[KamalK]

Hello friends

This was dealt in a TM while I was kibbing. All players at table Experts. Lead 10♥

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I thought Wests 1NT was underbid, was passable and was passed.

Wasnt 2♣ or 2NT or even 3NT on after the ♥ overcall?

They did make 3NT.

Could you please advise.

Thanks

Kamal

[blackshoe]

Well, I would have bid 2NT, but I'm no expert.

[Hanoi5]

Although West has 11 his/her hand is aceless and a 4333, so it's real value could be a little less than 11. 2NT describes west's hand HCP-wise better, but 2NT is also passable, and East might pass that, too. 2♣ with only 4 cards and such a balanced hand (and such a better description of the hand in NT) is out of the question. 3NT is way too much.

You need several things to work in order to make game here, anyway. 2 finesses have to be right and you have to either guess the clubs perfectly or find one of the black suits breaking 3-3 which all in all is about less than 40%, which makes it a bad game.

[mcphee]

The range of the NT response changes once an opp has over called. It was quite common not so long ago for a NT in this position to show 8-11 and the 2NT was a strong 11-13. The question is should the E hand consider a raise if only because they do have 3 aces, quite enough to often prevent the opps from establishing their suit while holding an entry. Thus declarer is left with more time. It is not hard to see if E bids 2 then W drives to game. It seems we require a few good things to happen for game to come in. Basically this comes down to what we expect of the NT free bid. I do not fault E for passing 1N although the upgrade is not unreasonable to me either.

[Free]

I don't think anything is really wrong. If anything, West could've bid 2NT, but that's no guarantee that the pair will end up in 3NT.

[gwnn]

Well bid by both players.