[helene_t]

2♦-(pass)-2♥-(x)
pass-(pass)-xx

What do you make of xx? If it is SOS, what is opener supposed to do?

[mw64ahw]

4-card minor?

[DavidKok]

It is S.O.S., but I would be reluctant to bid it. It is likely that opener has no good bid. Also, for me, 2♥ denies holding a hand with short hearts and a long minor suit. On this auction you'd just be stuck. When fixed, stay fixed.

[helene_t]

I was thinking that maybe it should show specifically 5 spades and 6 clubs or something like that. On the actual hand, responder had 5044 so maybe SOS was understandable, but as opener had a 1633 with AKT9xx of hearts, 2Hx would have been the least bad contract.

[DavidKok]

I would likely have passed 2♦ with that. It is very difficult for the opponents to sort that out, especially when we have 7(+) diamonds.

[mikeh]

I was confused. I didn’t and don’t see any mention of what 2D shows. I’m guessing multi? So 2H was pass or correct and we now know that RHO has a heart stack sitting over partner.

If we run with some 5440, void in hearts, we’re getting doubled and they’re leading trump, with us probably depending on style….assuming opener very rarely has 4 spades and more often than not won’t have 3 spades….at the 3 level. That tends to be bad, lol, especially since responder’s hand will be visible.

So, aware of the bias that comes from being fairly late to the thread, I think I’d prefer to play 2H doubled.

Of course, the OP asked what the xx meant, and it’s pretty clearly sos. If 2H is making, the auction makes no sense and, in addition, 2H x making is winning the board….redoubling let’s them reconsider and, even if they sit, it’s painting the lily

[nullve]

Good luck passing 2♥X with 5044 shape opposite a 5-6c Multi.

[barmar]

 mikeh, on 2024-July-31, 11:49, said:

I was confused. I didn’t and don’t see any mention of what 2D shows. I’m guessing multi?

It's in the question title.

[jillybean]

 mikeh, on 2024-July-31, 11:49, said:

I was confused. I didn’t and don’t see any mention of what 2D shows.

Covid brain?

[mikeh]

 nullve, on 2024-July-31, 16:16, said:

Good luck passing 2♥X with 5044 shape opposite a 5-6c Multi.

Good luck watching partner play a 4=3 minor suit fit on the marked trump lead when he is 1=6=3=3.

Sometimes you have nowhere to go. The first rule about finding oneself in a hole is…..stop digging


Besides, as a multi player, we do not ever open 5 card suits in first or second except, infrequently, white v red.

[awm]

For me redouble would be running, but it’s not a three suited hand (kind of dumb to run on those since you almost never have a fit); typically it’s a two suiter like 5125 or 5035. Probably spades and clubs is most common as we might pass 2D with five diamonds but in principle any two of the remaining suits.

[Gilithin]

This XX should probably be specifically spades and a minor. There is some relevance as to whether the opening is a traditional or mini multi, which is not clear from the OP.