TWO4BRIDGE

Win Ace. ♣J next... as the only hope, albeit slim, of getting 2 tricks in ♣ for a ♠ pitch .

Trick 1 take Ace and pitch your losing ♣. Now, you need 4-3 split in ♥ and either: (a) the Q onside -3rd or 4th ( in which case you next play a ♥ to the J ) ... or (b) the Q-3rd in either hand ( in which case you duck the 1st ♥) . What are the odds for (a) vs (b) ? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ EDIT: I think there is a 3rd option (c ) -- a take-off of option (b) : Since you can lead a ♥ from your hand for option (b), you could cater to a Q-4th offside by ruffing a ♠ and running your ♦ save one. You might just get a useful ♥ pitch from the Q-4th hand . You lose nothing if the Q was originally 3rd .

How about revamping the "Impossible Spade" ( who ever uses that anyway ? ) ? 1H - 1NT! = either (a) F1*, the normal 6-9 hcp or (b) GF w/5+♠ AND 3 or 4 ♥ If Responder rebids ♠ next , it is hand (b): For example: 1H - 1NT! 2C/2D/2H - 2S = hand (b)... anything else is hand (a) . ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ * the 1 round force ( F1 )1NT! can also be 3 card ♥ limit raise shown by the 3H-jump rebid over Opener's minimum rebid of say, 2C/2D

Hey, welcome back .

It sure looks like a forcing 2S is next.... but it's possible you could just "blast" . Surely, slam is on the horizon.... and partner must have the minors covered for his opening count. I bet 6NT is the safest .

Not really. I will check for the trump Q at times, when missing a key card, as long as the "ask" is below 5-of-trump . I don't want to be in 6 missing a key card AND the trump Q .

5H = no ♥Q 5S = ♥Q + ♠K 5NT = ♥Q + ♦K ( NT shows feature of the "asking suit", ♦ ) 6C = ♥Q + ♣K - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Now, for trump ( ♥ ) Q-ask with a suit bid HIGHER than the trump suit , 5S: 5NT = ♥Q and either NO outside K OR MAY have "asking suit" K, ♠ 6C = ♥Q and ♣K 6D = ♥Q and ♦K 6H = NO ♥Q

Responder: J 9 x x K Q x x x x void A x x Another way for Opener to show a GF hand is with the artificial 2S!-jump over the 1H response: 1D - 1H 2S! ( GF, may be artificial ) ..... - 2NT! ( asks ) ?? 3C! ( other minor ) = real Spades ( 4s ), no 3h 3D = long Diam, no 4s, no 3h 3H = 3h* , no 4s 3S = 3h* AND 4s After: 3S - 4S 4NT ( 6 Ace RKC ) ..... - 5H ( 2 - ♠Q ) 6S ________________________________________________________________________ * Can always show the 4th ♥ by bidding 4H if opener rebids 3NT

side-issue Zelandakh and I have posted structures whereby you can show the double-fit in this type of auction. Here is mine: 1NT - 2H! 2S - 3D ( natural ) ?? 3S = 3 cd ♠ support, but no ♦ fit 3H! = ( cheapest new suit ) ♦ support* but only 2 cds ♠ 3NT = support neither 4D = support both Now 4H! by Responder could be 6 ace RKC . EDIT: Ideally, the ♦ fit should be at least 4 cd support, but I fudged with K Q x support. surely Responder here has a 5 cd suit headed by the Ace .

The last time a weak-2D was posted, Zelandakh gave the following overcall structure: 3D = stop-ask 3H/3S = srong jump 4C = Cl + Major ( 4D = asks Major ) 4D = both Majors

In light of the 3H! bid and then the 4C bid ( after partner ostensibly showed a Ht-stop ) I question the use of the 3H bid in the first place . 3C would have been better served.... and surely forcing ( " a 3-level new suit bid at the 3-level by an unpassed partner " ) .

In the first place, (EDIT:) Advancer's's (North's ) DBL is Responsive... showing EQUAL length in BOTH majors ( probably 4-4 ). If he were 4-3 he would just bid his 4 card major ( or pass if too weak ) . The T/O doubler's ( South's ) hand apparently is too strong to just pick-a-major at the 4-level, and I suspect 5C show's a void. If previously discussed, North could reply 6 Ace-Exclusion ... and South would be in a position to bid 6M or sign-off in 5M .

Good question. In my auction, Responder would know of partner's 5+ cards ♦ but not know of a sure 6 cards. I'd have to stop in 6D .

