multiple options

[hanp]

AQxx

AKQJx

Ax

xx

 

Partner opens multi 2D (which includes some strong options but I will make it easy for you by telling partner is weak). What is your plan?

[Apollo81]

I would bid 4♦, asking partner to bid his suit (as opposed to 4♣, which asks him to transfer to his suit). Then I would bid 5♦ over the presumed 4♠ bid. Hopefully with the two black kings he'll bid a slam.

[pooltuna]

I have some questions.

 

1) Is 6♥ p/c? (this assumes no suit quality controls are in place)

2) Is 3♦ forcing?

3) Is 2NT forcing? Actually I assume it probably is the lowest forcing call.

4) What responses do you use to 2NT?

 

 

As to plan I expect we have 12 winners if we don't have 2 losers first. So the objective is to either gamble the opps don't find their 2 tricks and leap to 6♠. This will not really be a piltch bid if there are any requirements on opener's suit quality. Otherwise make an extensive effort to discover if partner has a 1st or 2nd round ♣ control.

[hanp]

Our responses to 2NT are the standard responses:

 

3C = minimal with hearts

3D = minimal with spades

3H = maximal with spades

3S = maximal with diamonds.

 

3C and 3D by us would be forcing and natural.

 

4C asks partner to transfer to his suit, 4D asks partner to bid his suit, 3H and 4H are pass/correct and 6H is "to play".

 

This is all standard here and I don't have much experience or knowledge about later round auctions. Advice is much appreciated.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

 

Ok - 2NT.

 

Assuming I get a 3D response (minimal with spades), I guess

I would bid 3H, which should be agreeing spades (?!), and asking

p to describe his hand further.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[Mr. Dodgy]

Our responses to 2NT are the standard responses:

 

...

 

3S = maximal with diamonds.

typo I assume should be "with hearts" or "with spades" ?

 

doesn't look very standard to me one way or another. isn't standard:

 

3C=maxH

3D=maxS

3H=minH

3S=minS

 

 

I may be wrong.

 

I think I agree with Uwe. 2NT.

Edited August 24, 2010 by Mr. Dodgy

[whereagles]

I feel like shooting 6-something. But pard may well have the club ace, so I think I'll just ask 2NT and take it from there.

[pooltuna]

Our responses to 2NT are the standard responses:

 

3C = minimal with hearts

3D = minimal with spades

3H = maximal with spades

3S = maximal with diamonds.

 

3C and 3D by us would be forcing and natural.

 

4C asks partner to transfer to his suit, 4D asks partner to bid his suit, 3H and 4H are pass/correct and 6H is "to play".

 

This is all standard here and I don't have much experience or knowledge about later round auctions. Advice is much appreciated.

I have no doubt this is the set of standard response but they strike me, a non-user of multi, as a counter productive. I say that because I think the 3♣ and 3♦ call are subject to giving the opps useful calls when you have the worst hands rather than the best. The 3♥ and 3♠ are at their preemptive best when the opps get no other useful calls than what they already had. Plus IMO this helps your partner screw with the opps to your best advantage.

[Phil]

doesn't look very standard to me one way or another

From what I know about Multi, what Han plays is very common. A lot of the rationale is to have the strong hand declare and your structure does not allow this in half of the cases.

 

I will start with 2N and over the expected 3♦ or 3♥ bid 4♦.

[hanp]

Our responses to 2NT are the standard responses:

 

...

 

3S = maximal with diamonds.

typo I assume should be "with hearts" or "with spades" ?

 

doesn't look very standard to me one way or another. isn't standard:

 

3C=maxH

3D=maxS

3H=minH

3S=minS

I meant with hearts, yeah. I thought the structure I gave was standard, maybe not. In your structure opener declares when he's weak, people I know don't like that.

 

If you ask with 2NT, partner bids 3C, minimal with hearts.

[gnasher]

I don't think there's a standard way to reply to 2D-2NT, but I am sure that better methods can be devised than anything suggested so far. For example, this came from rec.games.bridge:

 

The following is the most wefficient scheme of responses that i have

come across, and it is based on the presumption that there is no real

restriction to a multi in terms of suit quality, and that you are

unlikely to have a good suit (2 top hons) and an ace or you would open

at the one level.

 

2D-2NT

 

3C default (see below)

3D good H suit (2 top H) 3H relays for singletons

3H good S suit (ditto) 3S ditto

3S bad W2S non-forcing

 

2D 2Nt

3C        3D/H both relays (3H GF)

 

2D 2NT

3C 3D

3H nf terrible W2H

3S good HCP S, bad suit no Q

3NT good HCP H, bad suit no Q-bid

4C/D/H Q in C/D/S w2S

 

2D 2NT

3C 3H

3S good w2S bad suit

3NT terrible w2H

4C+ cue-bids  good w2H, bad suit

 

If you want to use this feel free (call me for more details) but

please put Rigal responses on your convention card.

 

Note: playing 3C as a transfer response- 3D allows responder to bid 3C

with a Gf hand in C/H/S. 3D=D GF.

