How would you bid this?

[AL78]

Head to head teams, we were playing Benj Acol, weak NT.

 

[hv=pc=n&s=sk8hat3dakj86532c&w=sj53hj97dt7ct9864&n=saq642hq4dq9caqj3&e=st97hk8652d4ck752&d=e&v=e&b=6&a=p2cp2dp4dp4np5cp7nppp]399|300[/hv]

 

This auction is rather kludgy, but with the South hand, I couldn't think of a good way to show this hand, so decided to treat it as a not quite game hand, and opened 2♣, showing 8-9 playing tricks or strong balanced. 2♦ was a relay, and partner had a WTF moment after my next bid, after some thought went through RCKB to bid the grand. 13 tricks off the top and imps in when oppponents only got to 6♦.

 

I'm sure there are people playing other systems like strong club which may be more elegant on this deal, so I'm curious as to how and your regular partner would have bid this hand.

[pescetom]

This could have gone several ways for us, as it's a close call between 1♦ and 2♣ and in the latter case this is one of the few cases where partner is authorised to respond 2♠. If he did so, I would probably raise spades and explore slam there, rather than try to assert diamonds at such a high level. So it might go something like:

2♣ - 2♠

3♠ - 4♣

4♦ - 4NT (even KC)

5♣ - 5♥

5NT (no Q♠) - 6♣

6♦ - 7♦

7NT

 

Partner is probably counting on a phantom K♣ but that's no issue here, I can count 13 top tricks (3 spades, 1 heart, 8 diamonds, 1 club).

[Cyberyeti]

1♦-1♠

2N (GF unbal)-3♣(semi forced without extreme shape)

3♦(6+ diamonds)-4♥(keycard ♦)

4♠(0/3)-4N(Q♦ ?)

5♠(Yes and ♠K but no ♣/♥K, surely partner isn't going to leap into keycard without xxx/Qx)-7♦/7N (for partner to show the Q, he clearly has 7 or 8 diamonds, may need to ruff the spades good if he only has 7, but TBF he probably has 8 to be worth the GF 2N given that you know he has at best 16 points without ♠J which would solidify 7N anyway)

[Tramticket]

I think that you are a bit light in terms of high-card strength and defensive values for a Benji 2c, but nothing else is particularly attractive. I don't understand your bidding from there: (1) surely partner has enough to make a 2S positive response? Even if 2D is a relay rather than a negative, a five-card suit with two honours in a seventeen HCP hand is surely worth mentioning? (2) the leap to 4D is silly. A simple 3D is forcing for one round (game forcing if partner had given a positive response). After 3D you would have space to explore constructively.

[Zelandakh]

A simple 3D is forcing for one round

While I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiment it is worth mentioning that many Benji pairs play 2♣ - 2♦; 3m as non-forcing. If Opener wants to force beyond 3m then they need to open 2♦.

 

That said, I have never seen anyone jump to 4♦ in a Benji sequence. I know some jumps in the original methods were used as two-suiters so I would be a little worried that partner might decide I had the majors doing this without agreement. Even if partner decides we do have diamonds we are not out of the woods as they might think we are psyching to mess the opps up with some kind of preemptive hand.

 

Still, you can't argue with success. ;)

[AL78]

While I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiment it is worth mentioning that many Benji pairs play 2♣ - 2♦; 3m as non-forcing. If Opener wants to force beyond 3m then they need to open 2♦.

 

That said, I have never seen anyone jump to 4♦ in a Benji sequence. I know some jumps in the original methods were used as two-suiters so I would be a little worried that partner might decide I had the majors doing this without agreement. Even if partner decides we do have diamonds we are not out of the woods as they might think we are psyching to mess the opps up with some kind of preemptive hand.

 

Still, you can't argue with success. ;)

 

I'm not sure 3♦ is forcing, and in any case, it doesn't get over the primary feature of a very long self supporting suit. I felt the need to jump to show that long strong suit, that is the normal way it is done playing Benji, but because the suit is a minor, that makes it more awkward because there is no way to jump without going to the four level. If it were a major, I could jump to the three level which is more convenient.

 

If I held my partner's hand, I would have responded 2♠, but many people playing Benji at club level in the UK just make the relay bid whatever they hold. After that response, I would be more inclined to bid 3♦.

 

Am I correct in thinking some people play 1m - 1M - 3NT as showing an opening hand with a long solid minor when all the balanced hand strengths are covered by other bids/rebids?

[Cyberyeti]

When I opened 1♦, I misunderstood the OP as showing "at least" what you stated rather than exactly ie Acol 2♣ rather than benji. If I was playing benji, yes I'd open it 2♣ and would expect partner to bid 2♠. To me, 4♦ should be a completely solid suit. For you to show this, you should have 8 or 9 to the AK as far as partner is concerned looking at the Q so I would bid as he did.