spotlight7

The normal method is to use 4D* as puppet to 4H and next pass or sign off in any other suit. Some use direct bids of 4H-5C as RKC in the suit bid. One RKC style is to use the 1st step over the RKC bid as 'non slam suitable' and higher bids show keycards.

Transfer to a minor and a 3N rebid suggests slam hopes otherwise just bid 1N-3N

(1C)-2N* is normally played as Ds and Hs. (1D)-2N* is normally played as Cs and Hs. You might want to try Top and Bottom cuebids if you want to show 2 suiters with spades. X and a rebid of 1N shows a hand stronger than a 1N overcall. Normally 19-21 if 1N shows 15+-18

I voted for 2C* 11-15 6+ clubs. If the hand was stronger(and not 7-5 shape), Rigal in his Precision in the 90s book(I think) suggests 1C-1D-2S* as 5-5+ minors. You avoid playing in the wrong minor when game/slam might be possible in the other minor. Being 7-5 shape, I strongly prefer to play in the 7 card suit. Taking a spade ruff at trick one could often lose control of the hand.

1N-3C* I use to show 5-5 majors. You can avoid bad 4M and bid good games with 20+ Opener bids the full value of their hand so responder may pass a 3M bid. With GF values, responder rebids 3N with 5-5M and only raises to 4M with 6+ trump. 1N-3D* I use for Puppet Stayman. 1N-3H* is used for 99% of balanced slam range hands. You tell partner your HCP total 'minus' any jacks. If a fit is found, you should bid slam with 31+ working HCPs. If you are not bidding slam, stopping in 3N is a fair option. 1N-3S* is 5-5+ minors. JLall says to use it with 5-4 hands, however, I have not yet checked it against example hands. Since I show shortness over Stayman, I suspect I can find a minor fit that way. If the 5-4 minor hand is 5422, I would use my 1N-3H* bid and find a fit that way if slam is suitable.

Sabine Auken uses 1D-1H* as natural 5+ or some invitational hand playing her 4M canapé style bidding. It seemed strange at first, however, it works very well.

4 level bids are cues only in certain auctions. After 2C-positive reply, the auction should be forcing to 4N or 5 of a suit. Now opener can raise to 4Hs 'forcing' and still bid 4Cs as a natural suit 'without' a heart fit. Cuebidding 4D* in this auction with Kxx opposite a possible 4 card suit is a bit much. I would prefer 4C-4S since you denied 3Ss already. How did 6N appeal here? Opener appears to have 0-1 Hs and his bidding shows at least 6Ss and 5Cs. You might want to check out 5N* as 'pick a slam.'

Responder bid 2C-2H so game is 100% forced and slam very likely. SAYC cannot use 2C-2D-2M-3C* as a second negative? Most players on BBO open 2C without the normal values.

It started out as Precision, however, not much stayed the same meaning. 1M-1N-3m is 6M and 5m. This makes it much easier for responder to bid now. Bidding 1M-1N-3m with 5-5 gets you to the 3 level fairly often is without a fit. Remember following the LAW is a very good idea. Partner does not have a major fit in most bidding methods unless they have a 3 card limit raise. You are jumping to 3m hoping that responder has a minor fit and game values. Playing 3m or 3M in a 5-2 fit or even a 5-3 minor fit(if partner is weak) is no fun. Good partners invite when they have invitational values after 1M-1N-2m Trust partner to bid their own hand. If really worried about missing game, Gazzilli provide a strong measure of safety.

If opener bid and rebids clubs, that would not virtually 'set' trumps?

1) natural 4C bid, how else do you get to a club contract? 2) splinter raise of Hs. 3Cs would be forcing and natural here. 3) natural 4C bid again.

Plus +1 :)

1) DNE 2) Should not exist 3) Long hearts, hopefully good ones to bid this way. Did I really open 1H with this junk type hand.

