What's your bid?

[Codo]

I have these legal informations: My partner is not totally broke and he has some spades, usually at least four. I can see this from the opponents bidding and the look in my hand.

 

One good reason for the hesitation would be that he holds a hand with spades but is too weak for a bid. The other is that he is looking at a take out double, again with a hand not really strong enough for this bid.

 

If we agree that 3 ♦ and 3 NT are the candidates, then 3 ♦ (the low road) is suggested, because he seems to have the shape but not the HCPS for a bid. That leaves me with 3 NT as the not suggested alternative.

 

I would choose this at the table and it is not close to me- but I would bet that some TD will disagree.

[billw55]

I have these legal informations: My partner is not totally broke and he has some spades, usually at least four. I can see this from the opponents bidding and the look in my hand.

 

One good reason for the hesitation would be that he holds a hand with spades but is too weak for a bid. The other is that he is looking at a take out double, again with a hand not really strong enough for this bid.

 

If we agree that 3 ♦ and 3 NT are the candidates, then 3 ♦ (the low road) is suggested, because he seems to have the shape but not the HCPS for a bid. That leaves me with 3 NT as the not suggested alternative.

 

I would choose this at the table and it is not close to me- but I would bet that some TD will disagree.

Interesting reasoning, but I am not sure about conclusion. If the hesitation suggests that partner holds spades (and likely a stopper), I would think that this would encourage me to bid 3NT, rather than discourage. 3NT with a void in an unbid suit strikes me as a somewhat peculiar choice absent any UI. After all, there are two unknown hands. RHO could just as easily have the spades as partner, and LHO would certainly not be first player ever to not lead his own bid suit around to a 3NT overcall, missing at least two honors.

[helene_t]

As a TD I wouldn't be hard on a player who bid either 3♦ or 3NT (or anything else) here since it is not clear at all which calls are suggested by the BIT.

 

Maybe the BIT suggests long spades and now our concern is how to avoid that he pulls 3NT to 4♠. Maybe a direct 3NT is more likely to get pulled than 3♦ followed by 3NT (partner bidding 3♠ in the meantime). This would mean that 3♦ is suggested by the BIT and we have to bid 3NT.