[pescetom]

And you pick up a hand like this at a delicate moment.

---

How does the auction stagger on in your usual partnership, and what is said at the bar afterwards?

EW pass throughout in any case.

[DavidKok]

1♣ (2+, may have up to 4♦ in a balanced hand) - 1♥ (8+ hcp, 4+♥, may have longer diamonds);
2♣ (6(+)♣ 11-14 or 5♣4♦ 11-16, at most 2♥) - 2♦ (3SGF, asking)¹;
2♠ (3♠, 0-1♥, 6(+)♣) - 3NT;
P

Over 2♦, opener bids 2♥ with a doubleton (unbalanced hands with 3-card support and a minimum raise the previous round) and higher bids are descriptive with short hearts, though I do sometimes bypass a doubleton heart to show significant shape.

¹I decided to take a view here as South. Obviously we're going to game. I have four main options here: 2♦ asking, most flexible. 2♠ showing a game forcing 4♠5♥ hand. 3♥ setting hearts as trumps and demanding a control. 4♥ to play and signoff. The suit is strong enough to set as trumps even opposite a singleton, so maybe setting hearts is better than asking. The downside is that if we're going for slam, I really want to know the degree of spade and diamond support, and how many ruffs there might be in North. Also I might pivot to 3NT if partner shows short hearts. I don't like 2♠ - we already know partner can't hold 4♠, but partner may hold 2♥. I'm not playing this hand in 4♠, and I don't see a point in asking.
Therefore I think that 2♦ is best, but the other two options (3♥ and 4♥) are also very reasonable.

[jillybean]

Far more interesting than that other hand.

I don't want to start with a 2♥SJS, close but I think I need a 7th or 8th heart

---

now it gets nasty.

[mw64ahw]

Three options/which I play with two different partners, both 'may be short may have 5♦'

Version 1
1♣ - 2♦ ♥ weak/GF
2♥ - 3♠ 46(xs)
3N - Pass/4♥
for reference 2♠ would be 5♥ and 2N is semi-balanced.

Version 2
1♣ - 1♠ GI
2♥ 6♣ no 4M - 2♠ <Shape?>
3♣ UB - 3♦ <Shortage?>
3♥ 3136 - 3N/4♥

Option 3
1♣ - 4♥ self-sustaining

[awm]

1♣ - 2♥ (GF)
3♣ - 3♥ (sets trumps)
3♠ - 4♦ (cuebids; 4♦ is non-serious)
4♥ - Pass

[jillybean]

Adam, you are not playing 2H as a SJS, or else that would set trumps.
please explain.

[Cyberyeti]

jillybean, on 2025-November-02, 09:32, said:

Adam, you are not playing 2H as a SJS, or else that would set trumps.
please explain.

We play SJS GF fit jump or single suit, 3♥ is needed to show the one suited type

[mw64ahw]

jillybean, on 2025-November-02, 09:32, said:

Adam, you are not playing 2H as a SJS, or else that would set trumps.
please explain.

A SJS doesn't unilaterally set trumps, but should be a strong indicator with about 17+

[pescetom]

Unfortunately (at least on this occasion: I quite like the weak jump, particularly in spades) we don't have the strong jump in our armoury. So it started 1C 1H 2C.

 DavidKok, on 2025-November-01, 16:41, said:

¹I decided to take a view here as South. Obviously we're going to game. I have four main options here: 2♦ asking, most flexible. 2♠ showing a game forcing 4♠5♥ hand. 3♥ setting hearts as trumps and demanding a control. 4♥ to play and signoff. The suit is strong enough to set as trumps even opposite a singleton, so maybe setting hearts is better than asking. The downside is that if we're going for slam, I really want to know the degree of spade and diamond support, and how many ruffs there might be in North. Also I might pivot to 3NT if partner shows short hearts. I don't like 2♠ - we already know partner can't hold 4♠, but partner may hold 2♥. I'm not playing this hand in 4♠, and I don't see a point in asking.
Therefore I think that 2♦ is best, but the other two options (3♥ and 4♥) are also very reasonable.

I too opted for 2D over 3H, with much the same reasoning and dislike for 2S. I confess I didn't think about 4H which I agree would be reasonable.

My occasional partner rebid 3C rather than spades, leaving me in an uncomfortable spot. I bid 3S, figuring that he would probably bid 3NT with a stopper and was better placed than me to judge his chances. He did just that but it made an overtrick less than hearts, no joy at MP.

[awm]

jillybean, on 2025-November-02, 09:32, said:

Adam, you are not playing 2H as a SJS, or else that would set trumps.
please explain.

We have the very simple agreement that two-level jump shifts are natural and game forcing. This shows either:

1. 6+ in the bid suit
2. 5+ in the bid suit and 4+ support for opener

If we rebid the jump shift suit, it sets trump. With hand type 2, we rebid opener's suit at next turn. Other continuations are generally natural (4sf is available if needed, even though we are in a game force).

Note that our jump shifts are not "Soloway style" and do not show "17+ points" necessarily.

[pescetom]

 awm, on 2025-November-02, 13:20, said:

We have the very simple agreement that two-level jump shifts are natural and game forcing. This shows either:

1. 6+ in the bid suit
2. 5+ in the bid suit and 4+ support for opener

If we rebid the jump shift suit, it sets trump. With hand type 2, we rebid opener's suit at next turn. Other continuations are generally natural (4sf is available if needed, even though we are in a game force).

Which is also what cyberyeti plays, IIUC.
Makes a lot of sense, especially 2H vulnerable.
The 2S weak jump has done me good service though.

[thepossum]

I'm bidding 2H Soloway single suiter taking me to 3H

Not sure if we end in 3NT or 4H or anywhere else

I do understand the shape is a bit off for SJS but my only interest is hearts and I have some faith in points, honour strength and loser counts

And who knows if anyone attempts slam but I can count 10 tricks, a lot of control and not many losers
Let's hope for 3NT

[jillybean]

Soloway is so rare and usually undiscussed, I like AWM treatment

[thepossum]

jillybean, on 2025-November-02, 21:17, said:

Soloway is so rare and usually undiscussed, I like AWM treatment

I can vaguely remember how to bid Soloway and it is just enough for me apart from 4 small spades - I just have some hope that partner can cover my weak points
On reflection I agree it is not quite strong enough - close

[mike777]

 pescetom, on 2025-November-01, 16:01, said:

And you pick up a hand like this at a delicate moment.

---

How does the auction stagger on in your usual partnership, and what is said at the bar afterwards?

EW pass throughout in any case.

Probably
1C-1H
2C-2D (art/gf)
3C-3H
4H-P

Seems straight forward