TWO4BRIDGE

Thx, Zel..... but that thread from 2010 only shows the auctions 1m - 1M , 2NT ... not 1C - 1D, 2NT . Would the following be plausible for OP's hand: 1C - 1D 2NT - 3C! ( forces 3D for possible pass, "to play" with a weak hand, long ♦ ) 3D - 3H ( or 3S ) = shortness w/long ♦ whereas: 1C - 1D 2NT - 3H/3S = stop(s) here but worried about the other major ( for 3NT )

Do you have that link to the recent thread involving transfers over the 2NT-jump rebid ?

OK... I'll try one w/o RKC : South 1♥ - 2♣ ( 4+, GF ) 3♦ ( splinter, 4+ ) .... - 4♦ ( must be the Ace, denies ♠ Ctrl ) 5NT ( GSF asking for 2 of top 3 ♣ honors ) .... - 7C

1S - 3H could be used as part of the Bergen Raise system with an unspecified stiff or void : 1S - 3H 3S ( next step asks ) .... ?? ...... 4C/4D/4H = singleton ...... 3NT = void somewhere 4C ( asks ) ....... 4D/4H = void ....... 4S = ♣ void

I like Mikeh's mini-splinter ( 3D-jump over Responder's 2C ) and I agree it is pretty tuff to bid the grand w/o some form of RKC: South 1H - 2C 3D! - 4C ( since Responder doesn't have a Major suit cue, he is resigned to bid 4C ) ?? ( now we can use Zelandakh's replies for minor suit, slammish hands ) .. 4D = 1st step = negative .. the next 4 steps are RKC "showing" with a positive hand for slam .. 4H = 0/3 .. 4S = 1/4 ..4NT = 2 - ♣Q .. 5C = 2 + ♣Q After: 4H ( 0/3 ) ..... - 4NT = K-ask ( specific replies ) 5H ( ♥K ) At this point, Responder doesn't need a 2nd K-ask . He can work out a 13 trick scenario in 7C with his strong, long ♣ suit: 1s, 2h, 1d, 3 ♦-ruffs, 6c = 13 ( without using the ♥Q )

I like the "Impossible Spade " application here. Too bad there isn't something similar for a 1S open : 1S - 1NT! 3C - ??

Thanks again ... I don't know how many times I read the reference, but I still got it wrong .... duh ( I corrected my post # 27 ). Discourage = look for a shift

Thx for the link . If I understand it correctly, WEST will SHOW tolerance for an Obv Shift ( he would like a ♣ shift ) with an "Encouraging Discouraging ♦ card " ( either upside down or standard ) on the 1st trick . EAST will find the ♣ shift because it is a 3 card suit headed by at most ONE honor ( either A, K, Q, J or 10 ) in his hand .

All that discouraging ♦ does is discourage ♦ continuation. How is a ♣ shift obvious ? and not a ♥ shift ??

This may be one of those hands where you are missing the top 2 trumps . Opener could have: ♠ A x ♥ Q J x x x x ♦A K x x ♣ x ... especially if Opener's 4D showed at least 2 of the top 3 in his side-suit ( Italian cuebids ) . If you don't use 4S-kicback RKC for ♥, then 4NT would get a 5S reply with this hand . Soo, instead, you could bid 5-of-trump ( 5H ) - - asking for 6H with 2 of the top 3 ♥.

I think 3H also. But there is another GF bid for ♥ as trump ( if you think that is the way to go ) -- namely the 4C! self-splinter .

Let me try one using Italian cuebids -- the rules were posted by Phil in 2009 : 1. Cue bid any A, K , singleton or void. Some partnerships do not cue shortness, some do not cue shortness at their first opportunity, and yet others do not cue shortness in partner's suits. 2. To cue in partner's ( side ) suit, you need the A, K, ... or Q. 3. To cue your own ( side ) suit, you need 2/3 top honors. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1D - 1S 2C - 2H! ( 4th suit GF ) 2S - 3D ( cancels interest in ♠ ) 3S ( cheapest Ctrl cue; A, K, or Q in partner's side-suit ) .... - 4C ( A, K, or Q in partner's side-suit ) 4D! ( Minorwood, since suit agreement on the 3-level ) .... - 5C ( 4th step = 2 + ♦Q ) 6D ( missing a key card )

I'm wondering how it went? ( to get to 6D ? ) KQx JT AJ9x AKJx Axxx Ax QTxxx Qx 1D - 1S 2C - 2H! ( 4th suit GF ... or do you play xyz ? ) ??

