[thebiker]

Partner opense 2NT (bal 21-22say) and you hold the following hands
Hand A
S AJTxxx
H xx
D Kxx
C Kx

Hand B
S AJTxxx
H x
D Kxx
C Kxx

Hand C
S AJTxxx
H xxx
D Kx
C Kx

Hand D
S AJTxxxx
H Void
D Kxx
C Kxx

All of these hands could produce a slam or grand slam opposite the right 2NT opening, but might fail in 5 or even 4 level contracts

(1) What methods are normally available to use to attempt to find the right contract
(2) What specific methods do you use and why?
(3) Do you think it important/practical to play methods that attempt to cover the majority of such situations?
(4) Do you beleive it to be important to always right side the contract ie so that in these examples the hands final contracts (NT or Spades) should be played by opener ?
(5) Do you have similar technology for similar minor suit responding hands?

Thanks in advance for your feedback
thebiker

regards
Brian Keable

[kenrexford]

There is very little space available here. However, a few things may help.

First, I believe that a good structure includes more aggressive and defined use of super-acceptances by Opener than seem to be the norm. Most folks seem to just accept the transfer and sit back. I think Opener should be looking for an opportunity to make any number of calls between three and four of the transfer major to help with this situation.

Second, the usual default is simply to distinguish between Texas, Jacoby...4M as a ST, and Texas...4NT as RKCB. On the last, you might also Texas...5♥ as Exclusion, except for the price being high. This is probably warranted, though.

[Fluffy]

I play GF transfers wich mean that at least on first round I get to know if partner has 3 card support or not, but anyway this is of not much use in this case, I can't even describe my shortness.

On mosts of this hands I would just use blackwood probably and count aces as losers and asume aprtner has the queens or a trick elsewhere.

2NT is by far the worst opener for a natural system IMO, I am surprised by people willing to stretch to open it with 19, I would rather open 1♣ with 20.

[mikeh]

Opposite a balanced 21-22, I think I drive to slam on all of them. Opposite me, where I hold a great 19 to a goodish but less-than-great 21, I invite slam with A, B and C. I do so by a 3-level transfer then, over a non-super-accept, via 4♠, a mild slam try with 6+ spades. In all cases, we should be able to avoid slam if off the ♥AK or 2 Aces, but we may fail in 5♠ on a really, really bad day.

On D, I drive to slam opposite 20-21 or 21-22. It is far from clear that exclusion is very useful here: the heart A may be a critical pitch. In fact, this is so true that I would Texas and bid 4N...

I will bid slam off a keycard even if we are missing the trump Queen. I will not look for grand unless we have all the keycard, and then the heart K is almost as useful either minor suit Queen. Will I look for grand off just the trump Queen? Probably not, even tho Kxx AKxx AQxx AQx or equivalent is a real possibility (Kxxx isn't.. he shows the Queen with that length).

[helene_t]

(1) Texas followed by 4N (or 4♠ over a transfer to 4♥ for some) asks keycards.

(2) See above. I was too lazy to make up something else myself.

(3) No but we used to play a similar structure over 1N so it's not so difficult to remember.

(4) In the case of a 2NT opening, yes.

(5) Yes, 3♠/4♣ followed by kickback, haven't seen it discussed anywhere and I don't think it has ever come up.

[kenrexford]

Missed the last question -- one-suited minor hands.

Yes.

2NT-P-3♠ as a relay to 3NT. Opener usually completes the relay. After this:

1. Responder bids his minor. Responder might switch the meanings (4♣-diamonds, 4♦=clubs) if desired.
2. Responder bids his shortness with both minors
3. Responder bids 4NT if 2245/2254, Quantitative

Opener has the option of super-accepting the 3♠ relay. This allows Responder to bid 3♠ with mild slam interest and pass if Opener bids 3NT. If Opener super-accepts by bidding 4♣ (essentially bump up one):

a. 4♦ is kickback for clubs
b. 4♥ is kickback for diamonds
c. 4♠ shows a stiff heart (both minors)
d. 4NT shows a stiff spade (both minors)
e. 5♣ shows 2245 quantitative
f. 5♦ shows 2254 quantitative

[mikeh]

I also missed the last question, thx Ken for answering it and thus reminding me

My current method:

2N  3♠

puppets to 3N, over which

4♣  3=1=(54)

4♦  1=3=(54)

4♥   club slam try with poor suit (not 2/3 top honours)

4♠  diamond slam try with poor suit

4N  quantitative notrump raise


2N  4♠ slam try in clubs with good suit

2N  4N slam try in diamonds with good suit

[gnasher]

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(1) What methods are normally available to use to attempt to find the right contract

I believe that in North America it's standard to play 4D and 4H as transfers to hearts and spades respectively. A three-level transfer followed by a raise is a non-forcing slam try; with a stronger hand you transfer at the four level and then bid again.

