Bidding with weak hand after opponents keep passing

[Rautz]

Hello,

 

Both sides NV

Bidding is Pass(me)-Pass-1♦(partner)-Pass.

 

My hand is

♠Q85432

♥54

♦72

♣863

 

Should I bid anything here? What would be the minimum for a 1♠ or a 2♠ bid?

 

I'm new to the forums, any feedback is appreciated

 

Thank you

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

 

Sry misread the auction.

 

Pass.

 

With kind regards

marlowe

 

PS: Welcome to the forum.

[Tramticket]

Pass.

 

Partner might have a very strong hand and leap to game if you respond here.

 

(Unless you have agreed with partner that a jump to 2S is very weak - not without agreement).

[apollo1201]

Hi and welcome

 

You can « safely » pass as it is almost sure now partner has a strong hand and might get too excited. Opps could balance so the battle is not over yet.

 

If the auction was 1D partner and pass, 1S *could* really be considered as now it is LHO who could be strong. Or RHO maybe with a flat 14HCP unable to make a take out X due to a likely insufficient number of S. So some sub minimal hands might stretch to respond especially NV despite not having the minimum required. It prevents opps from an easy, low-level and almost risk-free enter in the auction, and if you get overboard, (undoubled) undertricks are not expensive.

 

A small singleton or void in partner’s minor suit (that could be 3 or 4-cd long) could also push to respond by fear of being left there to play with better alternative contracts.

 

Generally speaking, your min 1S could be 6HCP with 4-cds (in case partner has 19-20, as 21+ HCP hands are more rarely opened at the 1-level, you can consider partner has 19 at most 95% of the times, so you have to cater for that case where a combined 25 HCP between your 2 hands is reached), and maybe 5 HCP with 5-cds (KQxxx and out is a min but normal response). Of course if your hand is Jxxx Qxx Jxx Qxx, that makes 6 but you’re nowhere near game even facing 19 so that is an easy pass.

 

As regards 2S, if weak, it is often played as a hand a bit weaker than an opening weak 2 (maybe sth like 3-8), but it is a matter of partnership agreement. Also, for a passed hand, 2S could be used to show 5+S, 4+D and invitational values. Again a matter of partnership agreement. Absent agreements with partner, 2S is a dangerous thing to bid.