What should I bid? - Best enquiry for April 2009

The best submission for April came from Neville Moses.

 Hand:    Dealer East, All vulnerable, South holds:

spades KQ9
hearts 1082
diamonds KJ82
clubs K42
 
Bidding: West North East South
       2diamonds*  Pass
   2hearts**  3diamonds  Pass  ?

* = multi
** = pass or correct

Comments:    I bid 3hearts hoping it was asking partner to bid 3NT with a heart stopper. He quite reasonably took it as natural and we ended up deep in the well-known substance. What should I bid and more importantly what methods do you recommend when defending against the multi 2diamonds? (East had a weak 2spades and 3NT was frigid.)

Sartaj's Reply:

Hi Neville,

These kinds of auctions are a common pitfall for the combatants of the multi.

3hearts  as natural has evolved as the choice of the bridge-elite. On this hand, the three small hearts notwithstanding, I would have a go at 3NT. RHO might have spades, partner might have a heart stopper, LHO may not lead a heart, hearts may be blocked. There are many possible scenarios where our choice will turn out OK. Also, LHO has not bid 2spades or 3hearts when we would be in far greater danger of being a spectator to the first six tricks in 3NT.

The defence that Tony and I play to the multi is:

In direct seat, (2diamonds) ?
X = 13-15 balanced or 17+ unbalanced; next double takeout; lebensohl

In 4th seat (2diamonds) P (2M) ?
X = takeout of the suit they have bid; sometimes we have to pass and on other occasions bid on big hands with shortage in the other major

Also, we play jumps to 4 of a minor show that minor and hearts, and at least 5/5 shape.

We don't have many stopper-asking type mechanisms against the multi preferring to go the natural way.

Sartaj

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