How to introduce clubs

[Kungsgeten]

This is my hand:

 

♠J653

♥A3

♦7

♣KJ7632

 

Partner deals:

 

1♣*-(1♦)-1♥**-(1♠);

pass***-(2♦)-???

 

* 11-13 balanced or any 17+ (Swedish club)

** 8+ hcp, 4+ spades, might have longer minor if less than GF

*** 11-13 balanced, but could have made a support double

 

Partner did not alert 1♥, but ofcourse you can not use this information. What to bid? We have no clear agreements, but double would be takeout and you guess that 3♣ is forcing (or at least invitational). We use 2NT as artificial in some competetive sequences, but not sure how partner would interpret it here.

 

The scoring is MP, red vs white, if that's important.

 

Instead of 1♥ you could have bid 1NT, showing 5+♣ and 8+ hcp, denying a major suit unless GF.

[rhm]

I am not sure what you are aiming at.

There are 2 issues

 

1) what to do when partner had alerted

2) what to do now since partner did not alert. .

 

1) I would pass. Too bad you have no way of showing such a hand. But given the bidding (including an alert) makes it likely that you have 2 spade losers to start with. So forcing with 3♣ will only get you to an probably unmakable game.

2) Pass. But it is unlikely to matter. Opponents seem to have a heart fit and are entitled to an adjusted score anyway.

 

Instead of 1♥ you could have bid 1NT, showing 5+♣ and 8+ hcp, denying a major suit unless GF.

This agreement may be in the Polish tradition (MAFIA) but is nuts in competition.

When opponents compete naturally it is overwhelmingly likely that opener has 11-13 balanced and the battle is more likely to be for the part-score.

When opener has the strong variant you find out anyway.

You have nice ways to force and show strong hands opposite 11-13 balanced, but you handicap yourself competing with limited hands containing a major and a (longer) minor.

On pure frequency grounds your priorities are wrongly set.

 

Rainer Herrmann

[whereagles]

The situation is quite complicated, not only for itself but because there are a lot of undiscussed things.

 

I would try 3♣. Pard can (should?) reason you had stronger bids with a genuine GF hand.

[Trinidad]

I think this is a typical Lebensohl (or Good/Bad 2NT) situation: Partner has shown a well defined balanced hand, they interfere at the two level. If Lebensohl doesn't apply here then when does it apply?

 

I think that 2NT is a logical alternative (if not the only logical alternative). The UI (lack of alert of 1♥) has made 2NT less attractive. The action that you chose (pass) is a lot safer since it will not lead to misunderstandings in the auction.

 

If there is damage, I would rule against you. (Don't take it personally. ;) I like your posts.)

 

Rik

[Kungsgeten]

The action that you chose (pass) is a lot safer since it will not lead to misunderstandings in the auction.

 

Actually I chose to bid 2NT, which partner raised to 3NT. I went one down (I explained before the lead that 1♥ showed spades) which gave us 100%; a top. Most of the pairs on their side played 4♥ making. I would too rule against us since my unalerted heart bid made it hard for them to find hearts, but as it was the director were not called to the table.

[Trinidad]

Actually I chose to bid 2NT, which partner raised to 3NT.

Excellent. I misunderstood that you passed. My fault entirely.

 

Rik

[gszes]

No matter what I think of the system this hand has

plenty of juice to bid

 

3c

 

no matter game forcing or invitational (2n unless

artificial seems hopeless since it wrong sides any

NT contract).

 

Using the information and your system p has at most

2 spades and 4 hearts so that leaves at least 7 cards in

the minors.

 

That means p will almost always have 4+ clubs and

your side is a monster favorite for 6 clubs and 1 heart

p would need to contribute a dia stop and maybe the spade

T for 3n to have some play and that is if p is minimum.

 

It is not always about HCP sometimes you just have to try and

count tricks.