[kgr]

IMPs

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How should N/S bid these hands?
Is 3♣ forcing/what is the minimum?

[kgr]

RHO had ♥Kxxxxxx and♦AQx. The only contract that could make was 3NT.
- South had a maximum 1NT, but thought that 3♣ could be bid on distribution without extras. Therefore he choose to bid 3♦ and not 3♥, 3NT or 4♣.
- North rebid 4C, but maybe 3S is better?
- South now showed a cue with 4H, thinking that his hand was now maximum for his bidding.
- North didn't expect a 4cC by South and did bid 5D.

[ahydra]

I'm going to ATB as roughly 50-50, even though I wasn't asked for it

3C is not forcing. However, partner can still have 16-18 HCP, so South needs to keep the bidding going. Bidding 3NT with that lot isn't unreasonable to be honest - whether North is distributional or strong, the double fit + controls in both opps suit + second heart stop rates to allow 3NT to make.

5C is unlucky. I'm not blaming North for going past 3NT at IMPs with a heart void, but I am blaming him for bidding 5D. South's 4H agreed clubs (or at the very least might be agreeing clubs), so 5C would be better.

ahydra

[ggwhiz]

The question for me is what the minimum for the free 1nt bid is and in my partnership it's a really good 8 to a bad 11.

That makes the south hand closer to a minimum and North after a constructive but nf 3♣ bid can bid 3♥ to ask, landing in 4 of a minor or 3nt this time.

Close enough that I wouldn't expect to get it right every time but pard can concentrate on quality/number of stoppers plus chances of running the minor suits.

[gszes]

Majors NT Minors the bidding has eliminated a major suit fit so the
next question is NT and how high. 3c is not forcing but it definitely
is strongly competitive. The 2 aces in the S hand means they must
continue the bidding but what is the best way??

3N is not out of hand with Axx since we can most likely use a hold up
in spades to cut communications in that suit and I would not be upset
with p for bidding that way. Maybe a better way is to bid 3h instead of
the weak 3d bid (4c would have been a better choice) showing some
concern about spades for NT purposes N can then bid 3s showing a
partial stop and 3n can now easily be bid. When there are 2 "worry"
suits we show what we have when there is one we ask for help or
show a partial stop when we have space.

Your bidding was not that far off so don't get discouraged.

[kgr]

ggwhiz, on 2013-May-17, 11:19, said:

That makes the south hand closer to a minimum and North after a constructive but nf 3♣ bid can bid 3♥ to ask, landing in 4 of a minor or 3nt this time.

gszes, on 2013-May-17, 15:27, said:

When there are 2 "worry" suits we show what we have when there is one we ask for help or show a partial stop when we have space.

The second one for us: We bid the stop when opps have bid two suits.