Bidding Question

Question

Bidding went as follows P-P-2C-P-2D-P-3C-P-3H-P-4C-end. We made 6 clubs however other players found a heart fit and top score was 4 hearts plus 1. We should have been in 6 clubs. What should North have bid please? My partner was North and thought bidding 2 hearts showed 5 x we did have a heart fit, but of course 6 clubs would have been top score had we bid it. Is North correct to say that his 3 Heart bid showed 5?

Bernard's Answer

South has 19 points and six clubs, with which it would be normal to open with 1C and plan to rebid strongly. In the auction you had – the 4C bid should be forcing, but I think I would prefer to support hearts with the South hand – 6C only makes because the CK is placed rather nicely – I think the contract you would want to be in at pairs is 4H – making 11 tricks. 2C – 2D – 3C – 3H – 4H is how it would go after 2C. However for me, 2C, then 3C shows 8.5 – 9 playing tricks. 1C – 1H – ? when you start with 1C, you are left in a quandary after the 1H response because you want to make a forcing bid – 3C is not enough – you have to tell a lie here to force the auction – making a reverse bid: either 2S or 2D, neither of which are desirable but at least they force the auction – 2S is the truer bid but we do not like lying in a major – 2D is ghastly, but at least it is a minor lie. Whichever bid you choose when partner simply rebid hearts you know that hearts are the final denomination. As to your question whether 3H promised five hearts – it probably shows 4.8! What I mean is that most of the time it will be a five-card suit, but rarely you might show a strong four-card suit – for me, since my hand suits hearts so well I would take the opportunity to agree hearts.