In bridge,should a responder devalue her hand if short in opener's suit?

Question

I opened a "strong two clubs." Partner bid 2 NT, which between us, meant "9-plus points, slam interest."

I bid my suit, 3 spades, with the following: (s) AKQxxx (h) AKx (d) Ax (c) xx. That's a 6-card suit with 22 points (20 in high cards, two more for the minor doubletons).

Responder bid 4NT, and we ended up in 6 Spades, which went down, because my left hand opponent had JTxxx of spades.

Partner had: (s) x (h) xxxx (d)Kxxx (c) AKxx.

She said, "I had 10 HCP, 12 counting the spade singleton. That, with your 22 should mean a small slam."

My response was, "Spade singleton" was the whole point. You should have downgraded your hand when you heard 3 spades, because you didn't have normal trump support. If you had xxx or Jx, the contract would probably have been made."

Should partner had "downgraded her hand" and refrained from bidding the slam with shortness in my spade suit?

Answer 1

"Bidding your suit" typically means 4 or 5 card length. Because of that, I would expect the bidding to go more like this:
Partner sitting there with one card in that suit would then respond with their suit (4C in this case), which denies support for your spades and shows that clubs is their best suit. The new suit bid is forcing, so it's now back to you to decide what to do. Partner doesn't have your spades, but you can rebid them since you've got 6 of 'em. If you really want to you can make a NT bid, since partner should have your one weak suit covered. Whatever you reply with, partner has a chance to correct if they're significantly over the 9+ they've promised. With the length you've got, a spade rebid is valid and 4S should be a solid contract. After that you each have to decide if you're going to go to Blackwood and look for the slam possibility.
Sure there's interest in slam, but there's no 8-card fit. And the bidding should show that. Someone has to make the call as to whether or not to go there, and at what point the bidding stops. That's whoever makes the Blackwood bid. With an even split, you get it. Without, you don't. As long as the player making that bid understands the risk involved and wants to go for it, it's all good.
If both of you understood the danger you were getting into and the possibility of a bad split ruining it all, then I can't say you've got any problems in the bidding. If on the other hand someone thought the slam was solid, then I'd say that your bidding needs to be a bit more descriptive.

In specific though, YES, there are two specific situations where shortness doesn't give ANY points:
1) In the trump suit
2) In a NT contract

And that's one of the more reliable rules in bridge. 8 )

Answer 2

First of all, point count responses to 2C are a terrible choice. An ace is worth far more than two queens when you are looking for a slam. I'd offer as better is a waiting 2D (many around here use 2H as a double negative response) or control responses that show the number of aces and kings. Either of those choices is better than point count responses.

Is that a 2C opener? This is marginal for 2C. I don't like counting points for the two doubletons in deciding to open 2C, though you may be willing to add for the spade length. Length in a suit where you have top honors means that suit is developable in notrumps, or it will offer a great trump suit. For me, I'd happily accept a 1S opener. If partner cannot respond, then what game are you making? If you insist on 2C, I'd accept it though.

Ok, so why is counting the shortness in clubs a bad idea? Suppose you take club (or diamond) ruffs in hand? Every trump you use from that long suit is a trump that was going to take a trick anyway! If you ruff once, then you now have only a 5 card spade suit. All that shortness does is help to control the suit so you won't lose extra tricks.

Next, partner has a 10 point hand, but did I say how much I dislike point count responses? Terrible things are they. You lose an entire level in the bidding to tell partner about a few points. Points, schmoints. Fit is far more important than a few jacks. If you don't have a fit, those points won't work well to make a slam.

Partner does NOT have the ok to count for shortness in trump though!!!!!!!!! This is never acceptable.

In the end, you both overvalued your hands. You both played the part of the Walrus (Read Mollo, he is good) and blindly counted points. Then you wondered why you got too high.