[pclayton]

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IMPs

You are playing 2/1 Lawrence style. Pard's 2♠ is a catchall, not promising 6, but denying hands that can bid anything else, like 2♥, 2N or 3♦.

So far: 1♠ - 2♦ - 2♠ (opps passing throughout)

What do you rebid over 2♠?

[Gerardo]

3♥. Partner can bid 3NT with a ♣ stopper and 3♠ with a 6th.

[bridgeboy]

I presume the bidding went:

1S 2S
2S ?


3H is my choice, though it might be tough to show the Kx S later when 4S is better despite a 5-2 fit.

[Double !]

I think I'd bid 3H (P likely doesn't have 4), If I had had a club stopper with this distro, then would probably rebid 2NT to avoid giving partner an impossible situation should I have rebid 3H and he has no club stopper. Almost seems that 3H denies a club stopper. IMO, is partly a case of the dog that didn't bark: Opener didn't rebid 2 or more hearts. Personally, I prefer to not play 2S as default rebid/ no other bid available after a 1S opener: prefer 2NT as catch-all with scattered values and no other rebid that seems clear-cut. The one bid I would definitely not make, even if 2S showed 6+ spades, is 4S! I play that as a shape bid, like a 6-4 or something similar, not a "quick arrival/ shut up partner" bid as opener's hand isn't limited yet. But-then again, not exactly an expurt over here, so......

[pclayton]

I don't think you can have it both ways. If you want to play 2♠ as a 6 bagger, then minimum 5314's have to be rebid 3♣.

[flytoox]

I vote for 2N. Pd could bid 2N without 4 hearts. He didnt do it either because he has 6+ spades or he has 4clubs but min hand. He has no 4 hearts for sure. So I think 2N is best. After 2N, if pd has 5422 he can raise to 3N. If he has 6 spades, he can rebid 3C, 3D or 3S depending on the shape and I will should my good doubleton support.

[sceptic]

if he is playing Lawrence style, I thought that did promise 6 spades, so my bet is 3!H looking for club stop for 3nt

[paulg]

Lawrence says that you need to choose either 2♠ or 2NT as your catch all response - this means that you either play 2♠ as showing only 5+, or bid 2NT when you may not stop the other suits.

The style is important here - in Peter's style then 3♥ seems clear as Gerardo says. If 2♠ shows 6, then 3♠ seems equally clear as you now want to play in spades rather than notrump.

paul

[LukeG]

To repeat a quote I have seen numerous times in the Bridge World MSC, "Why lie when you can tell the truth"? 2NT without a club stopper is silly. You have easy continuations if you bid 3♥. If partner bids 3♠, raise to 4. If partner bids 3NT, pass. If partner bids 4{DI], bid 4♠ showing a doubleton.

[Free]

3♥ for me

[TimG]

bridgeboy, on Jan 29 2005, 01:50 PM, said:

I presume the bidding went:

1S 2S
2S ?

I suspect you are wrong!

Put me down for 3♥.

[pclayton]

This hand was from Challenge the Champs, January, '04. Both pairs rebid 3♥ with this hand. I bid this with my pard and he made the same call.

I have a real problem over 3♥. I held: ♠QJ9xxx, ♥Kx♦Kx♣KTx (close I think, I don't have my copy around).

I hate to choose between rebidding my ragged 6 card suit a THIRD time or showing my stopper for 3N. I chose 3N, which is what both other pairs did.

Obviously 4♠ is superior. Certainly its better here if you play that 2♠ promises a 6 bagger. But many don't.

Its extremely unlikely that a heart fit is available. 3♥ just uses up a lot of space, and is somewhat pointless. Frankly, I think 3♥ should show a hand like: x, AQJx, AKQxxx, xx that does not have any interest in spades, and is a probe for 3N or beyond.

I think the best call with the subject hand is 2N. It saves valuable space and allows you to show secondary spades later at the 3 level. If partner raises to 3, you can bet he doesnt have 6 spades. 3N will likely be the best game (if there is one), even if clubs are xx opposite xxxx or even xxx.