How to make choice of game between 3nt and 5m

[cnszsun]

[hv=pc=n&s=skqj4haqt5djcq852&n=sa82hjda762cjt943&d=e&v=b&b=10&a=1ddp3cp3dp3np]266|200[/hv]

Any clues? Or north/south could do something different?

[mike777]

3c ....WHAT THE HELL wAS 3C?

[mr1303]

Looks fairly normal to me.

[Cyberyeti]

3c ....WHAT THE HELL wAS 3C?

Looks absolutely normal to me, prefer 4♠ to 3N, at least that has play.

[the_clown]

I would have bid 1N rather 3♣.

[MickyB]

South should just bid 5C over 3C. It's pretty hard to come up with a hand opposite where 3NT is better.

[Cyberyeti]

South should just bid 5C over 3C. It's pretty hard to come up with a hand opposite where 3NT is better.

 

10

Jxx

KQ10x

KJ10xx

 

but yes 5♣ is better an awful lot of the time.

[MickyB]

10

Jxx

KQ10x

KJ10xx

 

but yes 5♣ is better an awful lot of the time.

 

I'm not convinced this is a 3C bid.

 

Dunno, maybe I am underestimating the chance of a double diamond stop. There's certainly a case for North to bid a less committal 3S over 3D, assuming South could now bid 3N on a balanced hand without showing a stop.

[kenberg]

3♣ looks sensible to me. With extra values, four clubs and a stiff, raising to 5♣ looks right. It's easier for South than for North to anticipate problems in NT. Over 3♦, North is apt to bid 3NT holding a diamond stop, after which there won't be much room for error. Even if North can take his diamond, run five clubs, and then successfully hook a heart, that's eight tricks, not nine. Asking that North have the ace of spades along with AKxxx in clubs and a diamond card is too much. He perhaps can have the Jack of hearts so maybe 3NT comes in but I think it is a stretch.

Of course North doesn't have the AKxxx of clubs, but my point is that if he does have it, and the Ace of diamonds, I still only see eight tricks on top, assuming the heart finesse is on. On the other hand, give him AKxxx of clubs and not much else and he has a good chance of losing a diamond and a spade and that's it. No guarantees, but 5♣ seems the better bet.

 

Now how about North, after the 3♦ bid. looking at the stiff heart he could consider 3♠. This doesn't mean he suddenly noticed that he had a spade in with his clubs, it means he has a strong three card holding and some shape so the hand might play well in 4♠. I'm not sure that I would bid 3♠ rather than 3NT, but it's an option.

 

Mostly I see it as: If you are going to end in 3NT with one stopper, you need to have an idea of where nine running tricks are coming from.

 

 

 

.

[lalldonn]

South should just raise clubs. Even if north had ATxx of diamonds so a second stopper on a high diamond lead, it wouldn't have been enough to make 3NT. South knows he is committing to 3NT with his chosen auction any time north has any diamond stopper, and that can't be good.

[Codo]

South should just raise clubs. Even if north had ATxx of diamonds so a second stopper on a high diamond lead, it wouldn't have been enough to make 3NT. South knows he is committing to 3NT with his chosen auction any time north has any diamond stopper, and that can't be good.

 

2 diamonds, 4 spades and 3 hearts could be enough for 3 NT.

 

And anyway, for 5 ♣ you need an awful lot of Key cards in partners hand. for 3 NT KTxx in diamond (and some other stuff to justify 3 club could have been enough while 5 club is simply down.