 

3H/S= preemptive responses.

 

There is more...

[Phil]

If you ask with 2NT, partner bids 3C, minimal with hearts.

Vulnerability?

[hanp]

Guess Phil, partner is not completely nuts.

 

(ok ok, it was white against red)

[Phil]

Guess Phil, partner is not completely nuts.

 

(ok ok, it was white against red)

I figured as much, but I was hoping for a 7th heart at equal. Plus I'm stalling for time. :)

 

Hell I don't know - over 3♣ I suppose I bid 3♦ - maybe that will get me a 3♠ call. After all -

 

Kx T9xxxx xxx Ax is great for slam, but

 

xxx T9xxxx Kxx Kx sucks plus getting to 5 is a problem here.

 

So I really don't know what's right :)

[Fluffy]

With this hand its either fake something in clubs, or investigate, I'd just investigate, 2NT then force partner to cue clubs if possible then blackwood

[gnasher]

With your structure, after 2♦-2NT-3x, I think that you should use something (either step 1 or the lowest available minor) as a shortage ask. That would find the minor-suit singleton that you'd like to know about.

 

After

2♦-2NT

3♣-3♦ (hearts / asking for shortage)

3♥       (no shortage)

 

you'd still have room for

   -3♠

4♣-4♦

which might provoke another move if he has ♠K and ♣A.

 

Personally, though, I think anyone who opens a weak two with a suit headed by the 10 and two top cards outside doesn't deserve a slam bonus.

[bluecalm]

I have no doubt this is the set of standard response but they strike me, a non-user of multi, as a counter productive.

 

I doubt they are standard.

Coming from a country where everybody and they grandma play multi I can say that most exp++ players here use:

 

3♣ = any minimum

3♦ = max with hearts

3♥ = max with spades

 

or reversed structure (where 3♣ is any max).

 

After 3♣ bidding 3♦ ask partner to show the suit he doesn't have (so strong hand declare).

 

Anyway it seems easy so far.

Whatever my system is I set spades and hope partner cuebids ♣. If he doesn't or can't (because the sequence is such that we have to cuebid first) I cuebid 4♦ and then make another move towards slam by 5♠ or w/e you use in your style.

After that he will cuebid his A♣ at 6level and bid slam with K♣ or ♣ shortness.

[benlessard]

4D followed by 5D.

 

Partner will know we are slammsih with both majors a D controls and no clubs controls and that i dont really care if hes minimum or maximum.

[JLOGIC]

Our hand sucks opposite minimum with hearts. I would sign off. If partner showed min with spades we'd be in much better shape.

[bluecalm]

Our hand sucks opposite minimum with hearts. I would sign off. If partner showed min with spades we'd be in much better shape.

 

Yes, right. I assumed he had spades. Once he showed hearts after 2NT I agree our hand isn't too good.

[Apollo81]

If you ask with 2NT, partner bids 3C, minimal with hearts.

LOL, i guess that means I was passing after 2♦-4♦-4♥.

[JLOGIC]

If you ask with 2NT, partner bids 3C, minimal with hearts.

LOL, i guess that means I was passing after 2♦-4♦-4♥.

You don't bid slam opposite a maximum with hearts then which seems bad. I don't really understand the benefit of your auction over starting with 2N.

[OleBerg]

Our responses to 2NT are the standard responses:

 

3C = minimal with hearts

3D = minimal with spades

3H = maximal with spades

3S = maximal with diamonds.

 

3C and 3D by us would be forcing and natural.

 

4C asks partner to transfer to his suit, 4D asks partner to bid his suit, 3H and 4H are pass/correct and 6H is "to play".

 

This is all standard here and I don't have much experience or knowledge about later round auctions. Advice is much appreciated.

My advice would be:

 

When you bid 2NT, partners suit will be set as thrumphs. 3NT is still possible as a contract though.

[Fluffy]

ok now I see the follow ups, I try 3♦ over 3♣ and await something from partner.

[Free]

There's no standard, but playing the methods of Han is pretty much standard in Belgium and apparently the Netherlands as well.

 

When playing the so called "standard method" mentioned by Han, you can also play some relays:

2♦-2NT-3♣-3♦ (here 3♥ = min, rest max with shortness)

2♦-2NT-3♦-3♥ (same)

2♦-2NT-3♥-3♠ (same, but no min)

 

This is one of the reasons I even prefer 2♦-2NT-3M as min over this method, because you have more options when opener is max.

 

I'm not a fan of either method however, I prefer

3♣ = any max

3♦ = min with ♥ (now 3♥ signoff)

3♥ = min with ♠ (now 3♠ signoff)

 

After the 3♣ response, we continue as follows:

3♦ = relay, asks in case opener has ♥ (or ♠)

...3♥ = ♠s

......3♠ = relay

.........3NT+ = shortness

...3♠+ = ♥, shortness

3♥ = relay, asks in case opener has ♠ (no interest when ♥)

...3♠ = ♥

...3NT+ = ♠, shortness

 

This rightsides the M contract every time, lets us play 3M, and also lets us investigate when opener is max.