TWO4BRIDGE

4D should show 4 cards ♥ and at least 6 cards ♦ ( ie NO fit for ♠ ) . I agree that 4NT now would be a sign-off .

1D - 2C ( should promise a rebid in SAYC ) 2H - 3NT ( 15-17 ) 6NT

The balancing DBL is part of th Neg-DBL convention ... If partner does not have (2), he might bid his major: 2S or 2H ( if 2H then you have to decide if it is long ♥ or correct to 2NT ) .

There may be an advantage in some cases but not in others . Take Fred's example hand in the OP. After 3H: 3S! ( by Opener says "non-serious", but says nothing about a ♠-Ctrl eventho he has one ) Next: .... -4C ( by Responder shows a serious ♣-Ctrl, but denies a ♠-Ctrl ) Now what is Opener to do ? He does not have a ♦-Ctrl... so he has to either bid 4H or 4S . ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ How is this better than Fred's way ? : 3S = ♠-Ctrl; says nothing about "seriousness " .... - 3NT! ( Serious ) 4C ( ♣-Ctrl ), etc.

See this thread from April, 2012 : http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/52314-heart-auctions/page__gopid__627548#entry627548 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I don't have experience with Serious/non-serious, but I've come to the conclusion that with ♥-agreed, 3S should SHOW a ♠-Ctrl and say nothing about "Seriousness" . [ EDIT: This is Fred's case ] . Those who play that 3S should show the state of "seriousness" indicate that 3S then says nothing about a ♠-Ctrl .

As Advancer with 4-4 in the Majors, one bids 2S first ( if you are going to bid a Major ) after partner's DBL .

True... I should have used the example of a 1D open . I'm not sure what Responder's bids for the strong club after a DBL : 1C! - ( X ) - ??

Meckwell plays transfers over the DBL ( 1C - ( X ) - XX = 4+♦, etc ) . Using transfers here allows a number of advantages: i) you can show more hand types (for example you don't have the problem of having to play 1d-x-2c as either weak or forcing when not playing transfers - playing transfers you can do both) ii) you show your hand before being preempted iii) you can transfer to a suit as lead directing and then support yr partners suit (can be useful for defense) iv) you can show many different sorts of raises. v) it makes bidding for the opps more difficult .

I agree w/Mikeh ... Responder should rebid 3S = minimum hand with as few as 2 cards ♠ . A jump to 4S by Responder would show a limit raise with 3 cards -- a hand that would have jumped to 3S over a minimum rebid of say 2D by Opener.

2C - 3C 3NT

Cue bidding 1st Rnd Ctrls first crowds the auction for eventual RKC . If you played Italian ( " mixed " cue bids ) -- 1st or 2nd Rnd Ctrl -- up-the-line , then partner would know you have NO ♠ Ctrl when 3S is by-passed over 3H . Edit: I'd still be in slam, though, but South would be doing the asking .

Another note: Upon watching the USA games week before last, it was stated that Meckwell play Rusinow ONLY if they have bid the suit .

What is all this talk about Suit Preference ? OP asked about your card at trick ONE . There is no "obvious shift" at work here .

UDCA always confuses me ... so I just do the OPPOSITE of standard . Hand 1: Ace lead ( asking Attitude )..Standard, I would play HI ( start of hi-lo ) .. so with UDCA, I'd play LO first ( the 3 ). ......... [ With the King lead ( asking Count ) ... Standard would play HI ... so UDCA....play LO ]. Hand 2: Also, play LO in both cases .

I have this reference in my files: http://www.pattayabridge.com/conventions/ConventionalDoubles_main.htm And does this example that they give look familiar: 1D - p - 1S - DBL 2D - DBL They defined the 2nd DBL as Penalty since: a) partner has described his hand ( ostensibly showing the unbid suits with the T/O DBL ); b) thus, essentially, there is NO "unbid" suit .

I don't have ( or find ) any reference that shows this as a Responsive DBL ... do you ?

Too bad RKC is out of fashion ... you could stop at 5H missing 2 key cards . ( I see ahydra asked about using RKC ) .

How often do you have 4-4 in the Majors in those situations ? I have posted this non-standard treatment before: -- Neg-DBL shows shows 4 cards ♠ and says nada about ♥. -- Bidding ♥ shows 4+ cards -- Bidding ♠ shows 5+ cards.

I suggest the higher ranking Q in the first reply to 6 Ace . I then roll the lower ranking Q into the K-ask ( specific replies ): 1) (2♥)-4♣-(Pass)-4NT : 4NT = 6 Ace for ♠ & ♣ 5C = 0/3 5D = 1/4 5H = 2 - ♠Q 5S = 2 + ♠Q a) Let's say 4NT got the 5C reply ( 0/3 ), then: 5D = ♠Q-ask: 5H = ♠Q + ♥K 5S = no ♠Q 5NT = ♠Q + ♦K ( NT shows feature of asking suit, ♦ ), no ♥K 6C = ♠Q + ♣Q but no ♥K or ♦K 6S = ♠Q but no ♥K or ♦K or ♣Q b) Let's say K-ask after 4NT got the 5C reply, then 5NT = K-ask : 6C = ♣Q 6D = ♦K but no ♣Q 6H = ♥K but no ♦K or ♣Q 6S = no outside K or ♣Q

Some play the following. I'm not sure whether it is still in fashion or not, but it is simple : 1NT - 3H = 5/5 majors, invite 1NT - 3S = 5/5 majors, GF - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Also, here is a thread from Feb, 2012 concerning 3-level jumps over 1NT : http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/51564-suggestions-on-3-level-responses-to-1nt-opening/

3H-jump ( or 3S-jump ) = GF, self-sufficient suit, demanding Ctrl-cues .

I don't know much about Kokish, but 3H in the above sequence is supposed to be a self-sufficient suit; Responder may pass with a bust. However, I assume 3S/4C/4D by Responder would be an Advance Ctrl-cue for ♥ .

He by-passed 3S by bidding 4C ... hence no ♠-Ctrl . And the Ctrl-cuebidding in his OWN suit ( ♣ ) should show 2 of the top 3 according to the Italians .

me2

A typical problem for the 1D - ( 2C ) - ?? .. you have enough points but not the right shape for a Neg-DBL . Quite often Responder doesn't have have at least a 4-4 in the majors ( or even a 4-3 ) . I've mentioned the following treatment before for Diam-Club auctions: -- NEG-DBL guarantees 4 cards ♠ but "says nada about ♥" . -- bidding ♥ would show 4+ cards -- bidding ♠ would show 5+ cards pard 1D - ( 2C ) - X - ( 2S ) 3H - ( p ) - 4D - ( p ) 6D