Julian Pottage
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If you play 3H as spades and a minor (standard Michaels), you should bid that. If you play 4C as clubs and spades (Leaping Michaels), you should bid that. I would be trying to getting both suits in the picture even though you will probable end up playing in spades.
One would need to know the bidding to be sure of the answer. It is unusual to have such long minor suits when the opponents are in 3NT; having a long major is much more common. Please could you supply the full 13 cards and the bidding?
If you play 1S-2H-2S-3H as forcing then starting with 2H would work fine – but East has an impossible rebid in many people’s methods. With one partner I play something known as the Bourke relay – 1S-2H-2S-3C (the lowest unbid suit) creates a game force but does not promise the suit. I do not think you are going to reach 7S on these hands – getting to 6S I more realistic.
I play 5-card Stayman the same after a 2NT overcall as after a 2NT opening. It is easier on the memory to play similar sequences as having the same meaning. In broad terms the answer is yes (3D=4-card major, 3H/S = 5) but I also include hands with 2 spades and 3 hearts in the 3D rebid as this helps when responder is 5-4 in the majors.
Non vulnerable against vulnerable, the East hand could be massively weaker than this to open 2S. I think I would open 1S on the hand (I wrote that before I saw what East did at the other table) or possibly 3S, definitely not 2S.
After the 2S opening, with the West hand I would respond 3C (I recommend playing this as forcing for one round) rather than 2NT. For me 2NT implies spade support. If you respond 3C and see partner rebid 3D, you have an idea that the deal is a misfit, though you probably still going to end up in 6C hoping either that partner has the SA or that the clubs play for no loser.
I would either bid 2NT or 2H. I would not consider doubling. The double neither shows the points, the five-card heart suit nor the double diamond stopper. As I play 5-card Stayman, I prefer 2NT to 2H. If you do not play 5-card Stayman, it is a closer decision. As you point, it is going to be difficult to avoid reaching 4S anyway (unless East overcalls 2H).
Bernard plays double for penalties but many people play double for takeout. It is important that you agree which you are playing with your partner. If you are playing it as penalties, 8-9+ points with four decent spades or 10-11 points with three decent spades would be what I expect partner to have. If you are playing it as takeout, partner could have 7+ points with a singleton spade or more values and a doubleton spade.
The meaning of the 3S bid depends somewhat on whether you are playing double for penalty or takeout. If double would be for penalties, 3S shows a strong hand unsuited for other actions. If double would be for takeout, 3S can show something specific, for example a raise to 3NT with no spade stopper but four cards in the other major – it is up to you and your partner to agree.
As you point out, North happened to have 18 points – and those points included 3 aces. 2S doubled could be making on another day
The vulnerability here is an influencing factor. I do not think South would be leaving in the double at any other vulnerability. If game is not on, 200 beats all partscores and even if game is on 500 beats all game scores.
I am not sure there is general agreement about the best defence to a strong 1C system. With one partner I play something very simple – X shows the majors and 1NT the minors. With another, I play that X and 1D show hearts and spades respectively while 1H, 1S and 1NT show two-suited hands (colour, rank, odd).
Part of your question relates to what the opponents should say when they greet you and how you obtain further information, so please can I ask you to place your question in the David Stevenson section of the forum too.
You can convert your partner’s takeout double to a penalty double by leaving it in. You will need a long strong trump holding to leave in a takeout double, especially if you are sitting under the bid. What was Bernard’s trump holding?
It is usual to play negative doubles of any suit part score contracts, so up to 4D. Some play up to 4H too. it is rather unusual, however, for anyone to jump over a 2NT opening!
