[Zelandakh]

mike777, on 2025-December-31, 21:56, said:

Opponents silent

2/1

1D-2C?

Partner surprised me tonight saying 2C always promises 5 over a Diamond.

Is this a good way to play it?

Here's a simple question for you and your partner. Are you both completely comfortable responding 3NT (or 1NT I suppose) on a hand like ♠xxx ♥xxx ♦Kxx ♣AKQJ? If not then you have an unsolvable problem playing that 2♣ promises 5+. This is the fundamental part of the answer. It's only after you get past this that you bother going into the issue as to whether it is actually a good idea, which seems to be where the thread has diverted itself to.

[mike777]

 Zelandakh, on 2026-January-04, 16:23, said:

Here's a simple question for you and your partner. Are you both completely comfortable responding 3NT (or 1NT I suppose) on a hand like ♠xxx ♥xxx ♦Kxx ♣AKQJ? If not then you have an unsolvable problem playing that 2♣ promises 5+. This is the fundamental part of the answer. It's only after you get past this that you bother going into the issue as to whether it is actually a good idea, which seems to be where the thread has diverted itself to.

Wow, good points.

I count at least five options my partner might respond with your example hand after our opening one diamond. I lean towards 2C, gf. Don't know what they prefer.

[bluenikki]

DavidKok, on 2026-January-04, 15:00, said:

I feel like you're trying to play some kind of Gotcha! with me. 2♣ describes the hand well, and responder can follow up with 2NT (or bid 3NT on 1♦-2♣; 2NT-?, notice how our nice notrump ladder guarantees we won't miss a slam as opener will bid again with 18-19 opposite 12+, or on 1♦-2♣; 3♣ having found the double minor suit fit, choose between 3♦, 3NT or 4♣ depending on the hand). Over this opener can continue to describe the hand while opener describes theirs.

I hope you find the time to take a closer look at my post, I have the impression you read something different in it from what I intended to write.

You bid 2♣ then rebid notrump. 4333 will never come into opener's calculation. Never. And when you give preference to one of opener's suits, they will never consider you may not have any ruffing value. Never.

No matter what you or they say. At the table you or they will never imagine it.

[DavidKok]

I am sorry to hear that you would never be able to consider that.

[bluenikki]

DavidKok, on 2026-January-04, 17:22, said:

I am sorry to hear that you would never be able to consider that.

Have you personally ever stopped and thought "wait, maybe they're 4333"?

This is not gotcha.

[DavidKok]

3=3=3=4. Yes, of course. After responder rebids NT I know they have at most 5 clubs, and may have this exact distribution. Failure to raise opener's suits limits the options significantly.

[mycroft]

There are some hands that can't be described except by a "least lie". Amazing to learn that!

Somehow, I feel that the ability to choose the "least lie" with a specific "not in system" hand is called "judgement", and is reputed to be a skill of better players.

(yes, I know, "implicit agreements", "misinformation", and other disclosure issues. Absolutely. When you get to the point where partner knows how you will "least lie" with a class of hands, it becomes a "5 unless" situation, not "judgement". And I assume that the players here do disclose.)

It's also amazing to learn that different players, with different options and priorities around which bids are sacrosanct and which can be "least lie"d, might find that "How can you possibly" == "partner will realize bad hands have to go somewhere, and this is likely where they would go. Plus, we have 'clarifying auctions' that act as yellow flags.". And, probably, vice versa!

(I am reminded of a hand from the NYE game here. Auction went 1NT (12-14)-4♠; p. RHO was shocked when dummy came down that I would open 1NT with two small doubletons (2=4=5=2 13 count, all eyeballs in the reds). "I don't have a rebid that isn't a bigger lie if I don't." Some of that could be, of course, that RHO has never played anything but a 15(16)-17(18) NT in her life, and can't imagine the number of 12-counts that don't have the traditional "3 suits stopped", some even worse than this, that weak NTers don't even worry about as they pull out 1 No Chance. But still.)