Just found this forum. Cant see any responses. 

Strange hand. I would open 2C game forcing and bid 4S over 2D response. If partner happens to miraculously bid 2S then I would look for slam. Over your bidding, I would bid 5S over the 5C

In new zealand it is illegal to psych an artificial bid. Opening this hand 2!C certinally fits the definition of a psych with only 11hcp. More importantly 2!C auctions are inaccurate at the best of times.  It is really only a good beginning when you have enought high card points that you expect if you open at the one level you will be passed out. Here with 11 hcp there is zero chance of being passed out hense 2!C is awful and illegal. 

I think the key question on this hamd with such great playing potential is weather you belong in game or slam and weather you can arrive there X with confidance of making. 

On the auction you describe I agree with 1!S and 4!D and 4!S after all it appears at that point that 4!S might be the limit. If you take that approach i would certinally bid 5!D over 5!C. 

However maybe you are more likly to find out about partners holding in !D if you start with 1!D? You are much more likley to elicit partners co-operation in !d when you next reverse with 2!S (if you happen to have to rebid 4!S on your second turn in sure you will feel ok about it). Sure this is BAD in the traditional sense. However if partner shows interest in !D you are much happier about checking controls and bidding slam if partner shows 1.  You might even consider 6 or 7 !S (partner cant out bid you) and a xx should you have the opportunity. 

As a junior, I take advice on awkward hands and was told that 2C is GF and can legally be described as 8 quick tricks or 23+ or 0-4 LTC. While this hand had only 11HCP, the distribution makes it a very strong hand. I am surprised that give a LTC of 3 and 8 quick tricks, you would consider a 2C opener as a psych. I would never want to cheat or do anything illegal, I just assumed that given the shape of the hand with two voids and a strong run of spades, a 2C opener would be okay. 

Thanks for setting me straight. Obviously LTC and quick trick count advice has led me astray. As a junior, I would probably just open 4spades then. 

If playing Namyats, I'd open 4D. That shows enough spades to open at the 4 level, too many points to open 4S but not enough to open 2C. Responses show the number of controls. This gives up on the possibility of showing the Diamond suit but how much are you giving up on by doing that? You will almost certainly be playing in Spades and you will be happy if the defenders do not know about your 5 card side suit when they are selecting their opening lead.

If not playing that convention, I'd open 1 Spade and expect to rebid 4 Spades if available more of them if necessary.

Another reason for not worrying about the Diamonds is that if pardtner is on lead (unlikely but not inconceivable) I want a Spade lead not a Diamond.

Yvonne, If your system agreement is that 2C is game forcing and that this may include all the options you describe then a 2C bid for this hand is a legal bid and not a psyche bid. An Acol 2C bid is normally considered 23+ HCP balanced or a distributional hand with sufficient strength to bid to game level. Usually 9 playing tricks or 3 or less losers if using losing trick count. I would agree this 3 loser hand meets this description. You have been taught to use this bid for a wider distributional range but I don’t think this requires the 2C bid to be alerted.

In terms of what to bid next. Assuming playing Acol partner has very few HCP and probably more diamonds than spades but have not taken the opportunity to ‘sacrifice’ 5D or double 4H vulnerable game suggesting they probably have 4+ clubs. This suggests 5C may not make so doubling and giving partner choice to leave in or bid 5D or 5S.