TWO4BRIDGE

Phil and Zel touched on the Stayman Structure for a GF, slammish Responder: 1NT - 2C 2S - ?? 3H! = fit, shortness somewhere; next step (3S!) asks 4D! = fit, no shortness, artificial slamtry 4C! = fit, RKC Gerber for Sp 3C/3D = no fit, longer minor suit 4NT = no fit, quantitative

The 5-level belongs to Nigel.

To bad he doesn't know how to play Leaping Michaels properly and he wouldn't be accused of cheating. 4D! = Hts + Diam, big hand; whereas 3S! = asks for a Sp-stop for 3NT. Then again, this isn't your classic 2-suiter. Maybe he was asking for a stop. Then again, maybe 5D was a misclick and he meant to bid 5H. Then again, maybe he heard of the Spingold Coup.

Here's one jump reply by Opener which I found interesting on an old message board, but I've yet to use ( by agreement): 1m - 1S 1NT - 2om! ( NMF) 3H jump = 3s/4h, max

Well said, Kenberg. I play the same way. NMF in and of itself is NOT GF; it is what follows that can establish a GF. Opener bids 1-minor Responder has an inverted minor raise ( GF ) BUT also a 4 card Major. He first bids his major : 1C - 1S 1NT - 2D!( NMF ) 2S - 3C ( cancels interest in the major suit; is a GF+ minor raise instead ) _________________ 2S = 3 cards Sp - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - If Responder had invitational values he would have bid a 3C-jump over 1NT: 1C - 1S 1NT - 3C - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - In general: >> Responder starts all game forcing auctions with NMF. >> The jumps are all invitational ( or weak if you agree to that ). ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ps. for Kenberg: How important is it for Opener ( 12-14 hcp ) to show a MAX ( 14 ) with a "jump" ? It sure makes it more difficult for Responder to to show his real intent: 1C - 1S 1NT - 2D! 3S ( 3 cards w/max) - 4C ( cancels interest in the major suit; is a GF+ minor raise instead ) It sure interferes with the ability to use Minorwood ( or Kickback ) if you need a few cuebids first. In other words, I would rather confine Opener's NMF replies to the 2-level.

Of course you don't need the daily newspaper to read your favorite bridge column. I think all of the authors have a website where they may be found. Frank Stewart's is: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:rcuCFPlHYSAJ:www.baronbarclay.com/stewart.html+frank+stewart+bridge&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Last year, a Dallas, TX newspaper decided to drop the daily Bridge Column. I dropped my subscription and told the "mental midgets" in charge why I did so. Apparently, other bridge enthusiasts voiced their concern also, and the column returned.

I also, would like to know what the other 3-level bids mean in your system? Normally, when Responder has a 4-4 in the majors it would be shown by a 3S rebid instead of 3C! checkback: 1m - 1H 2NT - 3S = 4/4 whereas the checkback is commonly used here to show a 4s/5h or just 5h, both GF. Anyway, 4C! here does not exist in my system either for Opener . But, gnasher's explanation makes the only sense -- a strong 4s/3h holding -- especially if Opener thought partner had 4s/5h .

oops... looks like mine is not 100%, but I think Phil's is .

Assuming 3NT. Win hK.... lead s9: If it holds, then lead low Diam If East wins and shifts to the cQ, then cover. If East wins and shifts to a low Cl, then duck. In either case, opps can't run 4 Cl tricks.

6d, 4h, 2 black Aces = 12

1D - ( 2H ) - DBL - ( p ) 3D - ( p ) - 3H! - ( p ) 3NT - ( p ) - 6NT Responder's "only forcing bid after a Neg-DBL is a cue bid " ... He really wasn't expecting a 3NT call by partner, since it should show the ♥K. Then what the heck was that weak 2H overcall with NOT one of the top 4 honors -- "an overcall on the smell of an oily rag ". Even if partner's Diam aren't solid, hopefully they are headed by the AK10.... or AQ10 etc... and hopefully you can pick up the suit.

.

I agree with Siggy.... 3D

I too, would be interested in the "transfer bids" link ( from gordontd ) . And again, here is the priceless comment, concerning these types of auctions, by Justin ( J Lall, aka Phantomsac, J-Logic ) : "imo by far in bridge the least understood concept is how to bid over a jump-shift."

If you play Leb3 ( Lebensohl over partner's reverse ), then 2NT! is the start of a sign-off... and ostensibly relays to 3C for pass or correct. Since you have enough for game w/stops in the unbid and no real support for partner's major, except for a Moysian in spades, you could just go to 3NT. However, any bid other than 2NT! is forcing, so you may want to just bid 3C and see what develops. With extra Ht length, you may want to be in 4H. If he bids Sp again, showing the rare 5s/6h, you may want to be in a Sp slam.

