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Last Train question


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Playing Last Train (something I rarely do), what does it mean if you bid Last Train, partner signs off, and then you move again? For example

  [spades agreed] 4

  4                        5

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For me this would show control in the rounded suits, and demand a diamond-controlling partner to make a forward-going move.

 

In effect, for me it cancels last train and reverts the 4 call to it's previous meaning (for instance in some circumstances 4 showed a different control, and so 5 is asking for a heart control).

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Last Train doesn't promise anything directly, except interest, but it might promise something inferentially. Last Train and then another call might mean that the person hoped to be able to answer rather than ask. Last Train and then another call might also mean that the person wanted to learn whether his partner did or did not have a hand worthy of accepting the last train bid.

 

In other words, this type of sequence tends to suggest some sort of tactical thinking. What that thinking is, who knows? Context might be a clue. But, the person clearly has interest opposite a last train rejection, so no need to bid that same disinterest twice, eh?

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While I play LTTC with several partners, the bid rarely arises and I've never had much discussion with anyone about what various things mean. Yeah...I know that this is bad..but...

 

Anyway, bearing in mind the constraints of my ignorance, I would assume that the bid that was LTTC was either a real cue, with strong slam interest, or a LTTC with at most mild interest.

 

In the latter case, I'd always respect a signoff. So when I move over the signoff, I cancel the LTTC meaning and confirm that the originally ambiguous call was a real cuebid.

 

I would be interested in reading the logic of anyone who thinks that the ambiguity persists (I am not being sarcastic or negative in expressing that thought, btw).

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For me this would show control in the rounded suits, and demand a diamond-controlling partner to make a forward-going move.

 

I agree with that.

Maybe there is better treatment somewhere but I doubt it matter much. In fact I find Last Train to be not necessary (not saying it doesn't help when proper hand comes up just saying it doesn't matter almost at all overall).

Probably the worse your system design (less slam invites at lower level; things like splinters not in narrow range etc.) the more you need things like serious 3NT or LTTC.

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Playing Last Train (something I rarely do), what does it mean if you bid Last Train, partner signs off, and then you move again? For example

  [spades agreed] 4

  4                        5

It just means 4H was a legit control. Think of 4H as any hand with a slam try not willing to go past game, or just a 4H cue that may or may not go past game.

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While I play LTTC with several partners, the bid rarely arises and I've never had much discussion with anyone about what various things mean. Yeah...I know that this is bad..but...

 

Anyway, bearing in mind the constraints of my ignorance, I would assume that the bid that was LTTC was either a real cue, with strong slam interest, or a LTTC with at most mild interest.

 

In the latter case, I'd always respect a signoff. So when I move over the signoff, I cancel the LTTC meaning and confirm that the originally ambiguous call was a real cuebid.

 

I would be interested in reading the logic of anyone who thinks that the ambiguity persists (I am not being sarcastic or negative in expressing that thought, btw).

For me I haven't discussed playing it really with anyone but it comes up all the time!!

 

No joke it really comes up very often for me.

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Probably the worse your system design (less slam invites at lower level; things like splinters not in narrow range etc.) the more you need things like serious 3NT or LTTC.

Why wouldn't you regard Serious 3NT and LTTC as *part* of the system design? They're just two more ways to exchange information about strength.

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