North
1[heart]
?
South
2[club]
You open 1[heart] and Responder bids 2[club], natural, showing 4+ clubs and 10+ HCPs. What next?
How good is your hand? What are the pros and cons?
The good news….You have eight hearts, a fit in your hand alone. You have two singletons and your three-card suit has two honors.
The bad news…. You have a singleton in Responder’s suit. You only hold 11 HCPs.
Opener has two choices. 3[heart] or 4[heart]. Both of these bids will get us to game. One eventually (3 hearts is forcing one round), and one immediately. Both would delete would emphasis long hearts. If I choose 3[heart], I intend to bid 4[heart] after Responder’s rebid. If I choose to bid 4[heart] that feels a little bit like I want Responder to pass my game bid. In the context of this auction 3[heart] followed by 4[heart], sends a stronger message than simply jumping to 4[heart]. I very seldom have an eight-card suit, I think that I should show a stronger hand….but I think it’s very close.