shevek

Assuming this is some 2-suiter, how is it best played? Can play it as any 2-suiter, with 5m responses pass/correct. One problem with that is missing a 5-5 heart fit when responder has, say ♠xxx ♥xxxxx ♦xx ♣xxx This looks like a 5♣ response but you'll feel silly if partner has hearts & clubs. Another thought is 4NT as diamonds & another, so initially minors correcting with reds. Again that risks missing a big heart fit when responder prefers diamonds to clubs. Partly to avoid this, my partner reckons 4NT should be hearts & another. That gives up on both minors but you should be able to find your best fit otherwise. Have people heard of this? Does anyone play it? He also reckons a sequence like (1♠) 2♣ (2♠) no (no) 2NT should 4♥s & 6♣s, not 4-6 minors as commonly played.

Andy, I realise that Stayman then 3x is now played as forcing. However, if you play 4-way transfers, how are these Stayman sequences better than transferring then bidding your major? That's what I have always done with the gain of super-accepts plus avoiding interference over 2♣. I guess that some use a minor transfer then 3M as a shortage. Is there any other reason to prefer the Stayman route on 4M/5m GF hands?

How do your methods handle these hands? 1) ♠Axxx ♥x ♦xx ♣QTxxxx You decide you want to play in 3♣ or 4♠. Can you cover both bases? 2) ♠x ♥KJxxx ♦xxxx ♣Axx You decide this hand is worth an invite. Seem to be 4 choices: Transfer then 2NT Transfer then 3♥ Stayman then 2NT over 2♠ Stayman then 3♥ over 2♠. What is that? What if partner bids 2♦ over 2♣? What is the status of 2♥ & 3♥?

Yet again I forgot to open 1NT and we were -500 in 4♥x. Partner had the expected ♠xx ♥AKJ9x ♦Jxx ♣Axx At least we right-side if I open 1NT (Rubensohl if required) and are less likely to get doubled. Will we ever learn?

No. I give in and suggest that we play a method that allows us to open these hands. As this would involve a move to the Antipodes, partner presumably says no.

I see this a lot. Something is wrong when both partners look at the vul and form of scoring. There should be a "push seat" with the other bidding straight up and down. The problems occur because partnerships are never sure who is supposed to be pushing. Yopu know the sort of thing, 1NT - 2NT - 3NT that turns out to be a "good" 15 opposite a "good" 7, with both citing "vulnerable at IMPs" It would be good to have guidelines, which suggests a poll. Who do you think is in the push seat in this auction?

I guess most play 4NT for minors but Kaplan for one thought it should be natural, say 23-26 or equivalent. Most would bid 3NT with a flat 25 count, to see partner shrug and pass with a 10-count. Why should you miss your 33 pt 6NT just because someone preempts? I like 4♥ as minors, not Michaels. With a Micahels hand, you can bid 3♠ or double or - ideally - play 4♣/♦ as Michaels. The other big advantage for 4♥ as minors is catching partner with 6 or 7 spades. Having said all that, I would prefer double if partner will take 5♣ over 4♠ to show this, rather than a good 1-suiter. However, the 1-suiter is more common and the normal interpretation I think, meaning "I was hoping you'd bid 3NT"

I guess pass is right but it's easy enough to construct hands for partner where you make game ♠AQ72 K7 ♦9 ♣KQJ975 Or would you have have doubled with that? If 4th hand is going to act, 2♥ in the English style has merit, played primarily as the equivalent of a takeout double, not as a good club raise. Of course a likely outcome is 2♥ - (no) - 3♣ - (X)

Marston used 2-under transfers, which have real merit. They cater for unbalanced invitational hands, those that want to play 2M in the 5-2 fit but have game interest in the 5-3. 2♥ as GF relay is adequate, a bit cramped. As for the rest, normal is 2♠ range probe and 2NT minors (could be 4-4 since opener has one) 3♣ & 3♦ to play. We use a more orthodox version with normal transfers and 2♣ GFR opposite our 12-15. This is our relay structure: 1N 2♣ 2♦ 5♦s 2♥ 5♣s 2♠ 2-3-4-4 2N 3-2-4-4 3♣ 3-3-4-3 3♦ 3-3-3-4 "diamonds, clubs, both-high, both-low, square diamonds, square clubs" 2♦ 2♥ 2♠ 2-3-5-3 2N 3-2-5-3 3♣ 3-3-5-2 3♦ 2-2-5-4 Double for penalties

We might also belong in 4♦ or 4♣. Are you saying that you will be driving to game if opener bids 4m over your double? Won't opener very often have a balanced 12-14? No, would have opened 1NT. Isn't that part of the reason we agreed to play weak notrump? That is, to give responder more confidence in these auctions, knowing that 1x = a good suit or a good hand.

