UK Edition • 3rd August 2026
UK Edition • 3rd August 2026
I made a quite few wrong bids here and would appreciate some guidance. Apart from the underbidding, it is the heart bid I am unsure about. My hand was: 8 AQ3 KQ872 AJ96 I opened and the bidding went: 1D P 1S P 2C P 2D P – I think I should have jumped to 3C here to show 16+, but I was concerned about getting locked into spades at too high a level for a decision about NT. 2H P 3D – Here the game was timed out for other reasons. I bid the 2H with AQ3 to show interest in going to 3NT. Perhaps at this stage I should have bid 3H. But I was concerned that partner had just 6hcp and not many diamonds and perhaps even weak spades. I should probably have just gone to 3NT myself. The probable underbidding is not what I am interested in. I want to know whether my 2H (or 3H) shows I have that suit covered and that partner can go to NT if their spades are OK. Or is it completely wrong? Also, given the suit agreement, isn’t it a sort of control bid saying possible slam interest (despite my weak bids)?
A jump to 3C would show 18+ not 16+. I am sure Bernard would not have said it shows 16+. if you want to show point count you rebid 1NT but that is not ideal with a small singleton spade because partner might try to insist on playing in spades. With AQx in the unbid suit you want to be bidding no-trumps yourself rather than asking for a stopper. After 2D you should either continue with 2NT or pass. Once you decide to bid 2H and partner signs off in 3D you have an easy decision to pass. With 8 or 9 points partner should be doing something other than 3D once you show strength with 2H. You have not underbid the hand at all. Thinking of bidding 3NT with 16 points when partner might have only 6 points would be overbidding.
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