You open a 15-17 1NT and responder invites in diamonds. K♦Q♦J♦xxx and out is what I would expect responder to have. With better holdings just bid 3NT. Some use a direct jump to 3♦ as invitational. In this problem, you've opened 1NT and your diamond holding is K32, a very good diamond holding to have. Are there some hands with K32 of diamonds that are too weak outside to accept the invitation?
Ron Sukoneck:---Though clearly the minor suit invitation may be a slam try, I believe it is appropriate to always assume it is looking for 3NT. Therefore, you should accept with aces and kings and not with a worthless doubleton. On close hands you should accept if you have the other three suits stopped.
Point #1: Assume responder's bid is inviting 3NT. Point #2: Reject with an outside worthless doubleton.
Bob Hamman:---I would be looking for a good probability of nine fast ones and no unstopped suit or a good shot at 5♦. So ♠KQ10x♥Axx♦Kxx♣KQx is a plausible pass, whereas ♠AKx♥xxxx♦Kxx♣Axx is an easy 3NT.
Point #3: Accept if you can count nine fast tricks.
Henry Bethe:---I would reject with ♠QJx♥KQ♦Kxx♣Axxxxx. Basically any hand that does not contain 2.5 quick tricks outside diamonds and also any hand that has a suit of Jx or worse.
Jon Wittes:---If partner invites with two of the top three honors, I would not expect him to have anything outside the suit, and would probably not accept with a small doubleton in any suit, and would be hesitant to accept with three small in a suit, especially if I didn't have three quick tricks outside.
Barry Rigal:---Aceless hands and minimums would not accept. ♠QJ5♥KQ104♦K32♣KQ4 should reject. Give partner an attractive hand and on a heart lead you have five tricks — and no more top winners. Give partner the ♥J, or the ♦Q instead of the J, and 3NT is still poor.
Point #4: Reject if your hand is aceless.
Bart Bramley:---The number of aces is the most important feature. We will probably have to run our tricks immediately to make 3NT. Lack of aces makes that difficult. With TWO side aces I would accept even with the last suit unstopped. Without two side aces I may have no play even without the killing lead.
Matt Granovetter:---In short, any hand where it looks like the opponents can take the first five tricks easily. The point is that it's not only the diamond fit that counts or your HCPs, as much as picturing the likelihood of nine top tricks.
Point #5: Reject if it looks like the opponents can easily take five tricks before you take nine. Point #6: Accept if you can make 3NT opposite Kxxxxx and out. Point #7: Accept if 3NT is going to have the same play as 3♦. Point #8: It's not how many HCPs you have, it's how those points are divided. Reject with ♠Jx♥KQJx♦KQx♣KQJx, accept with ♠xxxx♥AKx♦Kxx♣Axx.
Bobby Wolff:---Summary: 0 or 1 ace, open suit, lower end of the range — reject. If I'd chance 3NT anyway since 3♦ could easily go down, I'd accept.
Rose Meltzer:---Probably most 15 counts with a small doubleton in one of the majors.
Joe Kivel:---I assume partner has AQJxxx and out, and bid 3NT if it looks like it has a good chance of making.
Karen Allison:---♠432♥QJxx♦Kxx♣AKQx or similar — anytime one suit is overstuffed and two are weak, I'd take a pass.
Kit Woolsey:---Mostly kings queens and jacks on the side, with maybe a weak suit in the bargain: ♠xx♥KQJx♦K32♣KQJx. That is about as clear as it gets — it would be virtually impossible for partner to hold a hand which has any decent play at all for 3NT.
Bobby Levin:---♠xxx♥QJx♦Kxx♣AKQx — basically any hand where I thought it very unlikely to be able to win the first trick and take nine tricks.
Steve Bloom:---I need a fit, and aces and stoppers to bid game. With a hand like ♠KQxx♥Qxx♦Kxx♣KQJ, where game rates to be awful even with a heart lead, I would pass.
Joel Wooldridge:---I would not accept if I could see a weakness in a side suit (like Jxx and another suit without the ace or Qx or worse in one side suit). Also depends heavily on scoring form. Much more likely to bid game playing IMPs than matchpoints.
Eddie Wold:---xx♥AKxx♦K32♣KQxx looks like we are off at least four spades and the club Ace. The theme here is all suits stopped and Aces.
Dave Berkowitz:---Maybe ♠Jxx♥KQ♦K32♣KQJxx, or better ♠Qxx♥KQ♦K32♣KQJxx.
Chip Martel:---Would pass 3♦ with ♠Jx♥AKQx♦Kxx♣Qxxx or ♠Ax♥QJxx♦Kxx♣KQxx.
Kerry Sanborn:---Would pass 3♦ with ♠xx♥AKQ♦Kxx♣QJxxx, ♠Kxx♥Kxx♦Kxx♣KQJx, ♠AKQ♥Jxx♦Kxx♣xxxx or ♠xxx♥KJx♦Kxx♣AKJx.
Larry Cohen:---AKQ2♥Q2♦K32♣J432, J2♥AKQ♦K32♣Q8765 and many more.
Marty Bergen:---Would pass with ♠AJxx♥Qx♦Kxx♣KQJx.
Nick Nickell:---♠Qx♥Jxx♦K32♣AKQJx, ♠xxx♥Qxx♦K32♣AKQJ, ♠Kxx♥Kxx♦K32♣KQJx, ♠KQ♥Kxx♦K32♣KQxxx, ♠Axx♥Qxx♦K32♣KQJx.
Eddie Kantar:---I think I would hit the table with ♠AKQx♥xx♦Kxx♣QJxx or one more low heart and one less black card.
Grant Baze:---Any hand with Qx or worse in a suit and not nine runners after a favorable lead; or any hand with two unstopped suits.
Two experts use transfers and show a fit no matter what the rest of the hand looks like.
Zeke Jabbour:---Using our methods — transfers — it would not be appropriate to deny the fit. Partner has asked a specific question and may even be interested in slam. We do incorporate a safety mechanism after minor suit transfers, showing shortness. This serves the dual function of finding the right strain, warning against NT without stoppers and enhancing evaluation for minor suit slam bidding.
A two-little suit and lack of aces are symptoms of rejection. Holding aces and having length in an unstopped suit are points for acceptance. With hands that fall in the middle, accept aggressively. The bonus is much bigger for making 3NT than for making 3♦.