[mike777]

MP favorable vul

AKT...Q865...98632...Q

Opponents silent

1D-1H
3C-?
your bid?

--------------------------------------------

For sake of discussion say you rebid 3D now partner rebids 3S, your bid now and your thinking?

[WasWinM]

I’m going to bid 3NT. There’s no guarantee that 5 Diamonds makes if partner holds 3 hearts.

[mikeh]

3D is trivial. 3N is flat out weird. x Kx AKxxx AKxxx isn’t a 3 C bid and opposite that understrength hand 6D is excellent.

After 3D 3S, I’d assume, if partner is expert,that he’s looking for a spade stopper for 3N. Maybe xx x AKQxxx AKQx.

I’d bid 4S. This is not an attempt to play in spades.

[DavidKok]

Wow, our hand has grown so much! Excellent support. Ability to ruff out the clubs. The ♣Q is working. Partner has at most two hearts, and likely only one. Our spades are probably worth full value, not finding shortage opposite.

3♦, then 4♠ over 3♠ as mikeh said. This confirms diamonds and shows a spade control without a heart control and without the club A/K, though we might still have a club shortage.

[mw64ahw]

4♠ over 3♠ SI in ♦

3♣ offers me a choice of suits and I'd be concerned partner would take 3♦ as min. and Pass (it does happen) given I'm not bidding 3N directly (19tp opposite a min. may only be 23hcp).
3♠ as a retrospective control bid in a slam going auction would be my preference. If I get 3N rather than 4♣ then that's a bonus with partner holding Qxx.

[jillybean]

We are in a gf aren’t we?
3D

[jillybean]

WasWinM, on 2025-September-17, 12:16, said:

I’m going to bid 3NT. There’s no guarantee that 5 Diamonds makes if partner holds 3 hearts.

The auction hasn’t ended, there’s no reason to think 5D will be the final contract.
Partner has a good hand, 3nt puts him a bad spot.

[pescetom]

DavidKok, on 2025-September-17, 14:27, said:

3♦, then 4♠ over 3♠ as mikeh said. This confirms diamonds and shows a spade control without a heart control and without the club A/K, though we might still have a club shortage.

I agree that we should now be control-bidding in diamonds, but FWIW in my neck of the woods (and with non-expert partners not inclined to discussion) I am quite comfortable with simple minded agreements to show the cheapest control - in this case 4♣ - without exception for shortage in partner's suit. More often than not she will be able to figure out in time that I am bidding shortage (and here the Q and ruffing potential might be worth K anyway). In the meantime we may gain information due to the lower level start. Here for example if she bids 4♥ I will know that she has dual control in the suit; if she temporizes in 4♦ then I bid 4♠ and she will learn the bad news about my hearts all the same.

[mike777]

Ty for all the responses
Very helpful.