TWO4BRIDGE

Red vs White MP 2/1 Partner opens 1C , next opp bids 4D . Your call with: ♠ A K Q 9 8 3 ♥ K 10 7 6 2 ♦ void ♣ A 7

From the May 2006 ACBL Bulletin ( in its unmodified form.... since then there have been modifications ): 2NT - 3S! = relay to 3NT 3NT - ?? then: .......... Pass = to play ( Needed since direct 3N is major 4-4 ) .......... 4C = slam try in clubs .......... 4D = slam try in diam .......... 4H = Ht splinter, both minors .......... 4S = Sp splinter, both minors .......... 4N = invitational to 6N .......... 5N = forcing to 6N, invitational to 7N For this hand with my own continuations, I can get to 6D ; or if Responder's Majors were reversed -- just 5D [ I don't know how to handle voids -- Zel's treatment is superior ]. 2NT - 3S! ( relay to 3NT ) 3NT! - 4S! ( both minors; Sp shortness ) ?? .. 4NT = sign-off ... 5C/5D = sign-off next steps are 6 Ace-RKC replies; Opener accepting as if he were "asked" ...5H = 0/3 ...5S = 1/4 ..5NT = 2 - dQ ... 6C = 2 + dQ After: 5H ( 0/3) - 6C ( for pass or correct ) 6D

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Another advantage for playing either, besides "getting out" at the 5-level, is getting out in 4NT ( if you have prior agreement ). [ Side note: The King-ask is always "kickback" in Minorwood ] . For example: ♣ agreed: 4C! ( Minorwood ) - 4H ( 1/4 ) ?? .. 4S! ( next step = ♣Q-ask ) ..4NT = to play .. 5C = to play .. 5D = kickback for ( specific ) Kings One advantage of playing Minorwood is that you always can have a trump-Q-ask BELOW 5m. When you play Kickback along with the agreement for 4NT = to play, you may NOT have a trump-Q-ask BELOW 5m. For example: ♣ agreed: 4D! ( Kickback ) - 4S ( 1/4 ) ?? ..4NT = to play .. 5C = to play .. 5D = ?? Of course if you don't have 4NT = to play, you don't have a problem with a trump Q-ask .

You can play BOTH Minorwood and Kickback for the minors using the following "rules-of-thumb" : -- If minor suit fit has been agreed at the 3- level ( or below ), then 4m ( Minorwood ) is RKC. -- If minor suit fit has been first agreed at the 4- level, then Kickback is RKC Examples: 1C - 2C! ( inverted ) 4C! = Minorwood-RKC 1S - 2C! ( 2/1 GF ) 3C - 4C! = Minorwood- RKC 1S - 1NT 3C - 4C 4D! = Kickback-RKC

Here is an interesting situation ... from a previous thread ( http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/52002-two-missed-slams-one-bad-defense/ ) ... in this same forum about "Two Missed Slams.." . [hv=pc=n&s=sajt754hak8d97c84&n=sh976543dakt63caj]300|200[/hv] Same opening 1S..... and another 5 loser, 12 hcp Responder hand w/6 cards ♥ and ♠-void ... but ♥ slam makes. If Responder bids a GF 2H, they may get to slam. but if Responder bids an "inspired" 1NTF, they may not get to game.

In this age of "opening all elevens" and responding 2/1 GF with "all twelves " is bound to get you to unmakable games. Perhaps if it went the way of a forcing 1NTF you might get out in 3H : 1S - 1NTF 2C - 3H jump pass

Mike Lawrence's book: The Complete Book on Balancing ... p.18 ( Green paperback ): " A good preempt with which you expect to make opposite a random 10 count" One of his examples: K J 10 8 7 6 4 3 A J 5 4 2 " A normal, sound preempt. The main thing is, it is not a pile of trash. "

