waldorf1

I hate showing controls (or anything else) with an artificial bid because it sometimes wrong-sides the contract. The very first time I tried controls, my partner opened 2C and I responded an artificial 2S. The final contract? Six spades, played from the wrong side and defeated because of the opening lead. Ever since then, I have played that all responses to 2C are natural (except 2D), but any positive response guarantees at least three controls (A = 2, K = 1). I have never had a problem with this, and I have been playing it for almost forty years. Nowhere do the contributors mention double negatives after 2C-2D; 2X (not 2N). There is divided opinion over how to show a terrible hand as responder. I use the cheapest non-NT rebid as a double negative, which makes opener's next bid non-forcing. Some respond 2H immediately with a double negative, which is OK as long as opener doesn't have hearts (wrong-sided again). Others don't use double negatives at all -- don't ask me h0w they sort it all out. Anyway, the use of double negatives means that you can have an auction that starts 2C-2D; 3D-3H! and get uncomfortably high. Therefore, I require opener's rebid of 3m to guarantee nine tricks in his own hand opposite a Yarborough, which helps a fair amount.

Everybody seems quite optimistic about this hand. Yes, Kx of hearts is a good holding opposite a negative double of spades, but what about the Kxxx of diamonds? Do you expect partner to cover four losers? Even if you can get to dummy to lead a diamond up, that is only ten tricks if the Ace is onside, and it rates to be with the overcaller, behind you. For playing in clubs, I think a free bid of 4C is sufficient to describe this hand. But there is another possibility -- a double. Partner may well have a spade stack and leave it in. A third possibility is 4N, showing both minors, with emphasis on clubs. I'm not sure which of these three choices is the best, but I think that all of them are better than unilaterally deciding that we can make something at the five-level, and then figuring out what it is.

I have found that without either hand holding a five-card (or lonter) suit, it generally takes a combined holding of 34 HCP to bid a slam that is over 50%. The popular requirement of 33 HCP comes from antiquity, because it simply ensures that the partnership is not off two aces. With 33, the slam will almost always require a finesse, and frequently a little extra, too, so you will be in a 45% slam at best. Therefore, I would never consider 6NT on this hand. With four small hearts, I would definitely use (Puppet) Stayman, but finding a 4-4 heart fit doesn't necessarily make slam a good bet, either. First of all, partner's hearts almost certainly need to be AKJx or better, and even then the slam will almost certainly be on the heart finesse AND a 3-2 break, because there will probably be one loser in the side suits. So I would be quite conservative in a heart contract. Maybe the way to go is to look for a 4-4 MINOR suit fit and ignore hearts, by starting with 3S. That seems to me to offer the best chance, as some losing hearts may well be discarded.

I have found that without either hand holding a five-card (or lonter) suit, it generally takes a combined holding of 34 HCP to bid a slam that is over 50%. The popular requirement of 33 HCP comes from antiquity, because it simply ensures that the partnership is not off two aces. With 33, the slam will almost always require a finesse, and frequently a little extra, too, so you will be in a 45% slam at best. Therefore, I would never consider 6NT on this hand. With four small hearts, I would definitely use (Puppet) Stayman, but finding a 4-4 heart fit doesn't necessarily make slam a good bet, either. First of all, partner's hearts almost certainly need to be AKJx or better, and even then the slam will almost certainly be on the heart finesse AND a 3-2 break, because there will probably be one loser in the side suits. So I would be quite conservative in a heart contract. Maybe the way to go is to look for a 4-4 MINOR suit fit and ignore hearts, by starting with 3S. That seems to me to offer the best chance, as some losing hearts may well be discarded.