TWO4BRIDGE

You did reach a very good contract... and probably a cake-walk with decent splits. I previously tackled the difficult problem of Responder showing a Major/minor 2-suiter, slammish for 2NT openings.... http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/42643-5m5m-over-pards-2nt-open/page__gopid__507892#entry507892 .... I tackled it, but probably have not solved it... but it is based on a 6 Ace-RKC "showing" principle. Applying it here, Advancer reveals the 2-suiter: transfer to the major and then bids the minor. Partner ( the 2NT overcaller ) then "shows" the number of key cards in the 2 suits by a series of "next step bids" and the final decision is based on the total number of keycards with a "pass or correct" at the end -- either below slam or in slam. The disadvantage here for the hand in question, is if you are off ONE key card, you could be off 2 quick losers in Diams. But I would probably hope that the missing Ace was the Spade ( the weak-2S Opener holding it ). In principle Responder ( Advancer here ) lays out that he has M/m two-suiter -- at least a 5/5 -- by transfering first ( 3D!/3H! )to the major and then bidding the minor ( 4C/4D ) -- thus announcing a slammish hand as the good reason to go beyond 3NT . At that point, Opener ( the 2NT Overcaller here ) "shows" key cards ( 6 Ace-RKC ) for the 2 suits in question . Advancer then makes a decision based on total keycards ( and Q's ) whether slam is on the horizon or not. Advancer can sign-off by bidding 4M or 5m for "pass-or correct " -- depending on the available space. Or Advancer can bid slam: 6m for pass or correct to 6M. For this hand, Advancer finds all 6 keycards and then makes a Q-ask to find 1 Q . He then bids 6C for pass or correct to 6H.

What is South's 13th card ? Edit: I assume it is a Sp.... so bid 7S .

This may be the "kiss of death"... but I like it. It is the only "artificial reverse" auction needed because of a 1C open. The 1D/1H/1S openers have jump-shift rebids available ( and " may be artificial" ) to make a game force. Anthrax may not find your system easy, but it isn't that difficult.

Here's a Bidding Practice Dealer by Richard Pavlicek : http://www.rpbridge.net/xbp3.htm

2H with a 4 card Ht suit ( 2D did not deny a 4 card Ht suit ... also 2D does not guarantee 5 cards, although in all probabilty it is at least 5 cards ) . 3D with 5 2 4 2 4C! splinter with 5 3 4 1

Opening lead was a Ht... to start tapping my trumps. If Sp don't split, South loses control.... and they take a bunch of Ht tricks.

A similar problem ( same 1H - 1S, 3C - ?? ) came up recently at rec.games.bridge where Responder held: K J 10 9 x x Q J 9 x A 10 x All of the answers there were also divided between 3D and 3NT . I've struggled with a system ( largely unsuccessful for this auction ) to create "more rebids" for Responder ( at the expense of using 3D! as natural ) .... by using 3D! as a relay to 3H! That way you can have 2-ways ( direct and after-relay ) to bid 3S, 3NT, 4C, 4D, 4H, 4S, and 4NT .... and the direct 3H rebid is also still available . And thus, you have more ways to describe Responder's holding at a lower level in this GF situation .

I recommend using the method by Max Hardy ( author of 2/1 GF ) who had studied the 1D - 2C! ( GF ) sequence. It is simple and logical and removes much of the guesswork or re-inventing. After Responder's 2C!, Opener's first obligation is to rebid 2D with 5+ card suit. [ Edit: After 2D, the entire 2-level is still available to find a 4-4 Major fit. With less than 5 cards Diam , Opener rebids 2M with a 4 card Major or 2NT w/o one ... or 3C w/4+ support ] . East West 1D - 2C! 2D - 3Hjump ( splinter, agreeing Diam, and denies 4 cards Spades ) 4D! ( Minorwood ) - 5C ( 4th step = 2 + dQ ) 6D - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I just noticed something. The last time I mentioned SPLINTER in the B/I, I got FOUR "demerits" ( down votes ). I don't know if that is a record... I wonder if will be broken here .

The 'Reverse' definitely shows longer Clubs. A 'double' would not do that.... although it would show Diam as well as Sp.

Eventho 10 tricks made in Sp ( Opps never led trumps ), 5C is the place to be. Other tables w/o interference easily got to 5C. [hv=pc=n&s=saq74hdaq87caq952&w=st32hkqt65dkj5c74&n=skj9h9872dt6ckt86&e=s865haj43d9432cj3&d=s&v=b&b=7&a=1c1hp2h2sppp]399|300|2/1 context, MP scoring[/hv]

I'm with Ken on North taking control with the keycard-ask ( my choice is 4S!-kickback for Hts ), but my auction would start like Jilly's--a 2NT rebid by Opener showing 12-14 or 18,19 ( and with the latter will bid 4NT over 3NT ) . After finding South with the remaining key cards ( 4NT = 0/3 ), you don't have to bid 5S! as your K-ask. You can use the "2nd step", 5D!, ( 1st step = 5C would be hQ-ask ) which conserves even more space. That way when the club K is shown with a 6C reply, it denies both the sK and dK. This way Ken's 6D! next, as a "last train grand slam try", is more specific. It must be asking for 3rd Rnd Ctrl(s). South is willing to accept with two pointy Q's . 1S - 2H! 2NT - 3H 4C - 4S! 4NT - 5D! 6C - 6D 7H - ?? North leaves it in 7H just in case South's 3rd Rnd ♦- Ctrl is a worthless doubleton .

