bidding question

[a***@yahoo.co.uk]

Consider the following auction:

1D 1S
2D ?

Can a 3H bid be used here to show a game going hand with diamond support and heart shortage, leaving the option of 3NT if partner has the hearts stopped, otherwise bidding the diamond game?

I held the following hand after this auction and would have liked a way to show good support whilst warning about a possible heart weakness in 3NT:

AQ76
7
A986
Q653

[t***@att.net]

It can be used this way but not without discussion. What would 2H mean? Is it a second suit? What about 3H? Note that after 1D-1S, 2C, things are (or I think should be) different.

I'd guess that in your case (1D-1S, 2D-3H) this would be a splinter in support of Diamonds. The sequence (1D-1S, 2D-2H) should show a strong second suit; Diamond support may be shown by a fragment or something else later.

[Barry Margolin]

Post by t***@att.net
I'd guess that in your case (1D-1S, 2D-3H) this would be a splinter in
support of Diamonds. The sequence (1D-1S, 2D-2H) should show a strong second
suit; Diamond support may be shown by a fragment or something else later.

Why does the second suit have to be strong? In standard, this just shows
5+ spades, usually 4+ hearts, and a 1-round force. But sometimes it may
be a manufactured bid with 3 hearts, because you need some way to force
and give opener a chance to show 3-card spade support.

It's trickier when responder's suit is hearts, since there's no
intermediate suit to bid.

[t***@att.net]

Good point. The 2H need not show a strong suit.

[Tom]

Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
1D 1S
2D ?
Can a 3H bid be used here to show a game going hand with diamond
support and heart shortage, leaving the option of 3NT if partner has
the hearts stopped, otherwise bidding the diamond game?
I held the following hand after this auction and would have liked a
way to show good support whilst warning about a possible heart
AQ76
7
A986
Q653

I play self splinters with most of my partners by agreement. Without an
agreement, I would assume is a big 5-5 D-H since 2H would be forcing. I
think the splinter should show a slightly better hand than you have
since it starts a slam try. I would bid 3C (game forcing) with your
hand and then raise to 4D next round also implying H shortage.

Tom Reid

[Barry Margolin]

Post by Tom

Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
1D 1S
2D ?
Can a 3H bid be used here to show a game going hand with diamond
support and heart shortage, leaving the option of 3NT if partner has
the hearts stopped, otherwise bidding the diamond game?
I held the following hand after this auction and would have liked a
way to show good support whilst warning about a possible heart
AQ76
7
A986
Q653

I play self splinters with most of my partners by agreement. Without an
agreement, I would assume is a big 5-5 D-H since 2H would be forcing. I

Do you mean 5-5 S-D? You already showed spades on the first round.

Post by Tom
think the splinter should show a slightly better hand than you have
since it starts a slam try. I would bid 3C (game forcing) with your
hand and then raise to 4D next round also implying H shortage.
Tom Reid

[Tom]

Post by Tom
I would assume is a big 5-5 D-H since 2H would be forcing.

Sorry. Meant to say "I would assume 1D-1S-2D-3H is a big 5-5 S-H since 2H
would be forcing."

[ais523]

Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
1D 1S
2D ?
Can a 3H bid be used here to show a game going hand with diamond
support and heart shortage, leaving the option of 3NT if partner has
the hearts stopped, otherwise bidding the diamond game?

It depends on system. Many partnerships play "any jump that
otherwise makes no sense is a splinter", in which case your bid would
show diamond support, strength for game, and heart shortage (which is
what you asked for), but be more likely to suggest 5D versus 6D than
3NT versus 5D. (That said, I can see an argument for 3NT opposite a
splinter to be natural, and bid whenever the splinter suit is stopped in
case it's the contract the partner was thinking of; it'd gain on hands
like this one and doesn't seem to cost anything.) If 3H isn't a splinter
here, then it doesn't fit the sort of hand you want.

Other things that matter a lot are what 1S means (some partnerships
would play a change of suit followed by a support bid as stronger than
a support bid directly, in which case this looks even more like a slam
attempt) and what 2D/3D mean (some people play 2D as forcing and
stronger than 3D, in which case you've pretty much denied the type of
hand you have by failing to bid 2D on the first round). I guess it also
matters whether you're playing four-card majors, better minor, or short
club (not supporting diamonds on the first round is going to be
something that your partner notices, and how meaningful that is depends
on how many diamonds your partner guaranteed).

[[e-mail]]

Post by ais523

Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
1D 1S
2D ?
Can a 3H bid be used here to show a game going hand with diamond
support and heart shortage, leaving the option of 3NT if partner has
the hearts stopped, otherwise bidding the diamond game?

It depends on system. Many partnerships play "any jump that
otherwise makes no sense is a splinter", in which case your bid would
show diamond support, strength for game, and heart shortage (which is
what you asked for), but be more likely to suggest 5D versus 6D than
3NT versus 5D. (That said, I can see an argument for 3NT opposite a
splinter to be natural, and bid whenever the splinter suit is stopped in
case it's the contract the partner was thinking of; it'd gain on hands
like this one and doesn't seem to cost anything.) If 3H isn't a splinter
here, then it doesn't fit the sort of hand you want.
Other things that matter a lot are what 1S means (some partnerships
would play a change of suit followed by a support bid as stronger than
a support bid directly, in which case this looks even more like a slam
attempt) and what 2D/3D mean (some people play 2D as forcing and
stronger than 3D, in which case you've pretty much denied the type of
hand you have by failing to bid 2D on the first round). I guess it also
matters whether you're playing four-card majors, better minor, or short
club (not supporting diamonds on the first round is going to be
something that your partner notices, and how meaningful that is depends
on how many diamonds your partner guaranteed).
--
ais523

"otherwise makes no sense" is a recipe for disaster.

Carl

[Lorne]

Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
1D 1S
2D ?
Can a 3H bid be used here to show a game going hand with diamond support and heart shortage, leaving the option of 3NT if partner has the hearts stopped, otherwise bidding the diamond game?
AQ76
7
A986
Q653

2H is natural and forcing but does not promise another bid if opener
tries to sign off.

3H is a splinter, forcing to game, with diamonds, so the correct bid IMO
given your hand.