My take ( definitely not standard ) : 3H = minimal hand and support could be as little as 2 cards. 4H = limit w/ 3 cards; a hand that would have jumped to 3H over a minimum rebid of say 2D. 3S = some sort of try for 3NT . 3NT = stop(s) in both unbid; NT not the best place for these types of auctions unless Opener has a running suit. That leaves the following 4-level rebids as RKC-"Showing" , agreeing ♦ : 4C = 0/3 4D = 1/4 4S = 2 - ♦Q 4NT = 2 + ♦Q Now Opener is in a good position to either place the contract or make another "ask" . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - -- - -- - - A Zelandakh improvement: "I think you can improve that Don. For example you could play that 4♦ shows exactly 4 cards Diam and 4♣/4♠/4NT/5♣ show 5 card support + key cards. "

I'm ready to see Opener's hand .

I meant Jump-Reverse..... or Reverse-Jump ... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Here is a recent example in the I & A forum: http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/61552-1c1h3d/

Given how much space is needed to show the 6 card ♠ suit with invitational values ( 3S-jump ) , perhaps it is not a bad idea to adopt the 1 round 4th suit force ( 4SF-1 ) suggested by Bridge World Standard 2001 for 4th suit "non-reverse" auctions : South - North 1H - 1S 2C - 2D! 3C - ??

I think I've heard of that "2NT" rebid = 4 4 3 2 ( by Opener ) over 2C ... but for the life of me I can't find it in his yellow paperback .

If East is willing to go to the 3-level on his rebid, he might as well make a more descriptive bid of a 3D! reverse-splinter ( some refer to it as a mini-splinter ) for ♥ . If West considers his ♦ holding as negative for slam, he might just sign-off in 4H .

2D is fine -- right out of Max Hardy's 2/1 GF book -- promising 5+ Diam, and loads of room available to find a 4-4 major fit. I don't agree with Ben's suggestion of an immediate 3 card ♣ raise. Responder may only have a 4 card suit. But 3C ( by North ) denied a 4 card Major and showed 5+ cards ♣ . Now raise to 4C over 3C . And, if using Zelandakh's "Conditional RKC" : South-North 1D - 2C 2D - 3C 4C - ?? ....... 4D = no slam interest ....... the next 4 steps are RKC replies showing slam interest : ....... 4H = 0/3 ....... 4S = 1/4 .......4NT = 2 - ♣Q ....... 5C = 2 + ♣Q If Responder makes the 4NT reply ( 2 - ♣Q ), s/he can now start to ask for Kings (cheapest specific reply) with 5D .

The "old" Leaping Michaels used 3H for the minors and had NO stop-ask . These days, I believe more expert/good players would use 3H as the stop-ask and either 4H! ( or 4NT! ) for the minors. Those who use 4NT for the minors may use 4H! as Blackwood . 4H! as Blackwood has the advantage of stopping in 5-minor if need be.

After 5H - 6D! = ( skipping the 5NT K-ask ) asks for 3rd Rnd ♦ Ctrl : ?? .. 6S = No 3rd Rnd ♦ Ctrl .. 7S = x x doubleton ♦ ..6NT = ♦ Q .. 7D = ♦ Q J

My scheme using ahydra's suggestion of showing a side suit first rather than shortness : 1NT - 2NT 3H ( showing "good" 4+cd side suit w/ at least 1 Ctrl [ A or K ] AND shortness elsewhere ) ..... - 3S! ( asks ) ?? 3NT ( ♦ shortness ) 4C ( ♣ shortness; "bad" hand [ no other feature ] ) 4D ( ♣ shortness & Diam Ctrl ) 4H ( ♣ shortness & at least a 2nd ♥ card of top 3; NO ♦ Ctrl ) 4S ( ♣ shortness, 2nd ♥ card, and ♦ Ctrl ) After: 4H ( now showing ♥Q in addition to K ) ..... - 7S ( counting 5s, 4h, 2d, 1c and ♦-ruff in South hand if North had 3 cards -- South pitches ♦ loser on ♥ )

Win 1st trick. Start ♣. If they duck the 1st or 2nd ♣, then switch gears .... that ♣ trick may just be your fulfilling 9th trick . --- Go to the board w/ ♠K to lead ♦ 8 for a finesse . ------- Assuming West wins, he can't return a ♥ into your A 9 7 . ------- And if he returns a ♦, you get 2 tricks there. Hopefully, you can get four ♠ tricks : 4s, 2h, 2d, 1c

One alternative after 3 suits have been bid, is for Opener to bid 5S over 4S -- asking for 6S with at least 2nd Rnd Ctrl in the unbid suit ( ♦ ) : at least a singleton or K x . Unfortunately, with a positive reply, one doesn't know if the ♠ Ace is missing in addition to the ♦ Ace . EDIT: I see now in OP's post #3 ... this was their auction .