Good enough?

[HeavyDluxe]

♠Q94 ♥A652 ♦AKJ83 ♣J

 

Are you planning to reverse with this hand?

 

1♦ - 1♠

??

[TylerE]

Nope. 2♠ might be the least of competing evils. 2nd choice 2♦. 1NT a very distant 3rd... I'd rather open 1NT (Not that I'm seriously suggesting that) and make them find the club lead than rebid 1N.

[kenrexford]

2♠ for me.

 

BTW, I like a little treatment here. 1♦-P-1♠-P-2♠-P-2NT-P-3♦ shows (for me) a 3-card spade raise with a pattern that could not be shown because it would be a reverse and I am too weak to reverse. In this sequence, 3-4-5-1 is expected.

 

Basically, you rebid your first suit after 2NT to show this. If the sequence ad been 1♣-P-1♥-P-2♥-P-2NT-P-3♣, I would expect 1-3-4-5 shape. If the sequence is 1♣-P-1♠-P-2♠-P-2NT-P-3♣, Opener could have 3145 or 3415; 3♦ can then untangle this (3♥ would then be 3415; 3♠ implicitly 3145).

[Flameous]

No, I like to have good 16hcp for reverse with 4-5. I think I'll choose to bid 2S with this, 2D close second choice.

[mtvesuvius]

No. 2♠. I use the step bid as a raise ask after this, if partner is in doubt... (With basic resposes ;))

[HeavyDluxe]

Thanks all... On this hand, it was actually a moot point... we were, between the two hands, missing only 2 jacks and landed in 7NT.

 

Pard expressed a strong opinion that I should've reversed. I never considered it. If I had another H in ♥s, perhaps. For the record, I bid 2♦. I when I raise on three cards in 1m - 1M auctions, bad things always seem to happen.

[Codo]

This shape is really really great- and your hand is ugly to bid without a reverse.

You are a little too strong for 2 Spade, but do`'t have enough Spades to bid 3.

(Imagine Akxxx in S and out for partner, he will never invite you after 2 Spade)

 

You are too weak for 2 HEart, too strong and with too good majors for 2 Diamond.

 

So pick your poison, all bids are bad, it is a matter of taste, which tastes best.

 

I know that too light reverses (like this one) are a big nono here, but the playing strength is much bigger then your normal 14 HCP´hand. You have at least a 4-3 fit with ruffing values, you have at least 12 working HCPs and a real nice side suit.

 

So I would bid 2 Heart- accepting that i have to buy at least the next three rounds of beer if this works out poorly.

But I have some shares of the brewery, so at least, I will get some money back...

[Fluffy]

EDIT: I won't throw my lame ideas in the BIL :blink:.

[ArtK78]

The hand is a very nice raise to 2♠.

 

As Ken mentioned, many players use 2NT as an asking bid over the sequence 1m-1M-2M. I play that it asks for number of trumps and minimum or maximum along these lines:

 

3♣ - 3 card support, minimum.

3♦ - 3 card support, maximum.

3♥ - 4 card support, minimum.

3♠ - 4 card support, maximum.

 

So, over responder's 2NT ask, opener bids 3♦ showing a maximum hand for a single raise and 3 card support.

 

Getting back to the original question - is this hand good enough for a reverse? I have to admit that the idea of a reverse on these cards never occurred to me. I think you are at least a useful Q short of a reverse.

 

Let's assume that you do reverse with 2♥. Responder bids 2♠. Is this forcing? (I would assume so - the reverse must promise that opener will make another bid.) How many spades does it promise? What is responder supposed to do with a balanced hand and 6 or 7 HCP? Say he holds Kxxx xxx xx Kxxx. Suddenly we are at the 3 level with no real fit.

 

I really do not like a reverse on these cards.