All Three Opponents Bid the Same Suit

[Cascade]

Last weekend we played against a pair that played Canape transfer openings. In particular 1♦ showed hearts and 1♥ showed spades. In both cases the suit could be four cards in length and could have a longer suit.

 

We agreed as part of our defense that an overcall of 1♥ or 1♠ would be natural.

 

So I sat there and watched as the bidding progressed to me:

 

(1♥*) 1♠ (2♠) ?

 

Naturally enough I was short in spades.

 

The problem I had was what would bids mean now? In particular what would a double mean and what would a bid of 2NT mean?

[Tola18]

Your partner has the same information. Ie he knows you are short in spades.

D should be the usual in such situations;

take out with four in the other major, with some defensive possibilities if partner wish to pass for punishment (having some defensive trick together with the spades or short in the other major). 2NT = choose minor.

[ahri]

It's interesting how you have three opponents at the table. :)

[kenrexford]

I'm not sure why you and partner both would expect 2♠ to be natural here. If it was, then we are in a weird world indeed.

[Cascade]

I'm not sure why you and partner both would expect 2♠ to be natural here. If it was, then we are in a weird world indeed.

That is a good observation since the local alert regulations do not require an alert of a cue-bid. And a cue-bid is defined as a bid in a suit shown or bid by the opponents. Therefore both 1♠ and 2♠ by definition were cue-bids and did not require alerts whatever their meaning.

 

Nevertheless 2♠ was intended as natural and so the world is weird and I had a problem at the table.

 

Curiously the transfer opening pair had an identical auction yesterday in another tournament.

[hrothgar]

From my perspective

 

Double should be penalty: You are showing defensive value, but (obviously) denies a defensive trump holding

 

2N should be takeout showing a High ODR and no interest in a NT contract

[blackshoe]

It's interesting how you have three opponents at the table. :P

Heh. I've been known to play with four opponents at the table. :)

[cherdano]

How about:

Double = values, including a promise that they will go down

2N = invitational to 3N

3C = clubs

3D = diamonds

3H = hearts

3S = cuebid, strong takeout

 

Oh sorry, this stuff is probably not allowed in this subforum...

 

Seriously, unless you play a lot of good-bad, isn't it clear that all bids here are undiscussed, possibly natural (except 3S) and thus natural? Only question is whether new suit bids are forcing. If 1H 1S 2H 3m is non-forcing for you, then new suit bids here should probably be non-forcing, too. If it is forcing, it is not as clear as with the misfit auction of this thread there is a stronger case for non-forcing.

 

Arend

[Impact]

Ostensibly, partner has shown 5+S and a fair hand.

 

If my RHO really thinks he wants to play 2S my pass is to play, double should be penalty oriented saying they have misguessed badly (with other suits tied up so they have nowhere to run) if that style is played. If you play cue bid doubles, that meaning is retained as it is equivalent (in my style a transfer to C).

 

2NT should either be natural or transfer depending on orientation and prior discussion (some play NT bids natural , other as always artificial in competition). This should just maintain consistency with partnership style.