foo

Ummm, If the 3/1's are IJS (Intermediate Jump Shifts) showing invitational values and 6+ cards, wouldn't 1♠-1N;2♥-3m show an invitational hand and =5= cards? Say something like x.xxx.KQxxx.AQxxx ? 2N could then show invitational hands that were less shapely, say something like xx.Kxx.Kxx.Axxxx or Ax.Ax.Kxxx.xxxxx Playing this style, your only options with a minimum responding hand after 1♠-1N;2♥-?? would be to pass or take a preference to 2♠ Since the Forcing or Semi forcing 1N response has the known problem of hiding Responder's shape on many occasions, IMHO the style I'm suggesting is better.

Unless one is feeling "frisky" or can't figure out that the odds are not good enough, one should not bid a less than ~68% Grand. Especially in a field where many won't bid it no matter what. That being said, the odds on this 7D are completely dependent on finding the DQ. Best line is to believe the HT lead was a stiff. You finesse RHO opponent for the DQ (60%) and plan to toss S's under C's after establishing the C suit. This requires either the CQ drops (27%) or you can toss the 3rd C under the HQ and ruff out the CQ if C's are 32 (68%). A hair over 40.5% IOW, you not be in 7D on this board under any circumstances.

Thanks for the reassurance Frances. Well, call me old-fashioned and/or a simpleton, but I'll worry about bidding our games and slams before I worry about trap passing the opponents. Also, if opener has 5D's and S void (which seems at least a reasonable possibility), we are not likely to get rich defending when we probably can make Game. Foo

If you are going to play 2/1 GF, you need to make a 1N response Forcing or Semi-forcing. There's really no way around it since at the least all the invitational hands w/o a 6+ card suit are going to need bids as well. If you play 1N Forcing, you have the problems related to "the Flannery hand" =4522 w/ 11-15 HCP (ie not strong enough to reverse). "Solutions" include: a= ignoring the problem. OR b= sometimes rebidding your 5 card H suit and having the agreement that CHO is not allowed to pass your perhaps 2 card C suit 2C rebid w/o 5 C's. There are problems with both solutions. If you play 1N Semi-Forcing, you will have problems with minimum GF hands w/o a good suit for a 2/1. All the Flat 12-14's or 15's come to mind. Fred has written some good articles on why 2/1ing on both 5432 and AKQxxx puts the partnership in an impossible situation. Solutions to this problem aren't easy or completely satisfactory either. IMHO 1N Semi Forcing is better since a= Sometimes 1N is the right contract b= The Flannery hand seem to cause worse problems then the other situation but the whole issue is controversial amongst the good 2/1 players I know. YMMV. Hope this is useful, Foo

My first post even though I've been a BBO member almost since BBO was founded. ...and I immediately find an interesting controversy! Ummm, why is everyone advocating a pass on this responding hand where we may very well have a game? 9 HCP + 3 playing points for a known good shortness = 12 Playing points. (you even have nice intermediates) This is a good hand, not a bad one. Neither 3N nor 5D seems completely out of the question, particularly if the 1S bidder is on opening lead? Even if you are a point counter and don't trust playing points, 9 HCP is enough to bid 1N (you certainly have S's stopped!)... ...but since I would upgrade this hand to an Invite+ in the presence of a fit if we swapped the D's and H's and the auction had started 1H-(1S) when holding: KJT97.T975.KQ5.3 (wouldn't we all cuebid 2S! here?) ...I'm upgrading this hand as well and bidding 2S! as well (or is this entire thread a joke and I'm not getting that my leg is supposed to feel pulled?) Foo