Your call

[ahydra]

IMPs, weak opponents, they're vul, you're not.

 

[hv=pc=n&w=sahakjd73ckjt8653&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=2h(weak)]133|200[/hv]

 

4C is leaping michaels, just in case it matters.

 

ahydra

[wank]

this is awkward. ax of clubs is enough for you to want to be in 5c so 3C is out for me.

 

otoh 3nt can easily be a far safer spot.

 

anyway, best start with a double and see what happens. hopefully when p takes us in spades past 3nt we'll get home in 5C anyway.

[1eyedjack]

My first thought was just to blast 3n

[mike777]

I will try 3c my longest suit.

 

I can understand other options.

 

pard is an unpassed hand so I dont want to preempt her and we are at fav vul so if some lucky game makes with perfect cards from her, not the end of the world against weak opponents

[billw55]

I think double, then bid clubs describes this hand well. I am not too worried about space at these colors and with these hearts.

[kuhchung]

I think double, then bid clubs describes this hand well. I am not too worried about space at these colors and with these hearts.

 

that shows a flexible hand, typically a hand with only 3 spades because you couldn't raise partner's spades directly

[billw55]

that shows a flexible hand, typically a hand with only 3 spades because you couldn't raise partner's spades directly

I don't see any spades under consideration. Wrong thread maybe?

 

edit: oooh, a clever joke maybe.

[Jinksy]

4♣, omitting the 'stop' card.

[ggwhiz]

duped

[ggwhiz]

3♣ for me as we could miss slam or get to the wrong game at least as easily as missing anything.

 

Doubling with 3 cards total in the pointed suits will probably lead to slam as you retreat over partners bidding. I would prefer a direct 6♣ to THAT.

[kenrexford]

2NT

[kenberg]

2NT

 

I considered this, and perhaps I would do it. But a question or two.

 

The vul 4H on at best QTxxxx(x) is odd, to me, but doing it while also holding four spades would be even odder. So there is a fine chance my partner has at least four spades. Maybe five, maybe six. So the question is what happens next.

 

 

If partner bids 4H, I think I bid 4S and play in my 6-1 fit. If partner bids 3C, I think I try 4C and hope this works well. The problem is when partner bids 3H. WhadoIdo, whadoIdo, whadoIdo? I don't think I should bid 2NT until I figure that one out.

 

2NT overcalls of 2H are different from opening 2NT. So maybe bidding 2NT and then, over 3H, bidding 4C shows this hand. Or maybe it doesn't. I cannot name a single person I play with who I could confidently say would figure out what I am doing.

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&w=sahakjd73ckjt8653&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=2h(weak)]133|200

IMPs, weak opponents, they're vul, you're not.

4C is leaping michaels, just in case it matters.[/hv]

I rank

1. 3N = NAT. Often based on a long suit.
2. 3♣ = NAT. Underbid
3. 5♣ = PRE. Misdescriptive but practical
4. Double = T/O. Might prevent you mentioning ♣s at the 3-level,
5. 2N = NAT. Misdescriptive underbid.

[Winstonm]

I don't want to take the risk of a pass by partner or a spade game found by the opponents so I'm bidding a direct 5C - it rates to be a fair contract, it has preemptive value, it prevents partner from getting confused, but it removes 3NT as an option - which I'm not all that sorry about, really.

[mathboy]

2NT

+1

[msjennifer]

Double.And why not? Everybody plays Lebensohl these days.If he bids 2NT ( Lebensohl request to please bid 3 Clubs) I Shall bid 3 C as requested and then if he bids 3D (shows a weak hand hand less than 9HCP and sign off in D )then shall continue with 4C.If ,over my requested ,3C he bids 3S which now shows spades and 8/9 plus HCP the again 4C leaving enough space for cue bids as now 4 C is GF.with clubs. Remember,that 2S response by P (( cheapest bid) shows 0 to 8 HCP.and 4plus Spades.

If unfortunately no Lebensohl then I don't mind showing the single suited( No guarantee about spades) hand with 3 /4 C depending on his response.I am certainly not going to miss a game/slam if partner shows some life.After all,if partner has a well placed DK and CQ to go with it 5C is on Ice.

I feel that the hand is overstrong for a simple overcall of 3C.

[mike777]

IMPs, weak opponents, they're vul, you're not.

 

[hv=pc=n&w=sahakjd73ckjt8653&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=2h(weak)]133|200[/hv]

 

4C is leaping michaels, just in case it matters.

 

ahydra

 

Good and interesting problem, you got lots of different answers

 

Look forward to see what worked and did not work at the table and how it affected the rest of the match.

[ggwhiz]

Double.And why not?

 

I would bet a lot that the full hand will give 1 of a few dozen reasons.

[MrAce]

I can't believe there are actually people who consider starting with DBL!

