[SelfGovern]

maris oren, on 2020-April-22, 07:29, said:

what is south's bid?

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This is a minimum hand. It's only gotten worse with the opps bidding spades (the !SQ is now worth much less than the 2HCP you originally gave it. The diamonds are weak. You have only two cards in partner's suit.

There is a call for "my hand is minimum and we have no fit" when you are not forced to bid. It's that green card with "pass" written on it.

Had there been no call by RHO, you have to decide between 1!N and 2!C -- which is a more difficult decision (I lean toward 1NT, but either call might work on any particular hand). But when you don't have to bid? Don't bid when you have nothing to say.

[bluenikki]

miamijd, on 2020-April-24, 11:34, said:

Of course it is. You have 9 cards in the minors, and you have to show partner that now, so that he can make an intelligent decision at his next turn. If you pass, West is likely to raise to 2S. Now what is your partner supposed to do with:

xxx
Qxxxx
KQx
xx

or

xxx
Axxx
xx
Kxxx

He is stuck guessing, and if I'm your partner, I'm probably just going to pass unless I'm NV at MPs, and maybe even then. You don't want me to pass; you want me to bid 3m. It might make; we might push them to 3S; and even if we go set, at MPs, we'll likely go set less than -110. You have to show your minor holdings immediately, so that partner has an easy 3D on hand 1 or 3c on hand 2.

Cheers,
mike

46% of your high card points are in your short suits. That balaces the heck out of it.