After 1H - 1S, Opener needs to make a SJS rebid to show a GF hand with 18,19+ and ostensibly a 2nd suit. Mike and Andy chose 3D and 3C jumps respectively where they had 3 cards in the 2nd suit. I haven't really extensively tested the system yet, but I would use 3C! in both cases and "may be artificial". Next, I would have a relay option for Responder: 1H - 1S 3C! - 3D! = next step, relay to 3H! If Opener accepts the relay ( to 3H! ), he has at least 4 cards Cl. If he rejects the relay by skipping a step to 3S!, he denies a Cl suit and shows the long ( 6+ card ) Ht hand instead.

Ken makes a good point about doubling for penalties. Here is another scenario ( the penalty part from a national champion ) : 1H - ( p ) - 2NT! - ( 3S ) ?? a ) PASS = shows at least 3 cards in opponent's suit (usually you don't have shortness elsewhere but you might decide to trap anyway). Responder DBLs with 2 cards... and Opener passes for penalties ( Opps' have at most an 8 card fit ). b ) DBL* = NO 3 cards in opp's suit, but I have shortness somewhere; 3NT! asks: 4C! = Cl shortness 4D! = Diam shortness 4H! = Sp shortness c ) All other direct bids have the same meanings: 3NT = extras, no shortness 4C/4D = 2nd 5 card suit 4H = minimum, no shortness _______________________________________________________________________________ * If the interference were in a LOWER suit than ♠, you could make the 3-level new suit bid ( if available ) to show shortness OR DBL = stole-my-shortness-bid or my shortness is in a lower suit: 1H - (p ) - 2NT! - ( 3D ) ?? ..3H = strong hand, no shortness ..3S! = Sp shortness ..DBL! = Diam or Cl shortness; 3H! ( next step asks ? ): 3S! = Cl shortness 3NT! = Diam shortness

I've been told it is important to still try to show your hand, especially with shortness. The 3♠ interference really takes up the bidding space, so you create a way to expand the bidding room ( ie. create 2 ways to bid 3NT, 4C, and 4D : a ) PASS = I have shortness; DBL by Responder asks where: -3N ( 1st step) shows Sp shortness -4C shows Cl shortness -4D shows Diam shortness b ) DBL = strong (16+) balanced hand = normal 3H rebid ( no shortness ) c) direct 4C/4D( = 2nd 5 card suit ), 3NT, 4H .... same as w/o interference

I'm going to work backwards on the blame: 5C .... No 4NT because Responder was worried about a Diam Ctrl. ....... But then why not a 4S cue ? 4H .... Why not a courtesy 4D cue ? With either one of these actions, 4NT could have been bid to find out about the missing 2 key cards. Then again, on a good day North would hold the trump Ace and the finesse would be ON !

Thx Phil, I should have figured it out: -- If no 3s, and no 4h, and no 5 card minor for a 2/1 GF response, then partner should have a 4-4 in the minors. I wonder if partner would work out the thinking process also and start advance cue bidding over 4C: 1S - 3NT 4C - 4D 4H - 4S 6C

5H = dQ + hQ ?( ? I would not bid this since there really were not any Ht Ctrl bids showing the hK ) Instead: 5S = dQ + sQ, denying hK - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - At any rateyou do have enough room after 5H: 5♥ - 5♠ ( 2nd K-ask ) 5NT! - 6♣ ( 3rd K-ask which would also include the cQ -- of the 2/1 suit ) ( Responder won't make this bid with at least A K or A Q etc of Cl ) ?? .. 6♦ = No cK or cQ .. 6NT = cK or cQ ( NT shows asked-for feature ) After 6NT, Responder can count at least 13 tricks for 7NT

With no 2 quick losers in the side suits, Responder is ready to go RKC after a 2D rebid by Opener. What better way than with Minorwood in a GF auction: 1D - 2C! ( GF ) 2D - 4D! ( Minorwood ) 4S! - 5C! ( dQ-ask as 4NT would be "to play" ) 5S! - 5NT! ( 2nd K-ask , which would include cQ of the 2/1 suit ) 6C! - 7NT ( counting on at least 6d, 3s, 1h, 3c ) where: 4S! = 2nd step, 1 or 4 5S! = dQ + sK, denying hK 6C! = cK or cQ

East made a picture bid of 3NT ( 13-15 ) with little or no Sp support after a 1S open.... passed out. 13 tricks are there at Cl or NT. Should West have made a move over 3NT ? How would you bid it instead ? If you didn't reach slam you lost ~ 5 IMPs. Small slam making +1 was worth ~ 7 IMPs. No one reached the grand. [hv=pc=n&w=sakj62hkq32dck865&e=sq9ha54dkt52caqt7]266|100|West Deals and opens 1S[/hv]