[nekthen]

3♣ for me. If partner passes we probably have no game. If I double we may go 2♠ 3♣ 3♦ 4♣ losing 2♦ and 2♣. I think I want a more solid club suit to double and then bid ♣. No trumps requires a lot from partner, Ax♣ and a ♦ stop. If partner has nothing in ♣, even weak opps will find the hole in ♦ or ♠.

[eagles123]

I'd just bid 3n but who knows - interesting hand

[Caitlynne]

Clearly, 3NT could be the right spot on this hand. But equally clearly, playing in clubs at some level could be right.

 

Since I can't see the other hands and I do not have a truly magical crystal ball, you have to make a reasoned choice.

 

Overall, bidding 3NT is taking a position. Partner will rarely move even with a hand with scattered values. And then you could easily miss a slam. Or you could get a spade lead (or a diamond lead) and be beaten in 3NT when partner does not have spade help and diamond coverage (or diamond coverage including the Ace and and a club card). Another problem with 3NT - though not a likely peril on this hand - is if LHO raises hearts. Now what will you do? If you double - which is clearly penalty oriented - partner may have long bad spades and bid 4S on you, turning your plus score into a minus.

 

I think the best chance of landing on your feet and in the correct strain is to bid your long suit. If partner has a club card and a few scattered values, partner likely will bid 3H to ask for a heart stopper, and now you have an easy conversion to 3NT. If partner bids 3S or 3D - neither of which is particularly unlikely - you can just continue with 3NT anyway - taking the chance that partner has some values in the fourth suit. So overcalling in clubs does not preclude getting to game in No Trump - but it does increase the chances that it is the right contract when you do. Finally, if partner raises clubs (or pulls 3NT after a 3H bid), you can cue bid to look for slam.

 

If partner passes you in 3C, you are unlikely to be missing a game (although that is certainly possible). But even then, not vulnerable, it is not a disaster and not likely to be a substantial loss either.

 

Finally, 3C is advantaged if LHO competes in hearts (usually to 3H given your heart holding). After 3H is passed back to you (or if partner speaks up with 3S), you have an easy 3NT rebid.

[Phil]

I'd just suck it up and bid 5C. It seems like I need a pretty specific parlay for 3N to be right when 5C isn't.

[miamijd]

Tough call. I could see X, 2NT, 3C, #NT, or 5C. I think I would start with X, but none of these bids seem horrible.

 

X generally should work out OK unless partner insists on spades. If partner bids the expected 2S, you can bid 3C, showing this sort of hand, and see if partner has a little something to continue on, in which case you'll likely reach 3NT. If partner bids 3S (invite with 5S), you can try 3NT.

 

Over 2NT Leb, you bid 3C. If partner bids 3S (invite with 4S), you have an easy 3NT call. If partner bids 3D, I would try 4C. Yes, 3NT could work, but since partner has denied 4S, you are apt to get killed in spades unless partner has the Ac. I'd bid 4C and let partner go to 5 with a couple of cards.

 

Altogether, pretty comfortable. The only risk is that if partner insists on playing 4S, you may well be in the wrong spot. You'll have to guess whether to leave that or bid 5C.

 

2NT seems wrong to me, as it contains a lot of risk without much reward. First, partner may drop you in 3S on hands where 5C or 3NT makes easily. Second, partner could drop you in 4S on hands where it's wrong. Finally, partner could have a hand that's good enough to make 3NT or 5C, but not good enough to bid over 2NT. Lot of bad things that could happen.

 

The trouble is, I don't see what good can come of starting with 2NT rather than X.

 

3C is an underbid with risk and reward. The risk is that you'll miss a game if partner isn't strong enough to bid over 3C but has enough stuff to make game. The reward is that you'll almost certainly make 3C, so if game doesn't make, you'll get a good score.

 

At MPs, I would be tempted to bid 3C. At IMPs, I don't want to miss an easy game, so I think 3C is way too risky.

 

5C is reasonable, but what if 3NT is the only making game? Seems a bit unilateral to me.

 

3NT also seems unilateral. What if we belong in clubs? Surely there is room for some investigation.

[ahydra]

So many replies! Thanks to all who contributed. Looks like 3C/3NT were pretty much joint winners in the poll.

 

This was partner's hand. He opted for 2NT and things got a bit interesting...

 

[hv=pc=n&s=st2hq987643daqj4c&w=sahakjd73ckjt8653&n=s9874h52dkt965cq7&e=skqj653htd82ca942&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=2h2np3h(transfer)p3n(note%201)p4c(note%202)p5cp5sppp]399|300[/hv]

 

(1) East: erm, did partner forget the system? (has done once before) West: I want to play 3NT, not spades.

(2) East: well ostensibly 3NT is a superaccept so I want to try for a slam in spades. Let's see if partner has a diamond control. West: He has spades and clubs.

 

Made 13 tricks and picked up 2 IMPs when the other table was in 5C+2.

 

Partner's logic behind 2NT was that he needs something from me to make 3NT. However I don't think that he can necessarily assume I have it just because I transferred to spades (I could have say six spades to the queen and out). Hence I think I like a 3NT bid on this.

 

ahydra