[Pasana1]

I have the following hand of 19 HCP
♠ 10 9 8 3
♥ K 8 3
♦ A K Q 9
♣ A K

Very nice hand but the dealer opened the bidding with 2♠. What can I bid now?
I would like to add that we play SAYC
The other hands look like this:
East (Dealer)
♠KQJ762
♥A
♦654
♣986

West
♠A54
♥107652
♦10832
♣J

North
♠ ----
♥QJ94
♦J7
♣Q1075432

[mr1303]

Hmmm, tough one. I think I'll start with double and hope to survive.

[broze]

Double for me also. If I didn't have 3H I'd be happier with 3♠ as a stop ask.

[helene_t]

Double is ok but without the three hearts the choice would be between 2NT and pass. 3♠ stopper ask is based on a solid suit. Our spade suit is a stopper if partner has a singleton honour or two small ones. With a void he might not leave us in 3NT anyway.

[SteveMoe]

Most play a 1NT overcall to show a balanced hand 15-18 HCP and 1.5+ stoppers in the opener's suit. You could treat this hand as a maximum 1NT overcall with a flawed stopper.

Doubling is fine if you are prepared to rebid NT. (Since you are off-shape, if partner bids ♣ you will have to make a decision how to continue. Also consider partner might jump to 4♥ with only 4 trumps, ending in a 4-3 fit). The (3) NT rebid shows 19-21 or so and a solid ♠ stop (your flaw).

Finally, you could consider bidding 3N outright. When RHO open with a Weak 2, Give them 8 HCP (I know this one had 10). That means there are 13 HCP between partner and LHO. 19 opposite 7 could yield a game in the right strain. There's an old axiom that you should put 7 HCP in partner's hand on auctions like these and bid accordingly. (Likewise partner should know you "credited" them with 7 HCP and raise if they hold significantly more).

Since my hand is not particularly suited to play in the round suits, I bid 3N and hope to make. That fails here.

[bravejason]

Can someone explain the rationale for bidding NT when you know partner is quite likely to have a spade shortage since partner and dealers partner have all of three spades between them?

Why not double and then pass whatever partner bids?

[Tramticket]

bravejason, on 2017-February-15, 12:27, said:

Can someone explain the rationale for bidding NT

It's a gamble of course. Opps preempt has made things difficult. But opening weak 2s aren't usually based on solid running suits, so there is a good chance that partner holds a spade honour - which turn your spade holding into a stop.

On this occasion the opponent has opened with a particularly strong weak-two (most would open 1S on this hand). Your gamble would fail.

[Jinksy]

I think I'd gamble on 2N.

[silvr bull]

I too would try 2NT. P could have a S honor. If not, and on a good day, P will have a small stiff and LHO will have two honors, so opener cannot overtake the S lead without giving me a stopper. Looks like today is not that good day.