[Mbodell]

Scoring: MP

          3♠
3nt P P P

---

Please atb and/or suggest a better auction.

[gwnn]

double from S if obvious. then N will pass and everyone will be happy. I hope I'm not double dummy.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

South is too strong for the simple 3NT call, there has to be an upper limit
for the call, and 22HCP is way beyond this limit.
This does not mean, that X would work out better, but at least it gives you
a chance.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[pooltuna]

Mbodell, on Jan 2 2010, 04:22 AM, said:

Scoring: MP

          3♠
3nt P P P

---

Please atb and/or suggest a better auction.

On different colors this will not work out so bad as often. Some players really exercise their "license to steal" at these colors. The best player I ever partnered once told me at these colors if he opened 3♠ (actually any 3 level preempt) I needed a 2♣ opening to move. If your RHO fell in this category you see that partner's probable holding is going up significantly (at least a K IMO) so double is much better under those circumstances. Now reverse the colors and 3NT might be the limit for this auction.

[Mbodell]

Ok, it seems like double from south is the popular answer. What should south do when the auction continues P - 4♦ - P ??

Scoring: MP

                3♠
X - P - 4♦ - P
???

---

[jdonn]

If south (correctly imo) doubles and north bids 4♦, south has an easy 5♣ bid to show his flexible hand with primary clubs. Wtp?

[Fluffy]

certainly your opponents are agressive .

I think south's decision its not so obvious, I think 3NT woud be the best if partner was a passed hand.

We are too heavy for 3NT, but its not like doubling will give us any magic idea if partner bids 4♥ or 5♦. Are we moving on then?, if the answer is no, then 3NT looks right to me.

Also note that from north's perspective south has streched to bid 3NT with spade shortness in live position, not sure what strenght does 4NT show now, but he seems to be fairly safe bidding it.,

[gnasher]

Funny the way that the two hands we've seen for partner are so extreme.

If you added ♣J to the second example, slam would be pretty good, but it's unreasonable to hope to divine that in the auction.

[1eyedjack]

I agree with Fluffy. South may be a bit top heavy for 3N but heck, there are 13 tricks here (even if the Clubs don't break there are chances for 13). South could have been a trick lighter and small slam on. 3N is a wide range bid and from North's perspective it would seem that 4N is going to be safe even opposite a minimum 3N bid. I would bid 4C over 3N with North. Could be I am influenced by UI here. Not 100% convinced I would move at the table.