TWO4BRIDGE

1H .... - 2S! ( Zel's mini-splinter or in-between splinter; Zel: correct me if I'm wrong ) 2NT! ( asks ) .... - 3C ( ♣ ) 4NT! ( Meckwell's Voidwood, excluding ♠; 4S would be RKC ) .... - 5C ( 0/3 ) 5D ( ♥Q-ask ) .... - 5NT ( yes, no minor K ) 6H

[hv=pc=n&s=sqj983hqd87cjt983&w=sakt4hak74d3ck642&n=s752hj3dkq952cq75&e=s6ht98652dajt64ca&d=n&v=e&b=9&a=ppp1c1d1h1s3hp4hppp]399|300[/hv] Making 13 tricks...... IMPs A few pairs who reached slam had West make the 4H rebid over South's 1S... and East went RKC ... or East opened: ( p ) - 1H - ( p ) - Jac2NT .... and West eventually went RKC . One alternative bid I saw in the postmortem was a 3D-jump cue SPLINTER by Opener [ instead of a 3H ( or 4H )-jump ] , which no one used .

I like it !! Thus, you can have: 3C/3D = fit-jumps as well as: 3H = fit-jump when ♠ are trump and then you can retain: 3M = 4-card preemptive raise - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - But as Rodwell observed: " You have no bids for other hands except Redouble or Pass or 1NT [ or 1S after 1H open ]" since every other bid is some sort of raise .

I like the 3C/3D as "fit-jumps" , which leaves 2NT as the Jordan limit raise. And for the 4 card "mixed raise", Rodwell suggests to use 3M since he says ( paraphrased ) "the 3M-preemptive raise rarely comes up and when it does, is not very effective" .

If you play it ON, what would you use 2NT after a DBL ?? ( which is normally the Jordan 2NT limit raise with 4 cards ) 1S - ( X ) - ?? ................ 3C = lower Bergen, 4 card raise ................ 3D = upper Bergen ................2NT = ?? ( no reason to have TWO limit raises w/ 4 cards )

2C - 2D! ( waiting, but positive ) 2S - 2NT 3C - 4C 4D! ( kickback ) - 4NT ( 3rd step = 2 - ♣ Q ) 6C or 1S - 1NTF 3C - 4C 4D! ( kickback ) , etc

The NMF case is different . Opener does not have an "immediate" suit that was rebid: 1D - 1S 1NT - 3C jump is either weak or invitational ( depending on pre-agreed preference ) . 1D - 1S 1NT - 2C! ( NMF ) 2H/2NT - 3C ( 5/5, GF ) "In NMF, all jumps are either weak or invitational; whereas GF auctions go thru NMF." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - In your example of the "self-splinter" , Responder has to make the double-jump: 1D - 1S 1NT - 4C! = self-splinter for ♠. BTW: 1D - 1S 1NT - 4D! is also a self-splinter for ♠ .

I'm always reminded of a friend of mine and his pard who felt they weren't cue-bidding enough and had a pleasant auction with cuebids on the 4- and 5-level before bidding slam - - only to find out they were missing the top two trumps .

Yes, a Splinter for ♣ here . 2D! would be "artificial cheapest new suit bid forcing " ( similar to NMF over 1NT rebid ). Thus, 3D! is a jump-over-a-forcing-bid ( in that suit ) = Splinter for the last bid suit .

On the 1st one: I know ... 1S - 1NTF 3C/3D = game force and 1S - 1NTF 4C/4D = jump-over-a-forcing-bid ( in that suit ) ; hence a self-splinter for ♠ I would assume the same is true for the ♥ suit rebids .

To show good,long ♣ suit ( or long ♦ if you play 2-way Drury ), you can use 2NT! as a relay to 3♣ for pass-or-correct to 3♦ .

Good analysis. At this point Responder knows we are cold for 12 tricks at NT. Responder knows that Opener MUST have at least ONE of the RED Queens ( along with one of the red Jacks ) for his count ... or BOTH Q ( and no Jacks ).... [the red Jacks aren't important ] . -- with BOTH Q , you are cold for 13 tricks -- with the ♦Q only you are cold for 13 tricks -- with the ♥ Q only, you have a 50% chance for 13 tricks. I've been told if you have a 50% chance you should take it . Here the odds are greater than 50% . On the other hand, I've also been told you should be able to count "14" tricks before bidding the grand .

Using Transfer Advances: ( 1D ) - 1S - 2D! .......... 2H - 3C [ natural ] ..........3NT - 4C .......... 4D![ kickback ] - 5C [ 4th step = 2 + ♣Q ] ..........pass [ missing 2 key cards ]

What would 3♠ ( over 3♥ ) mean ?? [ A Ctrl-cue or probing ? ]

Thx, Wayne.... for posting both hands . I agree that the 3D-jump may show only 4 cards . And with NO fit for either of Opener's suits, Responder -- with stops in BOTH the unbid AND transportation via the ♦ to Opener's hand -- he should bid the ( usually avoided if possible ) 3NT in these types of auctions.

I rather use 1NT rebid also..... so much easier with a NMF system available . But 2C is more descriptive, and now Responder has 2-ways to bid 3C : 1) Use 2D! as artificial-cheapest-bid-new suit- forcing ... then bid 3C= GF . 2) direct-3C = non-forcing, invitational .

With no 2 quick losers in a side-suit you mainly need to know about the trumps. If you aren't afraid of the 5-level just go 4NT ( RKC ) . When partner shows 3 key cards... you can ask for the ♠ Q too . ... otherwise sign-off in 5S .

3NT may just be a good spot since I believe Responder has a ♣ honor or two ... But why does he have long ♥ since, as Dealer, he didn't open a weak 2 or 3, .... and over partner's 1S he couldn't find it in himself to bid 2H as a passed hand . After: p - 1S 1NT - 3D 3H .... did he all of a sudden wake up to find he has long ♥ ?? All this leads me to believe that 3H is an advance cue for ♦. Heck, 6D might just might be in the picture . Buttttt, we will never know Responder's hand since Li'l Wayne has forgotten about this post.

How do we give Opener 18-19 when he has only 17 hcp ?? 3NT directly over the 2C! ( GF ) would be the 15-17 picture bid .

I think I'd have Responder now bid 4C! ( Minorwood since suit agreement was at the 3-level ), and if partner does show 3 Aces, I'd bid 6C .... otherwise stop at 5C .

Another thought.... With a decent Ht suit, wouldn't a passed hand Respond 2H ?? p - 1S 2H I hope Wayne takes us out of our misery and posts Responder's hand .

Would that eight ♥ hand OPEN with a 4H preempt ?

Well, at least it is not a fabricated quote like yours . I guess I'm not used to a partner opening 1D on a 5s/7d shape with a LOW hcp count ( what does your LOW hcp mean ? where Responder's pointed Queens wouldn't be usefull ?? }. EDIT : Anyway, I think 3S should show a 6s/7d shape .

If partner has long ♥, why didn't he preempt ? ( perhaps too strong but not enough to open 1H or perhaps too weak, but enough to respond 1NT. Anyway, 3NT on this hand might be near solid...if he has something like: x K 10 x x x x x x x K Q x ( looking at 2s, 4d, 3c ...not needing a Ht trick ) ... but then he might have bid 3NT himself . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We also have seen this type of SJS hand before where a new suit ( 3H here ) is an advance cue for the 2nd suit : ♦

4H The classic case for showing a strong hand over a preempt: " You don't preempt ( jump ) over a preempt ( jump ) " .