Jilly asked: Here is another one from January which also has a "double-fit" in ♣ : http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/50210-splinter-jacoby-2nt-or-what/ Opener KJ6 K9843 A KJ52 Responder void AQ62 K865 AQ974 1H - 2C! 3C - 3H Although Zelandakh is "big on relays" ( to say the least ) and also has a Splinter system for this type of hand, he also showed the use of 6 Ace-RKC , Exclusion ( ♠-void ) for the above sequence ... to reach 7H.... in his post # 20 . ( Meckwell uses 4S! as kickback when ♥ are trump and 4NT! as Voidwood - ecluding ♠ ) After - 3H 3S - 4NT (X6KCB of course :) ) 5D - 7H

This is another good point for 2C on this hand: I don't know all of the nuances in KenRex's cue bidding, but even if there is NOT a double-fit auction ( my post # 31 ), if Opener cue bids Clubs, it shows 1 of the top 3 in partner's suit; or if Responder cue bids Clubs it shows TWO of top 3 . 1M - 2C! 2NT - 3M 4C! ( 1 of top 3 ) or 1M - 2C! 2NT - 3M 3NT - 4C! ( 2 of top 3 )

It depended on her strength. More of her quotes on the subject: 1)" I was a lot more comfortable playing that we guaranteed spades than that we guaranteed both majors, because with the former style, we were much more likely to get shut out of the auction." 2)"Depending on the hand, passing might be the best call.... for example 3s/4h... and Opener was required to reopen if s/he was short in Overcaller's suit." 3) " The more ( high card ) points one has, the more obligated s/he is to try to find a call other than pass." [ She was the highest rated player in the old MSN Bridge ( online ) Club ] .

There have been a number of similar theads on this subject..... at least 2 or 3 this year. I always used to be of the opinion to show a GF Support Raise ( such as Jacoby, but modified ) but I'm leaning toward a 2/1 with a good 5 card suit ( perhaps as little as a good 4 cards ). I'm not sure if it is mikeh or Ken's arguments in these threads that has "moved me " . The thing is, you can find a double-fit with the following bidding: 1M - 2m! 3m - 3M ( eventho this only promises 3 cards, Responder may very well become Captain ) But you can't the other way around: 1M - modified Jac2NT 3D! ( artificial showing NO shortness, but extras ) - 4C or 4D now are cuebids , NOT a natural 4+ minor suit With the double-fit auction, I would use 6 Ace-RKC . If Opener cannot support your 2/1 suit, no matter... agree the Major and commence with the "Serious/Non-serious" and cuebids and LTTC ( Last Train... ) if needed.

1C - 1S 2C - 2D! = artificial force, asks for 4 cards ♥ as a 1st priority ( Edit: ... just as in NMF ) .

He is a quote from an expert from a few years ago regarding her method when ♣ and ♦ have been bid: " Negative doubles at all levels guarantee Spades and say nada about Hearts. " In other words for the given hand, if she had as few as 4 cards ♥ and fewer ♠ she would bid 2H. If she had 4-4 or 4 cards ♠ and fewer ♥ she would make the Neg-DBL.

Well, I got the hands reversed in post # 7 ) . It should be: Overcaller: Qx Axxx AKxxx Jx Advancer: AKx KTxx Qxxxx x ( 1C ) - 1D - ( p ) - 3C! ( stop-ask for 3NT ) ( p ) - 3D - passout Overcaller didn't have a T/O DBL-- hence, the 1D overcall-- but Advancer thought 5 cards ♥ was needed for a 1H advance. The ♥-fit was missed ... 4H made 11 tricks . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I asked a national champion about Advancer making a 1H bid. He said: " "Shows 5 but you can have 4 in a pinch, just like a direct overcall."

I would think the "meta rule" would be that "cheapest new suit" would be forcing ( 2D! ) and could be artificial. Thus, 2H here would be natural and not forcing: Ergo: 1C - 1S 2C - 2D! 2S - 3C = GF and removes interest in ♠ whereas: 1C - 1S 2C - 2H ( non-forcing, showing 5s/4h ) 2S - 3C ... I have no idea unless Responder considered 2H = forcing.

