Bidding puzzle

[kongo]

Hi all,

 

I want to ask how to handle invitational unbalanced hands after the sequence 1H-1S-2H?

 

For example you hold :

 

S AKxxx

H x

D KJxxx

C xx

 

In my opinion, 3 level new suits should be a game forcing sequence and also and I think 2S doesn't help as it should be 6+card.

[pbleighton]

"I want to ask how to handle invitational unbalanced hands after the sequence 1H-1S-2H?

 

For example you hold :

 

S AKxxx

H x

D KJxxx

C xx

 

In my opinion, 3 level new suits should be a game forcing sequence and also and I think 2S doesn't help as it should be 6+card."

 

1) I agree that a 3 level new suit by the responder is game forcing.

2) 3D is the best bid in this situation.

3) IMO, there are situations it is best to rebid a 5 card suit with a 2 suiter. For example, with

 

S AKJxx

H x

D xxxx

C AJx

 

I would rebid 2S.

[inquiry]

Hi all,

 

I want to ask how to handle invitational unbalanced hands after the sequence 1H-1S-2H?

 

For example you hold :

 

S AKxxx

H x

D KJxxx

C xx

 

In my opinion, 3 level new suits should be a game forcing sequence and also and I think 2S doesn't help as it should be 6+card.

 

You have placed your finger firmly on a common bidding problem. To this hand, you could easily add antoher problem hand... any hand with Spades after partner rebids 2H when you have a game forcing heart raise. (3H is not forcing, and 4H is likely to get you a simple pass). For a radical solution, consider changing the meaning of 1H-2S to be either weak or "constructive" but not forcing with just spades.

 

Now, if you do that, then it frees up a 2S rebid to be a) forcing, and :) a relay to 2NT. If you use this, you can then rebid 3D with the shown hand as not forcing, but limited (or you could reverse, immediate 3D not forcing, and relay is), and a rebid of 3H on this auction is forcing. Perhaps someone who routinely plays 2S as a forcing relay on this specific auction can shed more light on how well this works. I know a few players who use it and I am considering adopting it myself.

 

Ben