[foo]

ArtK78, on Nov 28 2007, 10:13 AM, said:

Here is a very common situation. My partner and I had a problem with it the other night. Please give me your explanation of the 3♣ bid in this uncontested auction:

1♥ - 2♥
2♠ - 3♣

There is nothing special about any of the first 3 bids. 2♠ is, presumably, a game try with length or values in spades. If it is relevant, we do not play Flannery.

Without more specialized or advanced agreements,
1H-2H;2S means
"I have a medium strength hand whose 2nd longest suit is ♠'s that might be able to make 4H if you have the right hand."

1H-2H;2S-3C means
"I have a maximum 2H raise that is not excited by your 2nd suit. Are you excited by =my= 2nd suit?"

These are called "natural game trys". They are often superceeded by Short Suit, Long Suit, and 2Way Game Trys in more advanced partnerships.

In particular, I recommend the game tries Eric Kokish developed while playing with Peter Nagy called Nagy Game Trys.

[dburn]

ArtK78, on Nov 28 2007, 10:13 AM, said:

Here is a very common situation.  My partner and I had a problem with it the other night.  Please give me your explanation of the 3♣ bid in this uncontested auction:

1♥ - 2♥
2♠ - 3♣

There is nothing special about any of the first 3 bids.  2♠ is, presumably, a game try with length or values in spades.  If it is relevant, we do not play Flannery.

Well, perhaps it shows

♠532 ♥J32 ♦4 ♣K109873

and suggests that we might be more likely to make 3♣ than 3♥, as well we might unless the opening bidder has a singleton or void in clubs (and even then...).

It's OK to bid your side's best contract every now and again. The trick is to be able to pass when you have just done this.

[kenrexford]

For me, in this specific auction, 3♣ shows absolute acceptance and is a cue in case Opener was slammish. With a hedge, I'd bid 2NT.

My wife, who now (post-SF) has about 120 MP in the ACBL, made a nice call this week. With ♠Jxx ♥xxx ♦AQxx ♣Qxx, having made a constructive raise, responded to my 3♣ GT (spades trumps) by bidding 4♦. I'd expect the same thing at the lower 3♣ call, as long as 2NT is available for the hedge.

The difference between, say, a 3♣ GT and a 3♦ hedge is the availability of 2NT, which discloses nothing. If 2NT is available, or only one call (Last Train GT), then the message is hedge-only or cue.

[foo]

Ken makes an excellent point. As Fred has noted in other places previously, sometimes one uses the Game Try structure to make "advance slam tries".

That opener was looking for slam rather than simply game usually becomes apparent when opener ignores responder's sign off.