anyone who thinks that 2H is one of the worst bids ever can not have watched much BBO. I have seen plenty of; Players pre-empting then bidding again opposite a passing partner. Players making a TO double then getting highly excited on a minimum just because he has 4 card support for partner's one level response. Making a one level response to a TO double despite holding 8+ points (this and the last one tend to cancel each other out). Opening 2C and forcing to slam opposite a partner who has nothing but minimum bids. Plus lots of cases where one partner makes a unilateral decision, such as pulling a penalty double, when they have already shown their hand and they know nothing about their partner's.

Those who criticise 2H overstate their case. After a 1nt response a new suit at the 3 level should certainly be a good 6+ carder but 2h need only be 5 (a quick google will show several decent sites which agree on this). If opener has no fit he can remove. After all, what should you do with x AQJxx xxx Qxxx for example? Pass and possibly play in a 3-3 fit instead of 5-3 or 5-2? To some extent it is a matter of style, but 2h showing 5+ makes sense to me.