hatchett

Low diamond is my choice as well

Playing 2/1 I would bid 1♥ 2♦ 2♥ 2♠ 2NT 3♣ 3♦ 4♦ 4♥ 4♠ 5♥ 5♠ 6♣ 7♦ 2NT nice cheap space saver 4♦ sets suit and invites cue-biding buts it's a hard hand

♠ - ♥ QJ9543 ♦ AJ3 ♣ 8764 NV vs V IMPs 1♥ 1♠ ? your plan

[hv=d=n&v=n&n=sq93hjt3dq9cak952&s=sajt82hkq87d2cq43]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] You are playing against top class opposition 1NT (12/14) 2♦ 3♦ 4♦ P P 4♠ All Pass LHO leads ♦3 (4th highest) to the A. After some thought RHO switches to ♣7 Play on

I can see some merit to 2♦, but not 1♠ on a three card suit which just seems an unnecessary distortion compared to either bidding my long suit (2♦), or 1NT to show a heart stop and some values or passing and attempting to penalise.

Firstly I wouldn't play this as a forcing pass, 4♠ could be quite stretched If I am sure my pass is forcing then surely I do not have a problem now. If I thought I had a ♠ slam try then I bid 5♠. On the other hand if I couldn't decide whether to bid 5♠ or defend then I pass.

Like some others I don't play that it guarantees 4H but it I play it quite a bit stronger than tends to show 4H. It doesn't say anything about ♦. Hence a 2♦ rebid by opener is a reverse

(1) 3NT worth it with the 6 card suit (2) Transfer, 2 suiter or sign off depending on who is opposite (3) 5♦ might be more obviously a slam try with both majors.

Pass looks clearcut. I like to play a 4M rebid as a hand that had slightly too much defense to open 4M.

The most telling fact is that pard didn't play AQ♦ , hence a ♣ must be the right return

I don't need Qxx ♠ just Qxx♣ with a doubleton trump. Win ♦A,♣A, trump to hand,♣K pitching ♦, ♣ruffed, AK♠pitching ♦s trump to hand, ♣J pitching last ♦, ruff ♦, ♠ ruff to hand. draw trump cash last ♣ Phew!

Double is impossible with only 2 hearts and weak no trump values. I try and avoid 4 card overcalls so would pass, but don't hate 1♠

Double ?!? Wow. Think I prefer to mention my 9 bagger a second time..4♥ for me

3NT is horrible. 4♦ looks clear.

The unsupported queens should gel with honors in partner's hand and the major suit tens are nice. Worth 2NT