This is a good method & as is played just as you present by a number of strong Australian pairs.

Yes, spade finesse looks at least 50%. May as well look at the other line if - for some reason - you think West is unlikely to have led from ♠K. Win ♠A, cash ♦AK and lead ♠Q. If they are 3-3, you still need 2-2 trumps (40%) so not great. East with ♠K975 is okay too, since you can ruff one high. If you think spades are 3-3 (perhaps East played ♠2 at trick 1) you can try pitching a club & ruffing one. Play a club at trick 4. Say they play a trump. Now you can pitch a club on the 3-3 spade break and ruff a club so don't need trumps 3-1, though there might be diamond overruff. If you are averse to hooking at trick one, that seems better than relying on spades alone.

Justin, what makes you think the actual East did not bid 4H? There was no further info on the auction. Still, agree that east being 4-3-4-2 more likely that 4-3-1-5.

If you think that west can never have 7411, then it does not hurt to cash 2 diamonds (west never has 4 right?). Ergo, you should think in terms of west having 7411. If west is 7411 with 4 clubs, cashing 2 diamonds will show you this, and you can squeeze them. If west is 7411 with 4 diamonds, cashing 2 diamonds will give the defense a ruff. So which is the more likely of the 2? Then my West is 1-6-4-2. That is at least plausbile. Don't care what card East played. Who opens 3♥ on x, KQTxxxx, x, xxxx? Unknown vul assumed not to EW!

Intuition is to play hearts, because we are taught to set up suits, club up seems crude. I'll pay out to 4-1 hearts. So ♠K, ♥K-A, ruff, ♠A. When they are 3-1, club up. Wrong time of year to analyse further.

I don't get it. If West is 7-1-1-4, there's no club ruff but I guess you can squeeze West. However, that means running everything and going down to East with a stiff diamond. So I just ruff a club, expecting to make. I figure that 7411s would have opened 4H.

It's either some number of spades or pass. Problem these days is having a studious TNT partner. A sensitive partner will raise one less than "usual" under these conditions. 2♠ is a thought. That worked for my once, though of course I had a red suit to fall back on.

Dis North really bid 5♠? If he passes, South will bid 5♠, if he doubles, South still might.

[hv=d=n&v=n&n=s9875hkq72d73cqt6&w=saq42h3dqt64ck873&e=skt6ht95d82caj942&s=sj3haj864dakj95c5]399|300|Scoring: IMP W N E S — No No 1♥ X 3♥ No 4♥ End[/hv] East felt that 4♣ was stretching too far but West lead a diamond. Your views?

Looks like East thought you had ♠Q and wanted to kill the diamond suit. That could be right if declarer had something like Qx, xxx, x, AKQJxxx Admittedly, declarer may have played low from dummy with that but that's not quite clear. Just another reason for flying ♠K

Here's some rhetoric. Why do some people get better results playing a complex system? Because a certain level of complexity requires a greater commitment from the players. The effort required to learn the method involves bidding boards & longish discussions on the merits of various additions. That has to be worthwhile. There is also the opportunity to discard some dead wood from decades old natural bidding theory. Then, having invested a deal of time and effort, the partnership is likely to stick at it. That's the clicher IMO.

I guess by artificial, you mean stuff like Stayman & transfers, Bergen raises, 4th suit forcing, support doubles. Well, bridge attracts tinkerers and dedicated followers of fashion, so we're in for more of the same.

Think I'd play it in 20 seconds. ♠K, top clubs, diamond finesse. "Alternatives obscure"

A bit dull perhaps? Anyway, has to be ♥A to stop two club ruffs in dummy.

W/Nil, IMPs You are North (1♥) 1♠ (2♥) 2♠ (3♣) no (4♥) end 3♣ was help suit trial. ♠KT976 ♥A8 ♦QT6 973