[Califdude]

Awkward bidding situations can arise when partner opens the bidding with a weak two-bid, opponents pass, and you have a void or singleton in partner's suit and a strong hand. How would you handle these sample hands?

A, You are playing SAYC, which includes RONF for weak two-bids.
B. You are playing Ogust.

Partner opens 2D, opponents pass throughout.

1. ♠ AKxx
♥ K10xxxx
♣ AKx

2. ♠ AKxx
♥ KJxx
♣ AKxxx

3. ♠ AKXX
♥ AKxx
♦ x
♣ AKxx

Thanks for your replies.

[TylerE]

What's partner's style on opening 2s?

[Echognome]

1. I bid 2♥. I think that much is clear to start. Where we go from there depends somewhat on what partner responds and what is style is.

2. I bid 2NT pretty much whatever it is. I am willing to play in 3♦ if partner shows a minimum.

3. I bid 2NT and see what partner says. If playing Ogust, I may hear 3NT, over which I'll shoot out 6♦ (we may have a trump loser anyway, but it's likely he can develop a long spade, before our third round loser in a round suit gets set up for the defense).

[jdaming]

#3 is not a problem either way you are forcing to game even opposite a minimum.

1&2 are close depending on your partners style. With someone who is old school and as some 2 of top 3 or 3 of top 5 rule it is probably okay to continue. With most of my partners however we prempt very light especially when the vul is right (which is another large factor in our decision) and I would just pass and let the opponents reopen.

Another thing to think about is many will reopen and or bid over 2♦ in the passout seat. You not having many ♦ makes this less likely but nobody likes to sit for a 2♦ prempt unless they think they are setting it.

[kenrexford]

On the first, 2♥ seems obvious. The only question for this hand is what partner is supposed to do. It seems strange that few discuss this auction.

For my part, I like a structure where 2NT is some alternative raise of hearts. What you end up with is that partner can bid 3♥ or 2NT to show a heart fit ("fit" meaning Hx+), with whatever you want to describe the weaker holding (I like 2NT as the power raise). 3♦ is the bust. Any other is a non-fit feature with extras. 3NT is solid. Something like that. Maybe even below-3NT jumps as splinters (3♠).

With the second, I also like 2♥, for a backwards reason. If partner agrees to play as I just set out, then my 2♥ call does not necessarily show a five-card suit. It just asks for more description, with a heart focus. If I find out that partner has something interesting in hearts, I might be able to steer us to a 4-3 heart fit. Or, to a 4-3 spade fit if he bids 2♠. This would be a delicate dance, however.

With the third, the same logic applies. However, I am probably more inclined, now, to place all of the eggs in the diamond basket and bid 2NT.

(BTW, this major "ask" rather than "show" approach helps you when you want to bid 3NT but have a hole. If partner "raises" the major, bid 3NT.)

[the hog]

2H
Pass
2NT to ask the quality of the D suit. Will end up in 5 or 6 Ds

[han]

Agree with Ron's initial calls. I'm never playing 6D.

[the hog]

han, on Dec 18 2008, 11:51 PM, said:

Agree with Ron's initial calls. I'm never playing 6D.

Qx
xx
KQJTxx
xxx

6D or better 6NT are great contracts, but I don't know how to show the Q of S, let alone the DT without playing a full blown relay system.

[han]

exactly, need to play a good system to ask about that 10.

[kenrexford]

han, on Dec 19 2008, 12:35 AM, said:

exactly, need to play a good system to ask about that 10.

Actually, it is not that tough to imagine.

Suppose that partner rebids something that describes his hand enough to eliminate the need for an Exclusion 5♣ call. Frankly, Exclusion 5♣ is rare enough to probably give up anyway. What 5♣ could say is that I have a hand like this. I have interest in 6♦, and I am about to place you in a practical 5♦, but my need is for your diamond suit to be really contextually solid. I could actually see this coming up fairly frequently. 5M (when a major is agreed) often asks about trump quality. 5♦ cannot serve that purpose because that is game in diamonds. So, you dedicate 5♣ for that purpose when diamonds are areed. Easy.

So, if partner rebids 3NT (solid dimonds), partner could be cautious and bid 5♣, suggesting 12 tricks but showing a small stiff.

In other situations, 5♣ could inferentially suggest a stiff honor.

Something like that. Maybe this should ask partner is he feels comfortable that diamonds will yield at most one loser?