Partner opens 1n/t{15-17}

[ONEferBRID]

1eyedjack.... You are right... I completely overlooked missing a possible 5-3 Ht fit in my example.

Sooo, on that hand, I could have opted for the Smolen auction.

 

However, if Responder's hand been 4 4 1 4, I could have used the "distribution-ask", although I would have gotten into trouble in 5C if Opener has 3 losing Sp ( as you pointed out ).

 

So maybe it isn't such a great idea afterall ... at least for marginal game hands where the combined hcp is not high enough to justify the 5-level.

[aguahombre]

Ideally you'd have a way to show three-suiters like this. In my partnerships I do; Elianna and I play Walsh responses to notrump which include:

 

2NT = puppet to 3♣, either signoff in clubs or any GF 4441 hand

.... opener bids 3♣

......... now pass with club signoff, or bid shortage with GF 4441 (so here 3♦)

 

After the 2NT puppet:

Try the effect of "suit below", rather than bidding the singleton. (3sp=stiff club, 3N=stiff diam or 4C=stiff diamond too strong to allow 3NT). What this does, is allow opener to set trump directly with green light for slam --but relay thru the stiff before setting strain with a devalued or weaker NT opening.

[Finch]

show (4441) and (13)(45) hands over a 1NT opening. Playing 4-way transfers makes it simple to use the 3-level bids for this kind of hand without playing anything particularly non-standard. If you do not play them (I don't as it happens) then you need to design your system very carefully.

Exactly

 

1NT - 2C (?5CM)

2D - 3C*

3D** - 3H

 

*Either 3-suited with short diamonds, or game forcing with 4 hearts and no slam interest

**forced

3H = 4414

[1eyedjack]

So maybe it isn't such a great idea afterall ... at least for marginal game hands where the combined hcp is not high enough to justify the 5-level.

It is not just the marginal game hands. If responder has a full-blooded GF then it tends to be a marginal slam hand - again contingent on whether opener has wastage opposite the shortage

[skjaeran]

1NT-3♦, showing a singleton.