TWO4BRIDGE

Chopped liver here... see post # 8 .

If you don't pitch ( ♠ on ♣ K ) you risk losing 4 tricks ( ♣, ♠, and ♥ A & Q ) . So, lead to ♦J for your ♠ pitch and then lead ♥ -- giving up your 2 ♥ tricks . [ The risk is a 2nd round ♦ ruff ..... unless they split 2-2 ] .

I'm not sure North would cuebid with this auction either: p - 1C 1S - 4C! ( 4s/6c .. the CWNN... "convention with no name " ) ??

Missing a key card you would not ask for Kings ... specific or otherwise .

1H - 1NTF 3C ( game force ) ..... - ?? ....... 3H = minimal hand, could be as little as 2 cards ♥ ....... 4H = limit raise w/ 3 card support : a hand that would have jumped to 3H over a minimum rebid of say 2C . ....... 3D/3S = showing stop; probing for NT; no fit for either of partner's suits ................ ( some might play this as an advance cue for ♣ .. need prior agreement ) ....... 3NT = stop in both unbid suits; perhaps the worst call to make unless partner's suits can run . ....... 4C = 4+ cards ♣; need prior agreement as to what is RKC . ....... ( 5C = not needed ) .

In order to get to 7H, Responder needs to do the "asking" ( RKC ) on this hand .

Trying helen's method. post # 17 : East 2C - 2D! 3H! ( 4h / longer ♦ ) ...... - ?? ...... 3S = either a Ctrl-cue for ♥ or NT probe ......3NT = agree neither red suit ...... 4C = cue agreeing ♥; denies ♠ - Ctrl ...... 4D = agree ♦ after: - 4C 4S! = kickback RKC for ♥ ...... - 5C ( 1/4 ) 5D ( ♥Q-ask ) ...... - 6C ( ♥Q + ♣K ; denies ♦ K which would have been the cheaper 5NT reply ) 6H

After: 2C - 2D! ?? ...."specifically" 4h + longer Diam ? What about + longer Clubs ? What about 4s and a longer minor ?

2C - 2D! ?? I also don't understand Opener bidding a 4 card ♥ suit before his good 6 card ♦ suit ?

How does 2D get you to the right place if Opener next bids 3D ?

If Responder's suit qualification with 6+ cards can be reduced to 3 of the top 5, then 2S over 2C makes life easy on this one ... as mentioned in the other thread . If not, then the auction gets high fast: 2C - 2D! 3D - 3S ?? would Opener really go past 3NT and rebid 4H to show a 4 card suit ?? If Opener would, then life gets easy again .

After 2D-waiting , Responder can show his 5+ card suit next ( usually at the 3-level ) -- w/o 2 of the top 3 -- if he cannot support Opener's suit.

2C - 2D! ( waiting, NO 5+ card suit w/ TWO of the top 3 ) 2NT - 3C ( regular Stayman ) 3D ( no 4 card Major ) .... - 3H ( Smolen, ostensibly 5s/4h ) 3NT ( no 3 cards ♠ ) .... - 4H ( TEXAS-over-Smolen, showing 6s/4h ) 4S - 4NT ( RKCB; etc )

Since a Reverse is forcing, a common definition for a Jump-Reverse is a splinter . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - EDIT: I agree with Stephen Tu for the example hand here . There is no Diam - Reverse. If playing 2/1 GF, then: 1S - 2C ?? .. 2D = forcing .. 3D! = some play as a splinter: jump-over-a-forcing ( Diam ) - bid or .. 2H = forcing .. 3H! = splinter

Texas Transfers ON ...only thru 3C interference . 1NT - ( 3D ) - 4D = needed for Stayman and 1NT - ( 3D ) - 4H = natural

You are right. Where I went astray was on the 1st trick. I played the ♣ K instead of the 9 . ( What if East held the 10 ? ) .

Check your transportation . ( Aren't you using a 2nd Diam ruff to get back to North at the end ? ... thus, a trump short ) .

Does a Club lead kill it ?

East-West .... - p 1D - 1H 2NT ( 18,19... may have 4 cards ♠ ) ..... - 3S ( 4-4 ) 3NT

When OP said 6S doesn't make, obviously a bad trump split leading to unavoidable trump losers (probably the Q and J ) . This points to a "safety bid " for Diam as trump when holding A K Q x x x and forgetting about the 4 card Major as stated by many here. But, if the long minor is only say: A K x x x x, better to look for the Major fit first.

Thx... I forgot about LTTC . And 4D ( by Opener ) should show a ♠-Ctrl in that example since Responder, although "Serious", denied a ♠-Ctrl .

Here's one structure from the May 2006 ACBL Bulletin ( that I've posted before ): 2NT - 3S! = relay to 3NT 3NT - ?? then: ..... Pass = to play ( Needed since direct 3N is major 4-4 ) ..... 4C = slam try in ♣ ..... 4D = slam try in ♦ ..... 4H = ♥ splinter, both minors ..... 4S = ♠ splinter, both minors

No speculation on this one if Responder sets ( long ) ♦ as trumps . And if Responder does the "asking", then Opener has a " cold count " for 13 tricks when Responder next asks for Kings ( specific or otherwise; guaranteeing all key cards and the ♦Q ) and just bids 7NT : 2s, 2h, 6d, 3c

Yesss ....[ forget about ♠ ] . And if you have the method for Responder to show long ♦, slammish, then if Opener does the "asking", s/he can count 13 tricks at NT after finding the remaining key cards and the ♦Q .

Ben... I'm ready to see the North hand .