TWO4BRIDGE

I like your improvements...( the 4 vs 5+ card ♣ support ) . If 3C* = "may be artificial", I too use 3D! as an "asking" relay ( only if interest in ♣ and no interest in the Major). 1M - 1NTF! 3C* - 3D! ?? ..3M! = long M suit; ♣ was artificial ..3oM = ♣ suit is real If Opener's ♣ suit is real, your 4C = 4 cards or 4D! and higher "shows" key cards w/ 5+ card ♣ support.

We get yet another SJS post ( see my first signature post below ) . I'd be in the ♣ slam too. Upon seeing dummy, I'm not sure if I can play it as well as Gibson. My auction would be a little different than Zel's ( I have Responder "show" rather than " be asked " w / ♣ support and no interest in ♠ : 1S - 1NTF! 3C - ?? ......... The following 4 bids show ♠ support or not ... and NO interest in ♣: ......... 3D ......... 3H ......... 3S ......... 3NT ......... 4S ......... The next 4 bids would "show" RKC for ♣ w/ 4+support : ......... 4C! = 0 ......... 4D! = 1 ......... 4H! = 2 - ♣ Q .........4NT! = 2 + ♣ Q 6C ( after 1 key card is "shown" )

Since the K was led, partner should have shown Count on that 1st lead. Next is the time to show Suit Preference .

Upon Declarer's lead of the ♣J , the outstanding ♣ were 10 7 4 and partner played the 7 . ( Why? ) If it is showing Count -- a doubleton here -- how are we going to set if partner does not have the ♠J or the ♥K ? Maybe gnasher's eventual lead of the 2nd ♣ might work ( after ♠Q and NO suit preference for ♥ . .....If Declarer had a 2nd ♣, he will win and have to lead a 3rd hoping to set up 2 needed discards for ♥. ..... If partner's singleton ♦ is the EIGHT, his ruff will effect an uppercut.... giving you the 4th trick: one trick in each suit.

ditto to Aquaman.... Classic exposing of the psyche: 1H - X - 1S - ?? .................... X = 4 cards ♠ ....................2S = 5+ cards ♠

6413 = 14 ( I never open with that shape either ).

Good point. I had not thought about it before. 1D - 1H 2S! - 3H = good 6 or 7 card ♥ suit; denies interest in ♠ or ♦ .

What do you play over 2NT! ( ask ) by Responder ? 2D! - 2NT! ("ask" ) .. 3C! = Max weak-2 in a major; 3D!= relay, bid the major you don't have . .. 3D! = Min weak-2 in ♥ ( transfer ) .. 3H! = Min weak-2 in ♠ ( transfer ) .. 3S! = A K Q .. solid ♥ ..3NT! = A K Q .. solid ♠ The question is whether Responder is strong enough to "ask" and then go to game if a Max in ♠. However, with a max in ♥, I think I would rather not be in game. But the above structure won't allow a sign-off in 3H when Opener shows a max in ♥ ( with a 3S! bid ) .

We haven't seen it in awhile, but this is another hand for a "GGG" = Gnasher's Gameforce Gadget ( eventho he doesn't take credit for its origin. ) .... 2S!-jump over a 1H Response to show a variety of GF hands: 1D - 1H 2S! - 2NT! = ask for clarification ?? .. 3C! = ( other minor ) 2S was real = 4 cards ♠, GF .. 3D! = long ♦ suit; NO 4 cards ♠ , GF .. 3H! = 3 cards ♥, 5+♦, NO 4 cards ♠ , GF After: 3D! - 3H = extra length 3NT - ?? I bet Responder would pass instead of bidding 4D Soooo, not a good result either... since you said 3NT goes down. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Edit: Auction still ends up in NT even with interference: 1D - ( p ) - 1H 2S! -( 3C ) - 3H 3NT

2♦is an underbid not knowing what kind of T/O DBL partner made ?? Jumping to the grand ?? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I might reach 6C starting with Michaels : ( 1S ) - ...... 2S! ( Hts/minor ) - 2NT! ( asking for minor ) 3H ( forcing, showing a strong 2-suiter ) - 4NT! ( 5/5 in the minors ) 6C

Actually, you-know-who was the best upvoter.

