Ghestem / Questem Continuation

[pstansbu]

Played this hand the other night (teams - IMPs). A question of 2 parts:

 

• 
   
  
• Would people advise bidding this as a 2-suiter?
  
• How do you continue after the 3 ♣ bid?
  

[hv=pc=n&s=sj3ht7632djt9ck63&w=sk9742hj94dkqct42&n=saqt865hd86432caj&e=shakq85da75cq9875&d=s&v=b&b=7&a=pp1s]399|300[/hv]

Playing Questem should East bid 3♣ or 2♥ with a view to showing ♣ later if possible and appropriate?

 

If 3 ♣ how does West now bid to differentiate between a simple preference and a fit with extra values? Actually I realise this question is probably more generic to sequences where you are forced to bid at the 3 level.

[rmnka447]

I would bid 2 ♥ first and maybe show ♣ later, if convenient.

 

With such a poor holding in ♣, I wouldn't treat this as a two suiter.

[phoenix214]

I am a simple minded soul I have a two suiter I bid it, at least, this hand should be good enough for the maxi range.

As for the bid, if your bid for this hand is 3♣, swap it around with diamonds, so you get both of those as f1 for free.

[Tramticket]

I'm over-calling 2♥. if South bids 4♠ (not this hand obviously) and this comes back to me I double.

 

On the actual hands given, I would expect to end up in 4♥, whichever action I take. The play looks awkward on a forcing defence - particularly if played by East.

[JLilly]

Is ♣Q9875 really so poor a suit? It's probably worth between a half-trick to a trick more than is ♣Q5432 opposite a partner with clubs enough to choose clubs from among your two suits.

[fromageGB]

I play 3♣ as the extreme suits, but as this bid is passable (and I'd pass with West like a shot) I don't include strong options. Therefore this is a simple 2♥ followed by clubs. Note this is nothing to do with one suit or other being good enough or better. 2♠ is a fine bid in my view if the suits were the reds.

 

That being the case, the concept of "fit or extra values" does not apply here. When it does I use the cheaper of opener's suit or the 4th suit as good hand support somewhere unspecified.

[Zelandakh]

Whether this hand is good enough for the strong part of a split-range call is really just a matter of agreement. I would personally prefer to treat it as a maximum "tweener", especially as that also allows me to highlight the hearts over the clubs. if not playing split-range but instead as showing extras when vulnerable, an increasingly popular method it seems, then bidding 3♣ would certainly be my choice..

 

On advancing, one typically shows extra values by using a cue bid. With split-range, you assume partner has the weak variety and only show extras if that is relevent opposite that hand type. With extras, partner will show you on the next round anyway so there is no need to cater to that possibility. With a continuous range, you assume still assume the range where partner will not necessarily bid again but now it is a little more of a judgement call.