ATB: Reach the minor game (or at least stay out of the major one)

[Jinksy]

[hv=pc=n&s=sj64hak764d96ckj7&n=sahj3dajt7532cq82&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1d(Unbalanced)1s2h(F1)p3dp3sp4hppp]266|200[/hv]

 

IMP pairs.

[Phil]

Tough hand. Not clear to me anyone did anything patently wrong.

[ggwhiz]

Tough hand. Not clear to me anyone did anything patently wrong.

 

Same here. I would vote that north "could" bid 4♦ forcing and expecting to hear 4♥ next if it's right but "should" do that is too strong.

[rmnka447]

I think everything through 3 ♠ is OK. With a decent ♠ stopper, South might just bid 3 NT as a "logical alternative". So, 3 ♠ should be asking about a stopper. With a porous ♦ suit, minimum values, and only stiff ♠ A, I don't 3 NT is right. The problem is that after a ♠ lead you might need 9 running tricks. That would seem to require running ♦ which are not assured. Otherwise, you could be going down a ton.

 

Call me timid, if you like, but I think 4 ♦ is right over 3 ♠.

[MrAce]

Everyone who voted so far and commented so far must be living in a different world than me.

 

3♠ asks for ♠ stopper prior to anything else.

N has a clear cut stopper.

He has to show it.

3♠ does not mean "bid 3 NT with spade stopper if you like your diamonds". It means "bid 3 NT if you have spade stopper"

Pd can easily have a hand that makes 3 NT cold on a spade stopper only, where 4♥ or 5♦ are close to hopeless.

 

Jxx

Qxxxx

KQ

Axx

 

EDIT: Even with the original NS hands, 3 NT is still OK. After all it would not surprise me to see E leading K or Q from KQTxx(x)