All Vul N Dealer	♠ K 8 5 3 ♥ ♦ Q 9 6 5 3 ♣ 9 5 4 3
♠ 9 6 ♥ J 9 7 6 3 2 ♦ 10 4 ♣ 8 7 2		♠ Q 10 4 2 ♥ 10 4 ♦ 8 2 ♣ A K Q 10 6
	♠ A J 7 ♥ A K Q 8 5 ♦ A K J 7 ♣ J

Hi Andy

1) What is wrong in this bidding sequence?
2) People argue North should response 2♦ not 2♠.
3) Does the 3♣ cue show spade support?
4) After 2♠ if South bids 3♥ is this forcing or not?

Hi Kaiping,

1) The crux of the problem on this hand for N/S was working out the distribution lengths in North’s hand for their sequence.

2) North should 100% start with 2♠. Majors are so important, and even if North had SIX diamonds, it is still correct to start with 2♠. Not only should South think that North will not have a 4-card Major if 2♦ was the initial response, but lots of easy 4♠ games can be missed if North starts with 2♦ and South passes (imagine South has some 4441 hand with 16ish 16HCP and would not bother moving on over 2♦, but can raise the spades).

3) 3♣ is merely an artificial forcing bid, typically a hand with only three spades but it may be a start of a sequence to show a strong 4-card raise (imagine over after 3♣, South’s next bid was 4♠). However, it may still be a very strong hand angling for 3NT (e.g. picture South with a 2461 shape with 19+HCP, whereby a X-then-3♦ may be passed so a forcing 3♣ bid must be made.

4) No, after 2♠ if South bids 3♥, it would show a strong flexible hand typically with a shape of 3=5=x=x, but it definitely is not forcing.

I think that the auction should go something like this:

South doubles, North bids 2♠, South 3♣, North 3♦, South 4♣, North 5♣, South 6♦.

North’s 2♠ followed by 3♦ does not promise anything more than four spades and four diamonds. North’s 3♦ bid should deny five-card spade suit since North will then repeat the spades as South typically will have 3-card spade support (picture North with xxxx xxx xxxx xx, North’s sequence would be 2♠ then 3♦).

The interesting problem comes for South over 3♦, as bidding 3♥, whilst it now shows a very strong hand, it doesn’t sound like it’s 100% forcing (i.e. picture again North with 4342 with 0 HCP). South’s plan is to bid 4♣ then if North rebids 4♦ (sounds like weakness), then South can rebid 4♥ which would imply a 5-card suit (with 6+♥ South can bid 4♥ over 3♦ initially). Once South bids 4♣ showing a strong hand, North should now come alive and continue with a further cuebid of 5♣. In fact, perhaps North should consider bidding 4♣ over 3♣ already since North’s hand is quite powerful with a void in hearts.

Hope that helps,
Andy