Nickell Relay

[lilboyman]

In the District Six Bulletin, Vol. 6, # 4, Aug/Sep 2008, Steve Robinson’s Roundtable article discussed the meaning of a 4 Diamond bid by opener after a 3 Spade limit raise of opener’s 1 Spade opening bid. One of the experts, Nick Nickell, commented that there were two types of hands with slam possibilities, a one-suited hand or a two-suited hand. He posited that a new suit at the four level would be asking for support for the new suit and that a one-step relay would be used with one-suited hands. There was no further discussion of follow-on calls after the relay bid. Can any experts enlighten me on what Nickell’s continuations would be?

[louisg]

I don't know what Nickell plays, but one common treatment (which I know as Mathe) is for responder to show a singleton over opener's relay. Responder returns to the trump suit with no singleton, and 1H-3H-3S-3NT shows a singleton spade.

 

The theory is that a balanced LR opposite a one-suiter that couldn't open 2C probably won't make slam. Therefore the most useful information that responder can convey is his shortness (if any), allowing opener to evaluate his cards accordingly.

[Vilgan]

The article seems like more of a telling situation than an asking situation. Aka I have a strong 2 suiter hand.. are we fitting? If so.. lets push towards slam. Or with a 1 suiter hand, I have a void in this suit and a pretty strong hand, if you don't have wasted values, lets push towards slam.

 

For example

 

ATxxxx KQxx AJT void

 

Bidding might go

 

1♠ p 3♠ p

4♣

 

Now partner with Kxxx Ax Qxx Jxxx might take a push towards slam with only 1 wasted point in clubs. With a K or A wasted in clubs, they would close down the auction.

 

 

On the other hand, if opener has:

 

AJTxx Ax x AQTxx

 

they could want to push towards slam if responder has the K of clubs.. maybe not so much if they don't.

 

Both situations come up, and the issue is seeing both. If this is what the discussion is about (and it sounds like it), should work a lot like when people play both help suit and short suit game tries.

 

Aka

 

1♠ p 3♠ p

4♣

 

shows the club suit

 

1♠ p 3♠ p

3NT p 4♣ p

4♠

 

shows a club void and mild+ slam interest. You lose the matchpoint 3NT and serious 3NT

 

Intervening bids show interest in what opener has shown (aka a fit if a suit is shown, little to no wastage if a void is shown) and might even let the pair bid 7 if they find that uber magical hand where every card is working (although typically just getting to 6 on 25ish points is good).

[kenrexford]

If you are going to use that method, then it seems that the one-step relay is a call where Opener will have shortness somewhere. It seems that the best use of space would be for Responder to bid the cheapest suit (if any) where shortness would be greeted well. An empathetic splinter without the jump, if you will.