[pescetom]

mikeh, on 2026-June-03, 15:21, said:

Personally, I think using 3H as the punt…4=5=1=3 or 4=5=2=2 nothing in clubs is far superior to raising 3D to 4D, and the cost on the 4=6 major hand can be dealt with in various ways, usually depending on hand strength and suit texture. One relatively easy way is to rebid 2H, trusting partner to bid spades with a 4 card suit.

That is one of the doubts I raised, and thanks for your reply. I have observed stronger players using 3H as a punt here, hence my question.
In our current system, after 1H-2D then 2N is natural 12-14 and 2H is 5+ denying spades.
I can see the pros and some cons of playing 2H as 6+ not denying spades, but that is not on the agenda right now.

mikeh, on 2026-June-03, 15:21, said:

Picture partner with Kx xx AKJxxxx Kx. Any complaint about the bidding? Any complaint about seeing that hand in dummy on the inevitable club lead v 3N? I’m speaking of 3N with no club card, of course.

In our current scheme, with no club card that would go 4D then 4S then 5D. Partner had her chance to bid 3N over 2S at MP.

[mikeh]

pescetom, on 2026-June-03, 16:21, said:

That is one of the doubts I raised, and thanks for your reply. I have observed stronger players using 3H as a punt here, hence my question.
In our current system, after 1H-2D then 2N is natural 12-14 and 2H is 5+ denying spades.
I can see the pros and some cons of playing 2H as 6+ not denying spades, but that is not on the agenda right now.


In our current scheme, with no club card that would go 4D then 4S then 5D. Partner had her chance to bid 3N over 2S at MP.

Imo too many people have drink the Kool-Aid and think that they should never look for a minor slam. Then, when they venture into the world of team games, and encounter good bidders, they lose swing after swing. One of the reasons for using a punt in these auctions is to allow responder, having forced to game, to bid 3D even with clubs stopped in the hope of catching a raise.

I hadn’t commented on this point earlier, but I prefer that 2S showed least a king more than a minimum. With the hand in question, it qualifies, partly because I open aggressively, partly because in most expert methods these days 2D showed 5+, and I have a good hand for diamonds.

However, in my main partnership we have some unusual major suit agreements over 2D, so our auction would be very different, lol.