Hand 1: 02/22

[hotShot]

[hv=n=saxxxhqxxdkqxckxx&s=skxxhakjtdxcaqjt9]133|200|Scoring: IMPS

Auction starts:

 

1♣ - 1♠

2♥ - 3♦

3♠ - 3N[/hv]

Question 1:  Agree with the auction so far?

Over a reverse,North bidding 4sf has to be at least inviting to slam.

North would have several other bids to show a weaker hand (some of these have to be nonforcing: Pass, 2♠, 2NT, 3♣ or 3NT)

 

Question 2:  How do you continue?

I've shown an unbalanced hand with ♣3+ 4♥ and 3♠, so partner expects 3415, 3406 or 4414 shape.

Partner won't pass 4♣ and well see where it gets us, partner has already made up his mind.

[Apollo81]

Everyone seems to assume that 3♣ would have been forcing. Do you assume that you're playing Lebensohl/Ingberman without any agreement?

Yes.

[TimG]

I've shown an unbalanced hand with ♣3+ 4♥ and 3♠, so partner expects 3415, 3406 or 4414 shape.

The auction was 1♣-1♠, 2♥-3♦, 3♠.

 

I'm surprised at the suggestion of "3+♣". I would have expected that a reverse showed 5+ in the first bid suit. Even with a difficult to handle 4441 shape, I would expect opener to do something other than reverse.

[Cascade]

Opener has a nice hand but not significant extras over what has been shown by the reverse.

 

Responder has too much for 3NT. Fourth suit and then 3NT should be a decent hand but I am not tempted to move with this south hand.

 

I think the standard is that 4NT by either partner after fourth suit shows a quantitative hand.

 

As others have said a club raise by responder at some point would not have been out of place.

 

In my partnership the combination fourth suit (try for NT) and correction to 4♣ may not be forcing (actually we would have competing rules here 'GF' with a minor fit and try for 3NT is only forcing to 4m BUT fourth suit and then return to partner's suit is absolute GF). Although as Jan pointed out this is an awkward fourth suit sequence. Luckily we would not bid 4th suit with this hand as we have a forcing 3♣ bid available. Our actual non-standard agreement is that 2♠ the next step is the negative after the reverse and everything else is Forcing - This applies to all reverses after a one over one response. Opener then has the options of bidding 2NT or 3m (♣ here) with a minimum reverse and partner's next bid if any will be treated as a sign-off. Any other bid by opener shows extra values.