[cencio]

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[mw64ahw]

X followed by ♦ or 3♠. I'd probably go for the latter

[mikeh]

Methods count. In my partnerships, we show a heart-minor two suiter by bidding 4m….obviously that requires a good hand but so too does using 3S for that. This ‘leaping Michaels’ is so common as to be pretty much expert standard. That works well here, allowing me to bid 3S, showing a hand on which I expect/hope to make 3N if partner has a spade stopper. I don’t think I could have a clearer example of a 3S bid other than wishing for an extra diamond, and then I’d be worried about slam in diamonds, even opposite a passed hand.

[Cyberyeti]

 mikeh, on 2023-November-26, 12:16, said:

Methods count. In my partnerships, we show a heart-minor two suiter by bidding 4m….obviously that requires a good hand but so too does using 3S for that. This ‘leaping Michaels’ is so common as to be pretty much expert standard. That works well here, allowing me to bid 3S, showing a hand on which I expect/hope to make 3N if partner has a spade stopper. I don’t think I could have a clearer example of a 3S bid other than wishing for an extra diamond, and then I’d be worried about slam in diamonds, even opposite a passed hand.

My issue with 3♠ is that a spade stop might not be your 9th trick if it's not the ace.

consider partner looking at QJxx, x, xx, Q109xxx for example

I think I have to double, KQxxx in either hearts or clubs could easily be enough for a slam, and we play lebensohl over this so I will have an idea if partner has a decent hand and if he does and only has 4 hearts, whether he has a spade stop.

[mikeh]

 Cyberyeti, on 2023-November-26, 12:56, said:

My issue with 3♠ is that a spade stop might not be your 9th trick if it's not the ace.

consider partner looking at QJxx, x, xx, Q109xxx for example

I think I have to double, KQxxx in either hearts or clubs could easily be enough for a slam, and we play lebensohl over this so I will have an idea if partner has a decent hand and if he does and only has 4 hearts, whether he has a spade stop.

We can all make up hands to justify our bidding. But imagining that the opps have a nine card heart fit….and that they’ll attack hearts on opening lead, or have time to do so PLUS imagining an alternate hand on which we make 4H but not 3N requires a lot of wishful thinking. I don’t have the time (nor any longer the software) to do a simulation but I’d bet that 3S is a clear winner over double….unless (maybe) you are able to guess well over whatever partner does. For example, with say Axx Jxxx xx xxxx he’ll bid 2N then 3H. Good luck over that…oh…anyone who claims they’d now bid 3S is almost surely kidding us and/or themselves.

[mw64ahw]

 mikeh, on 2023-November-26, 13:12, said:

We can all make up hands to justify our bidding. But imagining that the opps have a nine card heart fit….and that they'll attack hearts on opening lead, or have time to do so PLUS imagining an alternate hand on which we make 4H but not 3N requires a lot of wishful thinking. I don't have the time (nor any longer the software) to do a simulation but I'd bet that 3S is a clear winner over double….unless (maybe) you are able to guess well over whatever partner does. For example, with say Axx Jxxx xx xxxx he'll bid 2N then 3H. Good luck over that…oh…anyone who claims they'd now bid 3S is almost surely kidding us and/or themselves.

I would hope South would be bidding 3♦ rather than 3♣ over 2NT

[mikeh]

 mw64ahw, on 2023-November-26, 13:42, said:

I would hope South would be bidding 3♦ rather than 3♣ over 2NT

Of course, and maybe partner won’t then bid 3H. But, since then we want partner to bid 3N with a spade stopper, how much h further are we ahead compared to 3S? Ok, if 3D is the limit. But I’m not going to be that pessimistic with this hand

[DavidKok]

I play the direct 3♠ as weaker Michaels, 5(+)♥5(+)m. It is forcing to the 4-level, but the leap to 4m instead shows a strong hand with more slam interest. That means I have to double with this hand, and will bid 3♠ over partner's likely Lebensohl.

[cencio]

I was sud playing a tournment with robots

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[Cyberyeti]

Well I'd have opened the N hand comfortably 1♠. That shape would be impossible for us as it would either be a 1 opener or an Ekren.

In fact, given that we play a 5 card multi, 5 spades to an honour would be vanishingly unlikely. I nearly posted a question about your 2 bids.

[fuzzyquack]

 cencio, on 2023-November-26, 15:08, said:

I was sud playing a tournment with robots

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+800 scored quite well for me. With bots you have no choice - 3S shows 25+ and 7N is a likely response

[cencio]

Looking for other result: someone bid 5 d.other 3nt plus 3. The only one that bid a 6 h has gone down. And bid 3s over2s