your bid

[mikeh]

JB: I am late to the thread but let me echo what (virtually) everyone said: 2N does NOT deny a 4 card major..... AJxx AQxx Jx AKx... what would you have him bid over 1♦? Bidding 1♥ then 2N later shows a different hand-type. It is standard to rebid 2N.

 

Therefore, as responder you have to either show your major or have a conventional (artificial) way of asking opener to bid a major if he has one.

 

There are several popular methods over 2N rebids.

 

If you don't play one, or even if you do... unless you play transfers (which are very powerful imo).... 3♠ is natural and forcing. It is the opposite of a torture bid since, as we discussed, opener may well have 4♠....in which case he can raise with a horrible hand or cue bid with a good hand.

 

On the given hand, I think that opener should in fact raise 3♠ to 4♠. His heart holding is enough to suggest that 3N is not a good spot. You are not going to reach 6♦ playing standard methods... at least, not reliably.

 

Transfers MIGHT reach it a little more often: responder bids 3♣ which forces 3♦... it forces it since responder might have a horrible hand and be intending to pass. Then responder bids 3♠... natural and forcing... and since responder went out of his way to show diamonds before spades, responder is probably 4=6.

 

Now, opener has a pretty good hand... he can count zero losers in the round suits and slam will depend on having only one loser in spades and diamonds... and his holding in spades is very good and his diamond holding surely has to help fill in the suit... I am not saying that bidding slam is automatic, but the partnership has chances.

 

BTW, if we played a walsh style, we would have responded 1♠, then transferred to diamonds, then bid 3N to show 4 spades, longer diamonds and doubts about 3N.... and since we wouldn't have doubts if we held, say, 4=3=5=1, opener can perhaps conclude that 4♠ is safer.. 6♦ wouldn't be possible, imo.

[ArtK78]

I am in a distinct minority here as my choice over 2NT was 3♦; but that is not the reason for this post.

 

In Standard bidding, unless a partnership has agreed specifically to the contrary, any call over opener's 2NT rebid is game forcing. I didn't even realize that this was controversial.

 

Wolff Signoffs were created as a way for responder to get out at the 3 level after a 2NT rebid by opener.

 

So, I don't understand the reluctance of some posters to bid 3♦ on the theory that it might be passed (if you don't like the 3♦ bid for other reasons, that is another issue). But I don't know who they are playing with.

[jillybean]

Thanks all! Of course 2nt doesn't deny a 4CM, what was I thinking/drinking? :)

 

Another friend says I often bid like I have to (or feel like I have to) decide the contract, and/or am concerned about partner passing. This is true and as much as I love BBO, poor partners and random games play havoc with the game.

[P_Marlowe]

Thanks all! Of course 2nt doesn't deny a 4CM, what was I thinking/drinking?  :)

 

Another friend says I often bid like I have to (or feel like I have to) decide the contract, and/or am concerned about partner passing. This is true and as much as I love BBO, poor partners and random games play havoc with the game.

Yes. this is true, you need a regular partnership.

 

But if you happen to play with a stranger, I recommend that

you dont bypass a 4card major, if you bid 2NT, it simplifies

finding a fit in the major.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

 

PS: We play that 2NT does basically deny a 4CM, but 3S could

still be based on a 4 arder, it would be looking for a 4-3 fit, for

what ever reson.