I'm sorry, but the Bridge World's written definition couldn't be more ambiguous. Look at ANY reference examples and you see that an OPENER ( as in OP's post here ) NEVER makes a Responsive DBL. You forgot to give BW's example: " one spade--double--two spades--double " = Responsive ( as per the Responsive DBL Convention ) . As for my Quote, it is from Pamela and Matthew Granovetter's booklet -- Conventions at a Glance . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Another common "sematic error " is calling Overcaller's T/O DBL a Neg-DBL . Admittedly, a T/O DBL does have a "negative connotation" toward the opponent's suit, but is NOT a Negative DBL ( as per the Neg-DBL Convention ).

I hate to be a "nitpicker" but the last DBL in the following auction is NOT a Responsive DBL : (P) 1♠ (2♣) X (3♣) X = DSID ( "do something inteligent partner " ...as per Stephen Tu ) . " A Responsive DBL is similar to a Negative DBL only the Opponents have BEGUN the auction. " Here, WE have begun the auction. Neg-DBLs are ONLY made by Responders. Responsive DBLs are ONLY made by Advancers.

Agree ... classic treatment.

#2)..... 4H after that GF splinter.

1S - Jac2NT ( modified for opener to show minimum, extras, balanced, shortness ) 3H!( ♣-shortness w/"extras" ) - 4C! ( ♣Ace ) 4D ( mixed cue ) - 4H ( mixed cue ) 5NT ( GSF; thinking the ♥-cue was the K ) - 6S ( only have 1 of 3 top honors )

I guess we'll never see Opener's hand on this deal.... like so many threads here.

Let's look at Responder's hand again. Responder surmises that slam looks good even if Opener is a MINIMUM but HAS "shortness" ( most likely in a black suit ).... because "shortness opposite other shortness" yields lots of tricks with a good fit. However, if he has NO shortness and a MINIMUM, you need to know about controls ( especially in clubs ). If you use Jac2NT or 2S! ( Jacoby for Hts ) , you don't want to hear the "dreaded" 4H reply with no shortness and a minimum. You need to use a "modified Jacoby" where the minimum reply w/o shortness is NOT 4H.... but a lower bid on the 3-level . That way you can find out via low-level cuebids if Opener has the ♣K or not. If opener shows NO shortness but has the ♣K AND at least 2 key cards, then slam is a good bet. If he has THREE key cards AND the ♣K, bid the grand !

I think Jilly meant: "... and after NOT starting with a 4 card HEART raise..."

Folks ( including me ) have mentioned 2NT! as Jacoby . What if 2S! is used as "Jacoby" ( and says nothing about Spades )? What are the follow-ups ? I saw one method [ by FromageGB in my thread from last December --- http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/43335-anything-is-better-than-jac2nt/page__st__20 ) starting as follows: 1H - 2S! ?? .. 2NT! = I have no shortage, do you ? ( I thought this was interesting ) . .. 3C! = ♣ shortage .. 3D! = ♦ shortage .. 3H! = ♠ shortage

Good point.

Does anyone recall this hand from November of last year: Partner opens 1H and you hold: A K J 10 8 A 10 5 2 6 J 9 2 Look familiar? The thread title was: Splinter or Jacoby 2NT? Pick your poison ... by masse24 http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/42898-splinter-or-jacoby-2nt/ The 1H - 2Sjump was also discussed. ArtK78 quoted from a Steve Robinson article ( listed by peachy ): "When you use Jacoby 2NT, you want to become the captain. When you splinter you want opener to become the captain. In other words, you Jacoby 2NT when you want to learn about openers hand. You splinter when you want opener to learn about your hand." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Edit: Unfortunately, like so many of these threads, the OP never did post the parent hand to see what would have worked best .

The reason given for 4M! = minors is that it "frees up" 4NT for Blackwood. However, some experts prefer the reverse : 4M! = Blackwood and 4NT! = minors . The reasoning is that in the Blackwood case, if they are off TWO Aces, they can stop in 5-minor. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Do you really need TWO bids to show the minors ?

If you don't play 2S as a SJS w/4 card support, then the only way is some form of Jac2NT -- eventho you don't like to use it with shortness in your own hand. [ We've already discredited a splinter here ] . The odds are Opener has length in Diam ( not Cl )... something like the following which has very good play for 13 tricks: x A K x x x A K x x x x x 1H - 2NT! 4D! ( 2nd "good" 5 card suit ) - 4NT ( 03 14 .. ) 5C - 5NT ( specific K-ask ) 6D - 7H And a minimum Opener has good play for 12 tricks: x A K x x x A x x x x x x 1H - 2NT! 3S! ( shortness ) - 4NT 5C - 5NT 6H ( no outside K ) - pass However, the following minimum Opener has no play for 12 with a Cl lead: x A K x x x K Q x x x x x ..but I don't know how to "slowly" explore after: 1H - 1S 2D - 3C! ?? ( and Opener still doesn't know of Responder's Ht support ). I also don't know what Meckwell would do with their "pet" sequence after 2D : 1H - 1S 2D - 2S! ( artificial GF ) ??

Agree... this hand is much too strong for a splinter ( as much as I luv splinters ).