The initial question was.

A friend had sent me the problem. These were the actual hands for Overcaller and Advancer. At first glance it seems Overcaller should have made a DBL. Overcaller: AKx KTxx Qxxxx x Advancer: Qx Axxx AKxxx Jx Well, you may think that all ended well, BUT Advancer did NOT make the 1H bid.... thinking 5 cards were needed. Instead a 3C!-stop-ask was made... looking for 3NT: ( 1C ) - 1D - ( p ) - 3C! ( p ) - 3D - passout 4H and 5D made 11 tricks.

1m - 1H 2NT - 3S = GF 4/4 1m - 1H 2NT - 3om! = GF checkback, showing 5 cards ♥, may have 4 cards ♠ 1m - 1S 2NT - 3H = GF 5/5 1m - 1S 2NT - 3om! = GF checkback, showing 5 cards ♠, may have 4 cards ♥ 1m - 1M 2NT - 3M = GF, showing 6+ cards M

From my post # 10 : 1NT - 2NT! 3D! ( 4 4 1 4 ) - 4C 4D! ( kickback-RKC for ♣ ) - 4S ( 2nd step = 1/4 keys ) ?? .. Now 5NT here could be "choice of slams" ( 6C or 6NT ) couldn't it ?

Edit the EDIT: See post # 11 ( NOT post # 7 ) for actual hands and bids . ( 1C ) - 1D - ( p ) - 1H = could be 4 or must be at least 5 cards ?

Playing 2/1 GF : 1S - 1NTF 2C ( as few as 3 cards ) - 3NT ( you have at least 6 tricks in ♣, maybe 7; just need a few tricks from partner )

This hand can be shown with a systemic bid if you DON'T play 4 suit transfers , but MSS instead as in jillybean's recent thread ( http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/52192-minor-suit-stayman/page__p__625628__hl__jillybean__fromsearch__1#entry625628 ) That means you can use the following for this hand: 1NT - 2NT! = either a ♣ bust or GF 4 4 4 (1 somewhere ) shortness could be a void 3C! ( forced ) - ?? ..................... pass = weak, long Cl ..................... 3D! = 4 4 1 4 or 4 4 0 5 ..................... 3H! = 4 1 4 4 or 4 0 (4 5 or 5 4) ..................... 3S! = 1 4 4 4 or 0 4 (4 5 or 5 4) ..................... 3NT! = 4 4 4 1 or 4 4 5 0 ..................... 4C! = " " only stronger than 3NT! So for this hand, Responder rebids 3D! = GF 4 4 1 4 or 4 4 0 5 Opener will show his fit [ 4+ cds ]( but we know from your post he doesn't have a 4 card Major ), so he will either bid 3NT ( no fit for ♣ ) or 4C ( ♣ fit ) . If it is 4C, Responder next bids 4D! ( kickback-RKC for ♣ ). If it is 3NT , Responder bids 4NT ( Quant ) or if you feel confident with a minimum of 32 combined hcp, just bid 6NT.

2H! ( minimum ) - 2S! ( asks ) 2NT! ( no 4s ) - 3D ( natural ) ?? .. Now Opener can either show extra Ht length ( 3H ) or 4+ card Diam support ( 3D ). With that stellar Ht suit, one might go with 3H, but the Ht suit will be good for discards with Diam as trump: 4D

My special system for 1H openers and a 2/1 GF response ( and contains an "idiotic" 2S!-ask ): 1H - 2C! 2H! ( minimum opener, may have 4 cards ♠ ) - 2S! ( asks ) ?? ... 2NT = no 4s ... 3C = 4 5 3 1 ... 3D = 4 5 1 3 ... 3H = 4 6+, ergo not many cards in the minors ... 3S = 4 5 2 2 After: 3H - 3NT