Bridge Seems simple, but is it?

[the hog]

This is a really good argument for playing that 1C (1X) 1S can be bid on a four carder, so the shown hand is an obvious X. This is actually what I play, but was pretty sure that most play that 1S shows 5 and X shows 4. This is pretty outdated imo, with this hand being a prime example why, though I will concede that you MIGHT get some advantage if lho bounces in the auction.

 

I can't understand why Rex would think 3C shows much. The other question to ask is "given that many overcall on 4 card suits, couldn't a 2H bid here be natural eg QJT9xx and not much else? Or even, as you bid 1NT, couldn't a 2H bid be interpreted as a t/f to S. eg a very weak hand that can't bid 1S over 1H, but thinks 2S may be a better contract than 1NT? I think 2H as a "catch up" call is awful unless you have discussed all these possible nuances.

 

All this just goes to show how awful the initial pass over 1H was.

[foo]

I agree with The Hog that passing after 1C-(1H)-?? when holding

 

♠ K53 ♥ J83 ♦ AQxx ♣ J62

 

is a bad, Bad, idea.

 

When you have invitational values, you shouldn't bid your hand the same way you would a zero count. pd will never be able to field it.

 

Besides, what if you do pass and it goes 1C-(1H)-pa-(3H/4H);pa-pa-??

Will you now overbid your hand to "make up' for underbidding it on the previous round?

 

The best solution IMHO is the Truscott solution. But even if you can't use that because you have not agreed it, you have to make some sort of forward going call.

[Fluffy]

This is clear double with normal agreements.

 

If you don't have such I prefer 2♥ over 2♦.

[jtfanclub]

IMO 2♦ = 10, 2♣ = 9. 1N = 8, _P = 7, _X = 6.

Arguably, with the speciified methods, 2♣ may be better than 2♦

Don't leave out 2♥. If I had another point (so 1NT went from being hand evaluation to a deliberate misbid), and it didn't give me a full stop in hearts (I agree that 2NT must show a full stop), I would feel I had no choice but to bid 2 hearts. While it might not be the most accurate description of my hand, it seems to me to be the bid most likely to get us to the right contract, provided the right contract is 2NT or higher, of course.