a minor suit auction

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[hv=pc=n&n=skjt2h7daj65cakqj&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1dp2dp]133|200[/hv]

We do not play inverted minors. 2♦ shows 5+ diamonds and 6-9 HCP and denies a 4+ card major.

What are my options here?

[helene_t]

3h splinter is a possibility. You can also bid 3sp.

 

If you splinter, partner might be reluctant to bid 3nt with for example Axx of hearts. The question is if that is what you want. You have quite many fast tricks so one stopper may be enough

[Cyberyeti]

If partner can't have 4M, 2♠ should focus attention on partner's heart holding, that said there are holdings where the hand plays better in diamonds where partner has a heart stop Qx, Axx, Qxxxx, xxx for example, but others where 3N is better like AQ, Kxx, xxxxx, xxx or xx, QJx, KQxxx, xxx. I don't see that you're going to be able to tell these apart easily.

[mr1303]

I like 3H here. That should best help us decide between 3NT, 5D or 6D.

 

I don't think I want to play a Moisian 4S on these cards, although I guess it could be right.

[mcphee]

Slam is clearly in the photo facing the A of S and KQ of trumps a hefty 9 count, even lacking the Q of trumps you are not with out hope. The point for me about these hands is I am NOT playing 3N when 5D rates to be as good and 6 is possible. Even worse is when partner bids 3N with the A of H along with the A of S and Q 5th of D. 3N down with 6D cold when the D finesse fails, explain that to team mates.

[mikeh]

While on this hand, I think that the best action is the same at imps as at mps, some might differ and so I recommend that in future you always specify the form of scoring.

 

At mps some might argue that getting to 3N from partner's side (to protect, say, Kx(x) in hearts) is worthwhile since you might score 10 tricks in notrump, off 2 Aces, and 430 beats 420.

 

Personally, I would reject 3N as a target.

 

Firstly, if partner holds the heart K and good enough diamonds to run the suit, we might well be failing anyway on a spade lead and a heart through.

 

Secondly, as McPhee points out, if we have to lose a diamond trick we are rarely making 3N: it is just too much to expect partner to hold two heart stoppers.

 

Thirdly, as McPhee and others have pointed out, this hand offers good play for slam opposite a perfect dummy. Now, normally it is a mistake to make decisions based on assuming a perfect dummy.....partners are notorious for letting us down.

 

However, here we have a huge amount of room and we may well be able to get there intelligently when it is 'right' and avoid it when it is 'wrong' due to having so much bidding space in which to exchange information.

 

For me, and I think for almost everyone, 3♥ is a splinter. If you are worried about 'how to show a 5-6 hand', the answer is to bid 2♥ now, and 3♥ next time. That would show a hand interested in playing 4♥ on a 5-3 fit. Note that 2♥ doesn't show a suit at that stage...it is ostensibly a probe for notrump, but you retroactively alter that meaning when you rebid the suit.

 

Over 3♥ (splinter), partner should get excited with a variety of good hands. Maximums with good trump and either the heart Ace or nothing at all in hearts, but with the spade A, will always offer some play for slam, and usually excellent play.

 

At imps, looking to play 3N is silly. There are some hands on which 3N is the best game, but far more on which it is the worst game. Even if those hand types were roughly equal in frequency, the non-trivial upside of scoring up a slam in diamonds makes the splinter hands down the best action.

 

Mps odds are slightly different because if the frequency of which game is the better is roughly equal, one has to factor in 430/460 against 400/420. However, I don't think the frequencies are that equal, and in any event the slam potential goes a very long way to offsetting the game-score issue anyway.