jillybean, on 2021-March-05, 03:00, said:
Sitting North, would you have ended the auction in 3nt / 3
♦?
I cannot be objective on where my regular partners and I would have ended up (were we to be playing a weak 1N....with one partner we play 10-12 1/2 nv, but with both we play 14-16 red)
However, I think that North has an interesting call over 2D. Yes, I see the heart suit, but partner doesn't have hearts.
Even playing xyz, the sequence 1C 1D 1N 2H is a reverse and forcing to game. I think it silly to play it otherwise....if one wants to suggest playing in 2H, one's heart suit justifies bidding 1H. When does one describe and when does one ask? That's an important question. I think that one asks when one has a one-suited hand or one's own suit and a big fit for partner's opening bid. Say x AQx KQxxx QJxx. Now 2D followed by 3C, while with 4M 5D, one tells, and opener can assess degree of fit and working cards.
Now, I know that up the line bidders may argue with this, but even for them, a reverse is a reverse, and if one plays up the line, then opener would usually rebid 1H, not 1N.
And the hearts are really non-existent. It is trivial to construct a hand on which 3N is cold and the 4-4 heart fit is doomed.
So I think opener can reasonably rebid 2N over 2D...I wouldn't say that if the hearts were stronger and/or we lacked a spade stopper: Jxx Kxxx AQx AKx is 2H.
I do think that north has a 3S bid over 3D, but just barely. The LTC is huge in the majors. I just think that holding 7 controls and the third diamond (it being the Jack is not that significant on most hands, since partner will frequently hold KQxxxx on this auction) makes signing off too difficult if responder had a slightly better hand where slam is 'good'. Say x AQ9 KQxxxx Qxx (if diamonds are 2-2, strip the blacks and lead a heart to the AQ9, covering whatever east plays, as an extra to the winning heart hook situation)
Over 3S, south can punt with 4D, and then over whichever black cue north makes, bid 5D (since north will have denied the heart K), which is a decent contract: one would be unlucky to go down while 6D requires quite a bit of luck to make.
Note that 3N may fail on a spade lead, while 5D has better chances.
'one of the great markers of the advance of human kindness is the howls you will hear from the Men of God' Johann Hari