[mikeh]

awm, on Jan 10 2006, 03:09 PM, said:

But when 1NT is opened, at least one contract will already be played out of opener's hand... and not only this, but 3NT is perhaps the most common contracts. A method where opener describes will inevitably lead to a fair number of 3NTs being played with opener's exact distribution known to the defense.

This is true, but to a far more limited degree than your post suggests. After all, on the majority of gf hands, responder does not relay to find exact shape, and when he does, he is often declarer.

When the likely destination is 3N, responder will usually bid it early. Thus, if respnder is looking for a major, as soon as he finds out that the major fit is not there, he bids 3N.

Responder only relays to exact shape when that information will be of use. On the majority of such hands, responder will be aiming at a suit contract, and now the method's ability to conceal declarer's hand is powerful.

Your comment is only valid on those relatively infrequent hands on which responder needs to find exact shape in order to decide whether 3N is best.

And as a counter-balance, consider 1N 2♦ 2♥ 3N: responder was looking for ♥ or a 5 card minor, and, finding neither, signed off in 3N. No-one, other than declarer, knows if he has 4♠: unlike a normal stayman auction.

[kenrexford]

I agree with Justin that this is a good hand for illustrating the merits of 2C...2S as an unbalanced spade game invite (as I employ it). Perhaps a tad light, but I bid light.

I would also add, in response to the Q about treatments, that a major-diamond invitational has a solution. After a transfer (or after Stayman?), switch the minors like you do with Smolen, sort of.

3C = Invitational+, with diamonds
3D = GF with clubs.

Sure, this fails to provide a NF solution for clubs, but 50% ain't bad. It also is EASY to remember, a key fact. The smolenization of minor three-bids occasionally right-side's minor slams, also.

Besides, who could pass up making a "smolenized minor" call?

[awm]

Well let's see... by far the most likely possibility is that responder is looking for a major suit fit. If responder has a five-card major, he will need to relay out opener's shape to the fullest just to determine whether opener has three card support. This gives opponents a huge amount of info, much more than a transfer and bid 3NT auction. If responder has a four-card major, then potentially less information is given by the one auction you describe, but almost every other auction is worse than normal stayman (opener often reveals presence of a five-card minor which stayman would never show, opener always shows 4-4 in majors when stayman might reveal only the heart fit). In fact, some of the Italian pairs seem to be playing 1NT-3M to show four cards in a major and no slam interest (choice of games) so as to provide the defense with even less information than stayman. So I doubt this is a "negligible issue" in high-level play.

And I still don't understand how you're supposed to figure out the best contract when you can't tell what opener has opposite your singleton. Give responder:

KQxxx
x
AKxx
AQx

Partner opens 1NT, 10-12. You relay out shape and figure out partner is exactly 2-4-4-3. Where do you want to be opposite:

Ax
xxxx
QJxx
KJx

Jx
KQJx
xxxx
KJx

Opposite the first hand, 6♦ is excellent while 3NT could easily go down on a heart lead. Opposite the second hand, 3NT seems cold... but anything higher could run into trouble when spades fail to break 3-3.

Perhaps you'll respond that this is a somewhat contrived example, but my experience has been that a lot of slams make on 27-29 hcp with the right honor holding opposite a singleton, and that finding these slams consistently is a key to winning at IMPs.

My auction playing Keri-Garrod on this hand:

1NT - 2♥ (transfer)
2♠ - 3♣ (game force with 4♦ and 5+♠)
3♦ - 3♥ (short in hearts)

At this point opener continues with 4♥ on the first hand, showing nothing wasted in hearts and a known suit fit. Responder bids 5NT (pick-a-slam; 29-30 known working points in a 34-point deck) and opener bids 6♦.

On the second hand, opener will bid 3NT like a shot, auction over.

[mikeh]

awm, on Jan 11 2006, 10:01 PM, said:

Well let's see... by far the most likely possibility is that responder is looking for a major suit fit. If responder has a five-card major, he will need to relay out opener's shape to the fullest just to determine whether opener has three card support.

Why? He is allowed to break the relay with no slam interest. If all he wants is 3 card support (else he bids 3N) then he bids 2♦ followed by his major. Use of relays is never mandatory in well-designed methods.