TWO4BRIDGE

If you kept the Michaels bid "lower" , then there would be no ambiguity about Exclusion: ( 1D ) - 2D - ( p ) - 3S jump ( p ) - 5C!

What if North pulls to 7 of his long running minor ? You won't be on lead and they may have "14" tricks without a ♠ lead .

Another 2/1 auction could be: 1S - 2C 2H - 2NT 4NT - 6NT

Slam wouldn't look so hot if North's minor suits were reversed ....

Maybe my keycard-ask is all wet, but I would think Responder needs another outside K to accept the 5S-ask . ( Shortness in partners opening suit seems a put-off too ) .

I was never thinking of the grand on this auction. If North shows the missing key card, I'll just bid 6S . If North doesn't have it, I'm signing off in 5S .

Seems like almost everyone stays away from 4NT as RKCB. I think 4NT-RKCB is what South should bid instead of 5S.

Just some side notes... When ♥ are trump, Meckwell plays 4S = regular kickback-RKCB and 4NT! as voidwood-RKCB ( ♠Ace excluded ) . I think it goes something like this: 1NT - 4D! 4H - ??? ....... 4S! = regular kickback-RKCB ....... 4NT! = Voidwood, excluding ♠ ....... 5C! = Voidwood, excluding ♣ ....... 5D! = Voidwood, excluding ♦. Meckwell, then uses the following "Responder-showing" slamish bids after a simple transfer to ♥ ( implying long ♥) : 1NT - 2D! 2H - ??? ...... 4S! = "showing" 0 or 3 ......4NT! = 1 or 4 ...... 5C! = 2 - ♥Q ...... 5D! = 2 + ♥Q

Suppose Responder wanted to sign-off in 5NT, could that be achieved by bidding 5S over the 5H reply ? ( I think that is the way it was done eons ago ). Or 5S could be a K-ask .

Just bid small slam yourself. Opener has to have the rest of the Kings for his opener ( especially with no ♥Q ) opposite your 17 hcp.

I expect it to go like this: 1C - 1S 2H - 2S 3D - 3NT .... unless Responder has 4 cards ♥.

I have in my files ( sorry, no link ) from 2004 regarding Rubens Transfer Advances . He defines the following "Jumps" by Advancer : a ) A jump-shift is a fit-bid in support of overcaller's suit ...... ( 1C ) - 1H - ( p ) - 2S/3D = fit-showing-jumps b ) A jump-cue-bid to the 3-level ( ie. a single-jump ) shows the values for a constructive raise ( 7-9 hcp) with four or more trumps. ...... ( 1C ) - 1H - ( p ) - 3C! c ) A jump-cue-bid to the 4-level ( ie. a double-jump ) shows shortness, support and a slam try ... 4+ trumps ...... ( 1C ) - 1H - ( p ) - 4C! = splinter . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - kgr : Now, regarding your auction, if the overcall were 2C, then 3D would be a fit-showing jump and 4D would be a splinter. But, since your overcall is 3C [ 6c♣; intermediate (10-15 HCP) ] , you may have to redefine to whatever you agree with partner .

I'd sure like to know why Opener jumped to 5D in the GF auction when 4D would suffice and deny a Club Ctrl as well.

Here is a "result" of all "resulting" : ( p )- 1C - ( 3S ) - ?? Nouth, with no 2-quick losers bids 4NT = RKCB for their last bid suit as trump: ♣ . South replies 5D ( 1 or 4 ) North assumes it is 4 key cards which includes the ♣K and can count 13 tricks off the top and bids 7NT .

Best post ever.

2S = either of 2 types of hands [ EDIT: Not standard, but one of many treatments ] : 1) 8-9 hcp w/4s but not 4h or 2)4s/6m, weak Continuations after: 1NT - 2C, 2H - 2S, .... Opener - Responder 2NT - p ( hand # 1 ) 2NT - 3C/3D ( hand # 2 ) 3C - p ( hand # 2 w/6c) 3C - 3D ( hand # 2 w/6d ) 3S ( max, 4s for Opener ) 3S - p ( hand # 2 ) 3S - 4S ( hand # 1 )

Quacks aplenty ... I'll try 1NT too .

I think I'll just go 4H with this 5 LTC hand .

I've seen the Offensive-to-Defensive Ratio mentioned a number of times lately . How does one calculate it ?

I just read a Bobby Wolff newspaper column where he said " ... with 5 4 2 2 hands and a 5 card major, never open 1NT ... "

Ditto. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - EDIT: Over 1NT open, you need sequences for: A) Long ♣: weak, invitational, slammish B) Long ♦: weak, invitational, slammish C) 2-suiter minors ( 5/4 )+ : weak, invitational, slammish I think Minor Suit Stayman ( rather than 4-way transfers ) is better because of the 2-suiters ( C )... but you are right.. every system has drawbacks But then to show weak, long ♣, you use the sequence: 1NT - 2NT! ( relay to 3C ); and then your 2NT invite hand will go thru Stayman . I'll let you ( or someone else ) to look up the rest .

1NT - 2C 2D - 2H = classic Garbage Stayman ( see posts 2 and 5 ) < 7 hcp (4/4)+ Majors, equal length or longer ♠---never longer ♥.

What is the "mixed raise" bid for this hand ? ( I assume 2S! is the limit raise w/ 3 or 4 cards, and 3H the weak raise w/4 cards, and 2H = simple raise w/ 3 cards and ~ 6 - 9 hcp ) .

Hope you weren't including my post # 2 which was a precursor to my brilliant conclusion ( if I must say so myself ) in post # 12 .

Duck . If East then returns another ♠, you lead the ♣ to your A 10 , playing East for the K . If East returns a ♦, you will still win on the board for the ♣ lead, unless West puts up the Ace. In that case you will get a losing ♠ pitch on the long ♦. Once the ♠ loser is taken care of, only then can you start trumps ( ♥ ). EDIT: I corrected the misprinted "loser" to ♠ .