[harikannan]

Playing 2/1, IMPs, my partner opened 1D with:

AQ3
K854
AK9874
-

My RHO overcalled 2C and I doubled with:

KT97
AJT
QJT
K95.

How should the bidding progress? Thanks.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

I will give it a try.

1D - (2C) - X (1) - (Pass)
3H (2) - (Pass) - 3NT (3) - all Pass

(1) obv. you can agree, that the neg. X showes 44 in the majors,
but I prefer to play it the way, that the promise is: "I can handle your reaction."
(2) For me this would be NF, but you could argue, that it showes 15/16+ and given that the
neg. X promised a lower bound, 3H should be forcing, ..., there is reason, why 2NT in
this seq. is sometimes played Lebensohl style to differ the responses.
(3) I am not happy about this one, but most likely my bid at the table. I hate to go down in
stupid contracts, getting to high, I really do.
On reflection p, will be 54 in the red suits, i.e. you have a diamond fit, you have
something to spare, you only have 1 stopper, 5D wont be a lot worse than 3NT, if at all,
... go ahead bid 4D ending up on the 6 or 7 level.
After 4D, opener can show the void via 5C, what ever the meaning is of the bid.

With kind regards
Marlowe

PS: On further reflection, I am not even sure, that 4D over 3H is forcing.

[Cyberyeti]

I would have considered 3N on the first round, after which N clearly moves.

[mw64ahw]

My attempts

A slow slam involving advanced cues and showing KCs

---

Playing my esoteric unbalanced ♦

---

It feels like 7♦, but I can't get there.

[pescetom]

We might bid:
1D (2C) X
3H 3NT
4D 4H
4S 5C
5H 5S
?

Now South has a tough decision whether to stop in small slam or bid 5NT which will force to grand if partner has the trump Queen. South can only guess about hearts Queen and North if she had it would be in doubt about the clubs situation and spades Queen.

[Cyberyeti]

mw64ahw, on 2025-October-14, 05:00, said:

My attempts

A slow slam involving advanced cues and showing KCs

---

A very slow slam when partner passes 2♥ with J109x, AQJx, xx, xxx and with diamonds 3-2 and the spade onside you make 7. Must bid more than that.

[mike777]

Less sure about partner moving over 3Nt.

Playing unbalanced Diamond certainly helps on this one. I like it. Still have no idea how transfers work over a minor suit opening..

[pescetom]

 mike777, on 2025-October-14, 06:25, said:

Less sure about partner moving over 3Nt.

I would find 4D over 3NT automatic, even at MP.

[Cyberyeti]

pescetom, on 2025-October-14, 06:32, said:

I would find 4D over 3NT automatic, even at MP.

agreed partner has 13-15 ish, if he bids 4N over 4♦ you pass (4♥ would be kickback), you should have enough to make it, but the one thing partner doesn't have is 4-4+M so unless he has 5 clubs he will have at least 2 diamonds.

The one I was trying to work out was if the spades were KJ109 rather than K109x how you reach 7♠

[P_Marlowe]

pescetom, on 2025-October-14, 06:32, said:

I would find 4D over 3NT automatic, even at MP.

You better be right.

If responder bids 3NT over 2C, I think moving is ok, may even be odds on.
If you move over the slow auction, ...
well, good luck, sometimes p will only have a bal. 8/10-12 count.

[mw64ahw]

Cyberyeti, on 2025-October-14, 06:22, said:

A very slow slam when partner passes 2♥ with J109x, AQJx, xx, xxx and with diamonds 3-2 and the spade onside you make 7. Must bid more than that.

I'd have to raise to 3♥, especially with the opps. bidding on with a 10-card ♣ fit.

[Cyberyeti]

mw64ahw, on 2025-October-14, 07:06, said:

I'd have to raise to 3♥, especially with the opps. Bidding on with a 10-card ♣ fit.

The double is one you stretch to make, I gave partner an 8 count, it could easily be 6 with 4 solid and 6 possible.

[pescetom]

P_Marlowe, on 2025-October-14, 06:55, said:

You better be right.

If responder bids 3NT over 2C, I think moving is ok, may even be odds on.
If you move over the slow auction, ...
well, good luck, sometimes p will only have a bal. 8/10-12 count.

In the slow auction of mine, partner doubled 2C and then bid 3NT.
So he thinks the points are ours opposite a minimum opening, he has honours in the majors and a stopper in clubs.
I shouldn't need much luck even if over 4D he cannot do better than discourage with 4NT.

[P_Marlowe]

pescetom, on 2025-October-14, 12:10, said:

In the slow auction of mine, partner doubled 2C and then bid 3NT.
So he thinks the points are ours opposite a minimum opening, he has honours in the majors and a stopper in clubs.
I shouldn't need much luck even if over 4D he cannot do better than discourage with 4NT.

He did bid game, after opener showed add. strength by jumping to 3H.
He may have planned / decided to play 2H in a possible 43.

[mike777]

Not that easy of a hand to get to six as posters suggest if MP.

Expect many to stop in 3NT.

I would per Marlowe auction.

[pescetom]

P_Marlowe, on 2025-October-15, 03:10, said:

He did bid game, after opener showed add. strength by jumping to 3H.

His double was a free bid and to me promises at least 9 HCP with something in both majors and not much in clubs.
Sure I pushed him a bit then, but he still now showed a real stopper in clubs, and his bid of game is wide ranging.
Looking at my hand, the minimum I picture is ♠Kxx(x) ♥AJ(x) ♦xxx(x) ♣Kxx.
He probably likes at least one of my red suits and he wouldn't have doubled without something in spades.

[mike777]

 pescetom, on 2025-October-15, 15:21, said:

His double was a free bid and to me promises at least 9 HCP with something in both majors and not much in clubs.
Sure I pushed him a bit then, but he still now showed a real stopper in clubs, and his bid of game is wide ranging.
Looking at my hand, the minimum I picture is ♠Kxx(x) ♥AJ(x) ♦xxx(x) ♣Kxx.

No
Could have less than:

KT98..QJx..xx...KQxx

At MP not moving past NT
Lose to those that find slam.

[mike777]

 pescetom, on 2025-October-15, 15:21, said:

His double was a free bid and to me promises at least 9 HCP with something in both majors and not much in clubs.
Sure I pushed him a bit then, but he still now showed a real stopper in clubs, and his bid of game is wide ranging.
Looking at my hand, the minimum I picture is ♠Kxx(x) ♥AJ(x) ♦xxx(x) ♣Kxx.

No
Could have less than:

KT98..QJx..xx...KQxx

At MP not moving past NT
Lose to those that find slam. But you always lose to those that bid slam

[pescetom]

mike777, on 2025-October-15, 15:26, said:

No
Could have less than:

KT98..QJx..xx...KQxx

At MP not moving past NT
Lose to those that find slam. But you always lose to those that bid slam

Not sure of your point?
With a hand like that unsuited to 6♦ (or even slightly less) we have decent chances to survive in 4NT at same MP.
Pulling to the minor is a suggestion, not an imposition.

But then bridge is a risk evaluation game, depends not just upon scoring system but also upon your field, agreed.

[mike777]

pescetom, on 2025-October-15, 15:36, said:

Not sure of your point?
With a hand like that unsuited to 6♦ (or even slightly less) we have decent chances to survive in 4NT at same MP.
Pulling to the minor is a suggestion, not an imposition.

But then bridge is a risk evaluation game, depends not just upon scoring system but also upon your field, agreed.

fair points, ty