You might want to try XX* forces 2C from partner to later pass(with 5+Cs) or bid a 5+ suit next over the forced 2C bid. Playing in the 5 card suit is likely better than most 3-3 contracts. It should play better than most 4-3 fits as well. The 5 trumps will provide entries to the weak hand to take finesses and lead towards honors. You can still use your DONT structure to show 4333 and 4432 types as well as showing a 5 card suit by bidding XX* If you do not wish to give up the XX as penalty, you can use Pass* as 'two meanings.' 1) I will pass the forced XX for penalty when I hold the expected penalty type values. If I am weak with a 5 card suit, I Pass* forcing a XX* and bid a 5 card suit over the XX* Playing against beginner/intermediate players, you will find that some players that doubled you will try to escape from what maybe is a penalty XX. If their nerve fails, you can sometimes escape a poor penalty situatation.

+ ****IMHO you are in minority here. The problem hand does not say or imply a forcing NT*, so most(nearly all?) players would bid 1H-2D with your first example hand in a non 2/1 setting. I strive to balance and a X after a 2D rebid is a good time to compete. I would often X after 1H-1N-2D with 4Ss and 4/5Cs. If they do not compete, check their pulse(they could be dead) If they allow you to play in 2 of a suit, you are often getting a bad trump break. Take your example hand and deal out the rest of the cards. With a non max. D hand, all you have is a raise to 3Ds with a 9/10 card D fit, the other pair can make a spade contract. Perhaps even a spade game. Opposite that 3=1=6=3 second example of yours. They have an 8 card spade fit to AJ10 They also have 9 clubs with KQJ10 plus the AKQ of hearts. Looks like a lot of tricks for the other pair. If you have a weaker version of your 3=1=6=3 hand and you raise to 3Ds, they have a likely 9-10 tricks in spades. Are you still not worried about the other pair bidding when they can make 9-10 tricks in spades?*****

****He showed 9 cards and he does not limit his values while also concealing a 6 card major. If the other pair compete or partner bids now, the 2D bid blocks a rebid of Hs 'if' you follow a style where M-m-M bids show a goodish hand(GF?) If you rebid the major at your second bid, you can bid now bid 3Ds showing your real shape and limited values. I will have shown 10 cards, my 6M and limited values. Bidding 2Ds will still have shown 9 cards and you will still not have shown the 6M.*****

Thanks for writing that rebidding the major was a popular approach. You disagree with that approach, however, many do rebid the major with suitable hands. :)

Feel free to disagree. Perhaps you might want to look up what "virtually" always correct." means. You ignored the fact that the possted hand was 2=6=4=1 and also answered talking about a hand with 5Hs and 4Ds when the hand was 2=6=4=1 Of course different shapes often change the bidding. Answering a question about a 2=6=4=1 hand by using a 5H and 4D example is using flawed logic. I tend to open 1S with hands with 5Ss and I do not open them 1H which you might suggest holding 5Hs.

The post mentioned 2S 6H 4D 1C(2=6=4=1) With 5-4 you should bid the minor, however, with 6Hs rebidding the major is virtually always correct holding non invitational values.

With minimum values rebid the Hs. With extras bid the Ds. 2Ds does not show extras, opener shows extras by bidding a third time if the auction permits. with 5-5 reds, I hope you do not pass 1N ;) If you are worried about showing extras, look up Gazzilli 1H-1N-2C* has various follow ups including weak versions. I like 16+ or a 6 card heart suit version. 1H-1N-2H* shows 5Hs and 4Cs to permit showing that hand.

You do not need to keep the auction open with normal 6-7HCP hands. I like to have 1H-(1S)-1N show 7 with a double stopper or 8-10 with a normal opening bid style. If you open lighter, 1N could be 8-11 here.

1) 18-19HCP, partner passed so game is unlikely. You want to compete for the part score and show 18-19. A pass here shows a 15-17 range in my style. If you were unbalanced, you would bid a suit here. 2) There is no natural 2N bid opposite a passed partner. 3) Partner bid so 2N bids are 17-18. With 15-16 my style is to pass here. With an unbalanced hand, you would bid a suit here.