[ahydra]

At work we play bridge on Monday lunchtime - very friendly game where "takeout double" and "penalty double" are two distinct calls . But I wonder about this hand from today.

♠AKJxx
♥A
♦Kx
♣98xxx

Weak NT, 4cM. You open 1C, but then find another spade behind the HA and open 1S . Partner responds with 2H and you go 2S. Now 3H from partner...

I bid 3NT but it went down whereas 4H, 4S and even 5C were all much better. Partner had:

♠Qx
♥QJ10xxx
♦J
♣AQxx

After a diamond lead I looked for the obvious 9 tricks but the CK was offside.

4H or 4C would get us to a making 4M game, but how was I to know partner's minors weren't the other way around? I feel 3NT is right, but this isn't the first time choosing 3NT with a shapely hand has gotten me to the wrong place. So, does one in general strongly consider NOT playing 3NT with 5-5 hands?

ahydra

[c_corgi]

Over 3H there is no room to investigate. I prefer 3C to 2S, which will leave you better placed. Partner could also have anticipated the problem and bid 3C rather than 3H, intending to respect a direct 3NT but insist on playing in a suit otherwise.

[TWO4BRIDGE]

I don't fault partner for a 2/1 GF 2♥ response with that eleven+ count... the ♠Q x is golden.
And I can't find fault with his 3♥ rebid. That said, a 3♣ rebid instead would have disclosed a potential ♦ problem in NT.

But, YOU could have instead rebid 3♣ over 2♥.... which also might have steered you away from NT.

[Codo]

I prefer a style where you cannot bid 3 ♣ with weak hands. But even I would bid 3 ♣ with your hand. You surely have a good hand.
At the table I had some problems to avoid 5 ♣ while searching for six, so I had missed the better Major games, but at least I would avoid 3 NT.

[MickyB]

Weak NT 4cM => not 2/1 GF

2H showed enough for game opposite 15-16 NT
3C would've been GF opposite that hand
3H was invitational

I'd probably bid 3C over 2H, but having rebid 2S, I definitely wouldn't bid 3NT now. Stiff ace in pard's suit is horrible in NT, you'll have no chance of setting up his suit and cashing it, better to make it trumps.

[kenrexford]

Good hand for MICS canape. Open 2S as spades and clubs. Partner bids 2NT to ask for specifics. Easy game.

Not playing that, easy in non-Lawrence style. Rebid clubs.