A "standard" (?) sequence

[Coelacanth]

In a pick-up partnership, both players reasonably experienced but not necessarily experts (in ACBL-speak, Flight B players)

 

This is matchpoints, I don't remember the vulnerability.

 

You hold

 

♠void ♥Q ♦KTxxxxx ♣AKxxx

 

Partner opens 1♠ in first chair. Opponents silent throughout.

 

You respond 2♦. (Or do you? remember you are playing "standard" and not 2/1)

 

Partner now bids 3♠.

 

I'm just trying to decide if my understanding of "standard American" is different than everyone else's here.

 

What kind of hand should partner have for 3♠?

What call do you make?

What other calls are possible?

Describe your interpretation of whatever call you choose (is it forcing, encouraging, non-forcing, drop-dead, or what?)

[Bbradley62]

2♦ shows 11+ (some would say 10+) and at least 4 diamonds. (You could be 2443.) You're not strong enough (17+ish) and your suit's not good enough for a strong jump shift, so I cannot imagine that any bid other than 2♦ is appropriate.

 

3♠ is a strong jump in suit, showing a good 6+ spades and "extra values". The old-fashioned definition of "extra values" was "a K more than a minimum opening", which is probably still a good rule-of-thumb. These extra values, together with responder's bid, create a game force.

 

In Flight B bridge, I would expect 4♣ to be natural (and therefore the proper call) here, although higher-level players might object. However, I expect that there will be several different choices here, including 4♠ (expecting partner's suit to be good enough and trying not to get too high) and 4♦ (to show a long suit of your own).

[manudude03]

Agree with 2♦, and would bid 4♠ now as the least encouraging* bid available. 4♣ should be a cuebid (partner had a forcing 2♠ available the round before if he wasn't sure about his trumps).

 

 

* I say "least encouraging" since partner could be sitting there with a 20 count and just seeing if you show some life. "Drop Dead" implies that partner shouldn't move unless he almost has slam made in hand.

[xxhong]

If partner has a very strong spade suit, you want to play in 4S usually. If partner has some level of fit in D, you want to play 5D. So you can probably just bid 4D here to show a good 6 card D suit or 7 card D suit and pass partner's 4S or 5D. Usually, 3S should deny 4 clubs, so you usually don't play very well in clubs and 4C should be a cuebid for S.