marpool

Thank you all - very helpful. From now on, I will grit my teeth and bid 3NT. Partner's a bit heated about this at the moment. I'll give a bit of time for cooling down, then take up the point, as The_Badger makes, that even after 3D (admittedly a mistake) maybe there is more bidding to be done.

Playing matchpoint pairs, 15-17 NT, 5-card majors with clubs maybe a short suit, I held the East hand as dealer. Game all. ♠ K 7 5 ♥ A J T 5 ♦ A 8 7 4 ♣ T 7 I opened 1D. Next hand overcalled 2S (6-10 HCP, 6x suit) partner bid 3C then a pass to me. I suppose I have to bid 3NT. I hate the idea because I expect the spade King to go on the first trick, quite probably I'll lose a club setting up the suit and then watch the next five tricks go to South's spades. I temporised with 3D, which system says shows 5x diamonds. Partner passed with ♠ Q 6 ♥ 8 6 4 ♦ Q ♣ A K Q J 6 5 3 The 4-1 fit did not play well. 3NT is easy on those cards; 5C makes (heart honours divided) - even 4H makes (hearts 3-3). On reflection I think I have two main choices. One, to pass balanced 12 counts; two, to bid 3NT and hope. (We have no agreement about the meaning of a cue bid here.) I'd welcome thoughts. I'm in the UK so most of my experience has been 12-14 NT and 4-card majors. That combination doesn't give rise to this sort of problem.

Thank you all. Those responses do shine extra light on it.

I usually play 4-card majors. In a match-point pairs event I agreed with a first-time partner to play 12-14 No Trump and 5-card majors. Also 1 Club "could be 2 cards" as a 1-round force with responses natural except 1 Diamond meaning less than 6 HCP. I dealt myself: ♠ A J 7 4 ♥ K J 6 4 ♦ K Q 5 ♣ J 6 I opened 1♣. Partner 1♦, opponents passing. Not playing checkback or similar I feared 1NT rebid would lose any major fit, so I bid 1♥. Partner bid 2♣ so I played in a 2-4 fit. Looking at Klinger's The Power of Shape I think I just have to bid 1NT and let the possible major fits look after themselves. Some of you folk have massive experience of 5-card majors. Can you shine light on this please?