1H:2D now what?

A
Txxxx
AKx
QTxx


Holding this hand and with some trepidation you open 1H, what else!
Playing 2/1 partner responds 2D (gf) and you realise that you haven’t discussed continuations in any detail, chose your bid.

2H The hearts give me a headache but I like this bid. It does NOT promise 6 It says whoa partner, I’ve opened on one of my less than fabulous hands. Lets go easy to game, I want to stay out of slam. Of course if partner has a suitable hand they are still free to go slamming but my 2H bid is an early warning.

3D This is ok, support at the cheapest level. Partner has shown 5. Note this is a very different auction to 1H:2C which can be made on xx.

3C I have 54 so it describes shape perfectly but I think it should show a much better hand, one with slam interest and a hand more suitable for NT.

2N Wild horses wouldn’t get me bidding this but I put it in for completeness.

I sent this question to Mike Hargraves who,with his sound advice and kind approach has helped my bridge tremendously.
This is his response;

I agree with the 1H opening. There are two schools of thought on the rebid.

Some would raise to 3D... Doug Fraser, a Grand Life Master and multiple CNTC champion, with whom I play a lot, would raise to 3♦ and think it to be a non-problem. This is within a 2/1 method, btw, which is important.

If not playing 2/1, then the usual approach is that 3♦ is forcing for one round, and hence should promise more than a minimum hand.. altho the 'more' may and often will be in the form of shape rather than hcp.. thus to raise on a minimum requires 4 card support. If playing that method, I would rebid 2♥.

Of course, bridge players being what we are, you will undoubtedly find some who say that you cannot rebid such a suit... and some of them will also say (not on this hand, but if you independently asked them what 3♦ shows) that 3♦ shows extras.. in other words, they will have an incoherent, unplayable set of rules.

And still others will say.. well, bid 3♣ (if any of them approach you...run! Unless they are playing a strong club method, where the 1H bid is limited, they don't know what they are doing)

My own preference is to rebid 2♥ within either a SA or a 2/1 method.. this is the 2nd of the 2 mainstream schools of thought.

Sectional

Well, Bill and I did play in the sectional here last weekend.

Friday night IMP Pairs game was a complete disaster, we came last.
Saturday 9am game was canceled, only 1 other pair showed up. I know bridge players arent morning people but I do think they could make the effort once or twice a year.

Saturday afternoon game we came 4th in our section, the evening game we dropped to 6th. Not great but not bad considering we hadnt played since the last post.

We were playing stock standard SAYC, nothing fancy at all which made for an easy game. I messed up a few hands when I lost track of what was going on, Im not counting consistently. It was ok bridge.

Please DON’T bid 4card suits at the 2 level. Bill responded 2S over opps overcall with 4 and I happily forced to game thinking we had a 9 card fit – bottom board.

On one board we were defending against 3nt when declarer called for a “club” from dummy. Dummy asked “which one”
I should have called the TD right there. Dummy is not permitted to communicate with declarer and should have picked up the lowest one and waited for declarer to correct immediately.
3nt was set if declarer had played low.

My bridge is in limbo and I keep on making some stupid mistakes. I wish I could give this game up but no matter how poorly I play Im still back the next day to try again. The snow will be here soon so I am looking forward to skiing and hopefully getting away from these cards. (dont believe that for one minute - Im hooked)