4H

I think 4♦ would be a Ctrl cue and deny a ♣-Ctrl . The ♣ Ace as the missing key card could easily result in down 1 . What would 3NT mean after 3♠ ? If it means commence with cuebids, then a 4C cue by Opener would allow you to proceed with confidence.

I'd go 4H

I've seen the 3C! = splinter before by posters a few years ago . You have to admit it is priceless on this hand ..... specifically descriptive yet staying BELOW 3NT !

I don't know where you got your info, but 5-of-trump NEVER asks for 7 . Here ( wrongly bid ), it asks for 6H w/2 of the top 3 trump honors .... otherwise pass 5H. [ BTW, I agree with your 3S Ctrl cue ] .

Using Zelandakh's Splinter Structure from a relatively recent thread: http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/50210-splinter-jacoby-2nt-or-what/page__p__599917#entry599917 South North 1H - 2S! jump 2NT!(asks) - 3H! ( mini-splinter w/♠ shortage; no void ) [ You have to admit this is a better use for the 3H bid by North ] 3S ( ♠-Ctrl, obviously the Ace ) - 4C ( Ctrl cue ) 4S! ( kickback-RKC for ♥ ) - 5C ( 2nd step = 1 / 4 ) 5D ( next step = ♥Q-ask ) - 6C ( ♥Q + ♣K ) 6H The only concern is that North's 4C cue showed the ♣-King and the lone key card was the ♥-Ace ( Club lead thru North ). [ Side Issue : How did you go down 1 in 5H ?? ... 12 tricks looks cold ] .

I think your reasoning and your 2♣ bid were fine. But, I would have expected partner to have had at least 4-4 in the minors for his balancing DBL ( surely it wasn't for penalty as a passed hand ) .

The 1H bidder ( Opener ) cannot DBL partner's 1S response .

W ... N ... E ... S (2H) - X - (4H) - 5H! ( p ) - 6S - all pass

I ... 2nd the nomination for Zelandakh .

It looks like North could have made it easier on South. I learned on these forums that over a 4S preempt: - - DBL = 3 suited T/O - - 4NT! = 2 suited ( normally at least a 5-5 ) Phillip Alder ( newspaper Bridge columnist ) says of the 4NT! 2 -suited overcall: " Just hope that you find your best fit at the correct level. " Here either DBL or 4NT! would have worked.... but the DBL would be better. Then South would not have to worry about enough ♥ in the North hand if 4NT! were the call. South has to be the one to bid 6H.

Agreed.... you don't necessarily want to initially go past 3NT. That is why Max Hardy says over an Inverted-2D raise that Opener's 3H-jump, 3S-jump, and the 3C-non-jump are all SPLINTERS. If you feel you have a hand that definitely should be played in ♦, then the 4C-jump would definitely show your VOID. With J-4th in ♠, I would choose the 3C ( shortness ) rebid . .... Partner may then have an opportunity to choose 3NT or make a cuebid ( obvious a Sp-Ctrl, since you have both ♥-Ctrls ) . Over his 3S cuebid, you then can rebid 4C to show your void.

1S - 1NT! 2H - 4m When opener has limited his hand with the Majors after a 1NT!( forcing ) response, it makes no sense ( to me at least ) to be playing in a minor at the 4-level. Just how good can that minor suit be with little or no support from Opener ? By prior agreement 4m! ( 4C or 4D ) makes more sense as either: --- a) a Splinter for ♥ or --- b ) a FSJ ( fit-showing-jump )... as Justin suggested. Since many ONLY play FSJ in competition OR as a passed hand, that leaves splinter. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1S - 1NT! 2H - 3m = weak or invitational by prior agreement If playing Bergen , then you don't have the 1S - 3m as a natural option. So, in the above 3m rebid sequence after 1NT!, I would define it as " to play " .

Just playing with an idea here..... not advocating it: 1S - 2C! ( GF ) 2D - 2H! ( 4 or 5h ) 2S! ( asks) - ?? ..................... 2NT = 4h/5+c ..................... 3C = 5h/5c ..................... 3H = 5h/6c