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Supporting 1S on 3 cards


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Hi

First time use of the Forum so apology if I err. Also, new to 2/1. I’m a little bit lost for thoughts on dealing with 3-card support for partner with a possible splinter hand.

 

Partner opens 1S and I have xxx Axx x AKxxxx

 

My options seem to be 3D ( Modified Reverse Bergen -10-12 & 3 card support ), 2C or 3H (Ambiguous Splinter - but lacks 4 cards I should have for this). With 5 controls and a fit I smell game and would like to convey splinter shape somehow. What would people bid and why?

 

Thanks

Brian

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The hand you cite is more than just an invitational hand to me. You have a 3 QT hand plus look to be able to cover at least 1 loser with a ruff. That looks like being able to cover 4 losers in partner's hand. If partner has a typical 7 loser opener, that should be enough to make game.

 

I'd be inclined to bid 2 over 1 and jump to 4 next.

 

However, with a more mundane 10-12 hand with 3 card support, then 1 NT followed by 3 would be the way to show it playing 2/1.

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Hi

First time use of the Forum so apology if I err. Also, new to 2/1. I’m a little bit lost for thoughts on dealing with 3-card support for partner with a possible splinter hand.

 

Partner opens 1S and I have xxx Axx x AKxxxx

 

My options seem to be 3D ( Modified Reverse Bergen -10-12 & 3 card support ), 2C or 3H (Ambiguous Splinter - but lacks 4 cards I should have for this). With 5 controls and a fit I smell game and would like to convey splinter shape somehow. What would people bid and why?

 

Thanks

Brian

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Almost everyone making a splinter promises 4+ trumps.

 

With 3 card support, you use another method.

 

Sometimes called 'bidding around the clock.' If you bid two suits before

 

raising partner, you can show 3 card support 'plus shortage' in the unbid suit.

 

1S-2C-2D(?)-2H(partner will not have 4Hs since no 1S-2C-2H would be bid.

 

Over 1S-2C-2D-2H-2N-3S would suggest 3Ss and shortness in Ds.

 

 

Bergen raises promise 4+ trump. In 2/1 auctions,

 

1M-1N*-2m-3M raise shows the invite with 3 trump.

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I think the hand is good enough for 2c. Otherwise 1nt followed by 3S.

A direct limit raise with three small trumps and such good clubs is not ideal. You could go down in 6S with 6c being cold.

 

As a fellow Kiwi, I’ll abide by your suggestion. Can’t find one bid that does all I need but that I’m not too surprised or worried about. 3D does the hcp and 3-card support but like you I worry about hiding the C suit if I choose that option. 2C is GF and leaves lots of room for swapping information which could become important.

 

Thanks

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