Modern Bidding

If you look at that hand, you first notice that N/S has 24 points in combined hands. Plus two points for your doubletons, you might be inclined to think that this is a game for N/S, and their bidding is way too careful. But in fact, you can only make 1♥ against best defense.

Sitting South, I refused to open 2♥ with that holding. My old school thinking requires high cards in the suit for a preemptive opening, at least in first and second hand. Hearing 1♠, my hopes to achieve anything with this hand vanish. The robot on North, on the other side, does not hold a stopper in spades, and only two hearts. So, neither 1NT nor a double are attractive.

After 1NT, a few players decided to jump in with their hearts. I am still not convinced that this is a good idea. But it modern style. Below is a typical development. South watches North to go havoc and doubling everything that comes along. After all, the robot expects some working values.

The 2♠ bidding is asking for a stopper or shows extra values. South probably did not know what do bid after this and passed, which is a strange choice. Probably, 2NT would be the right choice. But I bet that this is raised to 3NT which goes down twice. No player did that. They bid 3♥ at that point. Half of them made it, half of them go down.

The modern way seems to intervene whenever possible, and keep on pushing ones own suit as long as necessary. At least, Lia plays that way, and I see a lot of players mimicking this style. Sometimes, it does not work. In this hand, you can beat 2♦ for +100.