[pescetom]

Mentoring a beginner in the I/B tournament, almost all in 4♥+2 here (I sneaked 4♠+3 on a clubs lead).
Not an easy hand to bid at any level, at least playing 2/1.
How would it have gone with your usual partner and opponents?

MP

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[mw64ahw]

Indeed a tricky one

I have two potential approaches
1. playing transfers over 1♠-1N
2♣ would be
a) 5x4x limited
b) 5xx4 strong
c) 52x4 limited
d) 55xx invitational
Two issues
a) 1N is non-forcing opposite a balanced hand
b) a simple preference for 2♦ may be too weak
Now opener has space to show shape and after 4♥ the onus is on opener to move forward.

Edit: 1b playing a non transfer approach after 2♣, 2N shows 55 in the unbid suits, then 3 & 4♥ again with the onus on opener to make the slam try. The use of 2N is one of those benefits I find not playing a 2/1 game forcing approach.

2. 2♦ 5♥ 10+, or 6♥ 8-10
Given the shape I favour this approach despite the weak hcp. Again shape can be established, but here a slam move is more likely.

I doubt I'd end in ♠

[jillybean]

t would be ugly any way any normal player would bid it, next

[mike777]

Possible

1S-1NT
3NT-then. .

Maybe 6H?

I am biased seeing the hands

[pescetom]

 mike777, on 2026-March-09, 19:10, said:

Possible

1S-1NT
3NT-then. .

Maybe 6H?

I am biased seeing the hands

I don't understand 3NT rather than 2NT?
After that, as East I might bid 3H and then pull 3NT to 4D, elicting 4H. I don't think I have the courage to Keycard over that. But with a partner I trust I might control bid 4S (yes, a singleton in his suit) hoping to hear 5D.


Of course we are biased seeing the hands.

[mike777]

3NT shows a bigger hand, solid spades.
Certainly not a perfect bid, thus the problem...

2NT is very passable.

I would add it does show good values outside of solid spades. With only a solid major we can open a "gambling" 3NT

[pescetom]

 mike777, on 2026-March-10, 07:28, said:

3NT shows a bigger hand, solid spades.
Certainly not a perfect bid, thus the problem...

2NT is very passable.

I would add it does show good values outside of solid spades. With only a solid major we can open a "gambling" 3NT

My system designer is not a great fan of suit quality requirements or low frequency.
For us 3NT has to have the opening suit 6th as well as a hand strong enough to force to game.
But to each his own.

[mike777]

Yes, having that sixth spade is nicer.
Thus the problem, not a perfect bid

[pescetom]

 jillybean, on 2026-March-09, 18:26, said:

t would be ugly any way any normal player would bid it, next

I doubt many of our "normal" players went through 1NT semi-forcing with the hand of East.
1S - 3H
4H - P
Is neither ugly nor impractical, although I dislike it all the same.

[Cyberyeti]

Playing what I play:

1♠-1N
2N-4♦
4♥

[jillybean]

pescetom, on 2026-March-10, 09:27, said:

I doubt many of our "normal" players went through 1NT semi-forcing with the hand of East.
1S - 3H
4H - P
Is neither ugly nor impractical, although I dislike it all the same.

I guess on a global basis, normal is quite different

[mikeh]

Tough hand for those who don’t play good methods…although in fairness nobody really knows how to bid freaks.

I’m lucky. In all my serious or semi serious partnerships the early rounds are trivial.

1S 1N…forcing. I love this hand because my wife and her partners have recently adopted 1N as semi forcing, putting some invitational hands through 2C. I’ve pointed out that this inevitably means bad results when opener passes and responder has a marked but weakish one or two suited.

1S 1N 2N. 2N is 17-19, usually 5332. 3N instead shows long strong spades, usually some 6322.

Over 2N, virtually every good player in NA ( if playing 2/1 and not using gazzilli over 1N) uses transfers here. Transfers are infinitely better than the two main NA alternatives of new minor or Wolff.

1S 1N 2N 3D 3H 4D 4H. End.

Responder has shown a goodish 5=5 in the reds and while west likes his hand, he needs (imo) a third card in a red suit to get excited, and East has no reason to think that slam is good and no safe way to find out.

As I said going in, nobody knows how to bid freaks. There are, as usual, some who have magic sequences when shown both hands.