[Bende]

We play a 15-17 NT and Flannery with 1♥ - 1♠ showing a five card suit. The question is, what does opener bid in this auction with

a) 18-19 balanced with 35(32)
b) reverse values with 4♠-5♥

[kenrexford]

Not sure I understand the question.

I mean, if you have 3532 or 3523 with 18-19 and balanced, and partner shows five spades, won't you just add up your total points, look at what they seem like, and then bid 3♠ or 4♠ accordingly?

If you have 4♠/5♥ and reverse values, would you not normally do the same thing if 4522 but otherwise splinter?

This seems too easy, so I must be misunderstanding the question.

[Bende]

Maybe it is that easy . It just seems to me that if opener can have 4522 with 21 hcp and 3523 with 18 hcp it might be difficult for responder to know whether to bid on after 4♠. Maybe I shouldn't be that worried .

[kenrexford]

Bende, on 2012-June-08, 12:53, said:

Maybe it is that easy . It just seems to me that if opener can have 4522 with 21 hcp and 3523 with 18 hcp it might be difficult for responder to know whether to bid on after 4♠. Maybe I shouldn't be that worried .

No -- you do have a legitimate problem. Whenever there is a wild imbalance between strengths, the strong hand in many sequences has to blast in to the stratisphere to show that, which deprives the partnership of space to unwind things. But, you cannot really change that much without crazy tools out the wazoo.

[Cyberyeti]

Bende, on 2012-June-08, 12:53, said:

Maybe it is that easy . It just seems to me that if opener can have 4522 with 21 hcp and 3523 with 18 hcp it might be difficult for responder to know whether to bid on after 4♠. Maybe I shouldn't be that worried .

What do you use 1♥-1♠-3N for ? can use that as a huge 4522 if the answer is "we don't".

[Phil]

I think this is a good question.

It seems reasonable not to distort your 18-19 and rebid 2N. If partner raises to 3N, you can pull to 4♠ if your hand is suit oriented/ has a weak doubleton.

This keeps the 3♠ raises as 'pure'. Admittedly Gaz or KI helps with the 35(41) hands, but it would be useful if 3♠ promised 4 because the 9th trump can be very important for game slam.

Strong 45 hands can splinter, but 4522 hands are tough. You can invent a splinter on a hand like AQJx AKQxx Kx xx which is a good idea. I suppose you can jump to 4♠ with the same hand with the ♦A. Normally I like 4♠ to show a hand like AJxxx AQxxxx x x but I'm opening this hand Flannery now so I don't need 4♠ to show a distributional raise to 4.

[JLOGIC]

Bende, on 2012-June-08, 12:53, said:

Maybe it is that easy . It just seems to me that if opener can have 4522 with 21 hcp and 3523 with 18 hcp it might be difficult for responder to know whether to bid on after 4♠. Maybe I shouldn't be that worried .

Opener should bid 3S with 3523 18 counts, just as he would bid 3S after 1D p 1S p with a 4243 18 count.

[Phil]

JLOGIC, on 2012-June-09, 11:14, said:

Opener should bid 3S with 3523 18 counts, just as he would bid 3S after 1D p 1S p with a 4243 18 count.

I would expect this is standard, but is it best? This would limit your 2N rebids to exactly 2533 or maybe 25(24) with a great doubleton.

3♠ could also be a hand like AKxx AJxxx x KQx, which is a much different hand type than a 3532.

[JLOGIC]

Phil, on 2012-June-09, 11:36, said:

I would expect this is standard, but is it best? This would limit your 2N rebids to exactly 2533 or maybe 25(24) with a great doubleton.

3♠ could also be a hand like AKxx AJxxx x KQx, which is a much different hand type than a 3532.

I would just splitner with that (having a 5-4 fit is worth a lot, xxxxx x xxx Jxxx is an amazing game, you cannot risk partner passing 3S with that monster). But yes, I could have a light splinter or a balanced 18-19 (with 3 trumps). That is also true on 1D p 1H p 3H. I don't think it matters that much for game, and you can just ask if you have a slam try.

I don't see the huge problem. I don't want to get passed in 2N when I have an 8 card major suit fit.