Standard is 18,19 if you play 1NT open as 15-17. It is the same as if Responder bid 1H or 1S .

Hand 1 Minor suit slams are difficult to employ science ... and a void doesn't help matters . I would just blast to 6D after: 1D - 2D! ( inverted GF ) 2H - 3C 3NT - 6D or after: 1D - 2C! ( 2/1 GF ) 3NT - 6D

Even with it's shortcomings, an immediate Jac2NT raise is better than the delayed raise after a 2/1 ... especially if your 2/1 is not GF and you have to JUMP on your next turn to show ♥ support ( and partner doesn't know if it is 3 or 4 cards ). In other words you have not saved bidding space with your low level 2/1. I structure my Jac2NT so that Opener will FIRST show a 4+ card 2nd suit ( with at least one Ctrl and shortness elsewhere ) . With the next bid, he will show shortness w/or w/o other Ctrls in the remaining 2 suits. This way, Responder will have a wealth of information at the 4-level to make a decision to either go on or sign-off . Also, the question is: do you, as Responder, want to "give" information or "ask" for it ?

Wouldn't regular Jacoby send up a red flag ? 1H - Jac2NT 3NT! = no shortness, 15-17 hcp .... - 4H ( combined 27-29 hcp, no shortness in either hand )

That sequence [ 1♠-2♦, 3♣ ] is just another example of the trouble you can get into when not showing an immediate 4 card ♠ support . And 2D is even more bizarro than a 2C ( 2/1 GF ) . Sure, regular Jacoby2NT has it's drawbacks but there are modified versions to use. My question alluded to the continuation of the above sequence: 1♠ - 2♦! 3♣ - 3♠ ... is Serious/non-Serious 3NT ON or off ??

That is normally the case. But here partner replied 4NT = 3rd step , 2 - ♦Q . 'asker': J AKQJ8 AQ86 A97 So a cheaper K-ask step is available, namely 5C. I play it as asking for specific Kings( I think easier on the memory cells ) Replies: 5D = no outside Kings 5H = ♥-K 5S = ♠-K but no ♥K 5NT = ♣-K but no Major K If partner replied 5S, then 5NT = a 2nd K-ask. ...... 6C would then show the ♣K and you now have enough for a grand slam : 7NT ........... counting 2s, 5h, 4+d, 2c ...... If no ♣K, then 6D would be the reply to the 2nd K-ask .

I just looked at a few old threads where: 1M - 2C! ( clubs and/or 3+ ♥ support ) Ron ( the hog ) calls 2D! or 2C! for this hand as "from the planet Bizarro "

Where is your Major suit agreement in your example ?

Mikeh: What about Serious-/non-Serious-3NT ?? Isn't it so much clearer ( ie. 3NT is never "to play" ) with an immediate show of 4 card support ?

Sure, West has a big control hand, but East can never convince partner that he holds 4 card support after a 2/1 . EDIT: Actually, Ken-Rexford, an advocate of 2/1 with support, may just have a system to show 4 card support after a 2/1 GF .

I have a generalised LTC ( Loser Trick Count ) method over lower Bergen. Lower Bergen ( 7 - 9 hcp ) is either 8 or 9 LTC . So, Opener with 6 or lower LTC will "ask" using 3D! Responder replies 3M with 9 or 4M with 8 . Here, Opener is 4 LTC and Responder is 8 ... slam is possible ( 24-12 = 12 tricks ) But Opener can check for key cards: 1S - 3C! 3D! - 4S 4NT - 5C ( 0/3 ) 5S - ?? ( missing 2 key cards; obviously the ♣A and ♠K ) The ♠K is finesse is 50% and the ♣A could be onsides ( 50% if partner does not have the ♣ Q ) . What is that come to... a 25 % slam ... maybe higher but certainly less than 50%? So, pass 5S.

4C is pick-a-major [ I have (3/3)+..but does not promise ♣-shortness ] . That said, I think the 4S bid for this hand is better for the reasons others have suggested.