[han]

As others have mentioned, 3S was a really bad bid. Not only does it take up a whole level without showing anything (or if it does show something, south doesn't have it), but it also prevents you from playing 3NT from the south. After the 1S overcall, that is likely at least as good as from the north.

[mikeh]

I think this is a tough hand, as others have pointed out.

The first two calls are routine...even if 3♦ were available as a splinter, it wouldn't be my choice.....let's keep the bidding lower until partner has some chance to describe his hand.

It would be useful, in terms of critiquing the auction, to know if 2♠ was gf or merely limit+.

It shouldn't impact opener's second bid: he has an easy 2N, which is descriptive and cheap...always a great combination. 3♠ is neither.....how on earth can S 'know' that 3N is the right contract opposite a spade stopper? Meanwhile, by using up the entire 3-level, he is jamming partner's bidding space.

Now, if 2♠ were gf, N could bid a quiet 3♣ to get cuebidding going while preserving the chances of 3N. But if 2♠ were only limit+, N has to make some other call, since 3♣ could and should be passed by S.

I really don't like the idea of 3N, but splintering isn't risk-free.

Give opener Q10x AQx Kxx Qxxx and we can see that 3N is the last makeable game, and wouldn't opener bid the same way through 2N?

Otoh, opener might hold the spade A, might be wide open in a red suit, and they might not find the spade ruff anyway, so I think, on balance, that the splinter is the way to go, after which S's hand grows up enormously.

[mike777]

south should rebid 2nt not 3s

Now I think north has a huge hand after 2nt


even after 3s I think north should do more than 3nt at imps.

I mean where are souths points? How bad can 5c be?

[y66]

Posts like that last one by mikeh on threads like this are what keep me hooked on this forum.

[Cyberyeti]

Cyberyeti, on 2012-March-28, 04:00, said:

Yet another "we opened a short club, couldn't raise it and missed the right spot" thread.

We play a 4 card club, and excluding the fact that we'd open a weak no trump, we play 1♣-(1♠)-2♣ as still inverted F1 not denying 4M. I'd have thought playing a short club there's even more of a case for still playing this inverted.

I'd mainly put this down to system.

wyman, on 2012-March-28, 07:53, said:

afaik, the club is 3+, and 2S was a club raise (5+, limit+).

Yes but it consumes a lot of space, when you can start 1♣-(1♠)-2♣-P-2♦(artificial ask) as we play you have a lot more space for investigation.

Our system of responses doesn't work in the context of possibly short club and a possible weak no trump type hand, I don't think you can handle F1 and may contain a major over this, so assuming FG and may have a major, you can have an auction like:

1♣-(1♠)-2♣-2♦!-2N(weak NT)-3♣-3♥(stop) which pinpoints the diamond issue

[HighLow21]

kayin801, on 2012-March-28, 09:17, said:

I don't really like 3♠

Says it all.

[Phil]

I'm having a hard time trying to see what is wrong with 3♥ by South.

[aguahombre]

Phil, on 2012-March-28, 14:05, said:

I'm having a hard time trying to see what is wrong with 3♥ by South.

Well, it probably won't score as well. Might not make, and misses the game and slam bonuses.

[ggwhiz]

Phil, on 2012-March-28, 14:05, said:

I'm having a hard time trying to see what is wrong with 3♥ by South.

I'm assuming 2♠ shows limit or better in clubs and South does not (marginally) have an accept of a limit. 3♥ would be my 2nd choice after 2nt though.