Responding to 1NT with QJxxx KJx x Axxx

(From an online game, 11/23/10): partner opens a 15-17 notrump and your bidding (opps silent) starts 1NT-2H (transfer)-2S. You hold QJ752 KJ4 7 A873 : 11 hcp, 5 spades, and a singleton diamond. Now what?You know your side has 26-28 hcp, so you must bid or force to some game. Should it be in spades or notrump?

Don't guess! You have a partner -- you don't have to make the final decision.

Simple method: Rebid 3NT. The transfer already told partner you have 5 spades; 3NT says you have game values. Partner will, of course, pass with only 2 spades, and bid 4 spades with 4 trumps or 3 and a doubleton. What about 3 with no ruffing value? Some players are inclined to pass, but think about it from responder's point of view -- do you want him to guess to bid 4S on a hand like the above? I treat the sequence transfer-then-3NT as a question, not a "choice": "Do you have three trumps, p? If so, please bid 4S."

Expert method: Rebid 3C. A new suit at the three level after a transfer is natural and forcing to game. What's more, responder will have some doubt about 3NT, usually either a singleton or a strong hand interested in slam. There's not much reason to bid clubs on a hand like QJxxx KJ xx Axxx -- if 3NT is down, there are probably too many losers for 5C or 4S on a 5-2 fit.

What happens after 3C? Opener's first priority is to show 3 card spade support (3S.) This allows responder to raise to game on the above hand, or make a slam try with a stronger hand.

Lacking spade support, opener assumes responder has a singleton, and bids either diamonds or hearts to say "Hey, I've got this one covered!" This typically requires 1 1/2 stoppers, i.e., the ability to win and early trick in the suit and the possibility of stopping it again depending who is on lead. AQ or KQ10 would be great, KJx may suffice. Such bids are described as a "concentration of values."

With no particular concentration but some sort of stopper in both red suits, opener bids 3NT. As a last resort, opener may raise clubs with, for example, AK Qxx xxx KQJx. This isn't forcing but responder may be able to bid 4S or 5C.

On today's actual hand, opener would bid 3H. If that's a real suit, this might be a good time to play a 4-3 fit, with the short trump hand ruffing diamonds. Responder raises to 4H and opener passes:

QJ752  AK
KJ4      AQ73
7           J43
A873    J1065

As it happens, 4H, 4S and 5C all make, but 5C requires some luck to avoid three losers while 4H will generally score 11 tricks with a diamond ruff. Note all the ingredients for a good 4-3 fit: 3NT is unplayable, there are almost no wasted values opposite the singleton, and the trump suit is strong (0 or 1 trump loser, and usually not the Ace which can allow the defense to pull dummy's trumps.)

Some declarers made 3NT on an auction like 1NT-2H-2S-3NT becuase the opening leader didn't have the diamond length.