In the UK, I think that the default is that 2NT-4M is a non-forcing slam try, and a transfer followed by a raise is a signoff. In this style there is no way to make a forcing slam try. This approach isn't great, and I doubt if many top pairs still do this.

In either style, a three-level transfer followed by a jump in a new suit shows a void, either descriptively or as Exclusion Keycard, according to partnership preference.

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(2) What specific methods do you use and why?

I prefer to play two-step transfers at the four level, showing a one-suited slam try. That is:
4C = H
4D = S
4H = C
4S = D

A three-level transfer followed by a raise to game is a signoff.

Over the four-level transfers, opener signs off with a bad hand, bids the intermediate step with a good hand, and cue-bids with an excellent hand.

The main disadvantage over standard North American methods is that you can't bid Gerber. The main advantage is that responder can find out how suitable opener is before initiating investigations.

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(3) Do you think it important/practical to play methods that attempt to cover the majority of such situations?

It would be nice to be able to do so. Hands like this make me want to play a strong club.

I can't see any way to do so at the four level without giving up the ability to show two-suited slam tries, which is obviously more important. It is possible to distinguish singletons and voids at the five level. For example:
2NT-3H-3S-5C = singleton or void club (5D asks)
2NT-3H-3S-5D = singleton or void diamond (5H asks)
2NT-3H-3S-5H = singleton heart
2NT-3H-3S-5S = void heart

I've just made this up, so can't tell you how effective it is.

Quote

(4) Do you beleive it to be important to always right side the contract ie so that in these examples the hands final contracts (NT or Spades) should be played by opener ?

Not as important as when responder has only game values, but still important. It matters least when responder has a slam try but you stop in game.

[thebiker]

Thank you all for your replies

You have given me much to think about as well as confirming some of my own thoughts/views of bidding in this area.

regards

thebiker

Brian Keable

[Cascade]

thebiker, on Mar 4 2008, 07:35 AM, said:

Partner opense 2NT (bal 21-22say) and you hold the following hands
Hand A
S AJTxxx
H xx
D Kxx
C Kx

Jacoby transfer and if partner superaccepts we will be able to diagnose a heart problem. Otherwise we have the assurance of good controls and 20 points or 21-22.

Quote

Hand B
S AJTxxx
H x
D Kxx
C Kxx

Texas transfer and RKCB.

Quote

Hand C
S AJTxxx
H xxx
D Kx
C Kx

as for A.

Quote

Hand D
S AJTxxxx
H Void
D Kxx
C Kxx

Texas and exclusion key-card.

Quote

All of these hands could produce a slam or grand slam opposite the right 2NT opening, but might fail in 5 or even 4 level contracts

(1) What methods are normally available to use to attempt to find the right contract

Jacoby and then ambiguous new suits - either cues or a second suit. Also Jacoby and then 4Major is a mild slam try or a quantitative 4NT.

Texas transfers and then RKCB or ERKCB - its gets very high.

Quote

(2) What specific methods do you use and why?

As above but we resolve the ambiguity by always superaccepting with three or more trumps. Effectively this means that our transfers are game-forcing. When we super-accept we cue-bid. If we do not superaccept then responder's new suit is a second suit.

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(3) Do you think it important/practical to play methods that attempt to cover the majority of such situations? 

There is not enough room.

Quote

(4) Do you beleive it to be important to always right side the contract ie so that in these examples the hands final contracts (NT or Spades) should be played by opener ?

Its reasonably important but probably not practical.

Quote

(5) Do you have similar technology for similar minor suit responding hands?

We play:

1. 3♠ is one or both minors forcing 3NT then responder clarifies. We have talked about but not settled upon possible super-accepts here.


2NT 3♠

3NT* 4♣ single-suited club slam try

----> 4♦ single-suited diamond slam try

----> 4♥ both minors short hearts

----> 4♠ both minors short spades

----> 4NT quantitative usually exactly 2=2=4=5 (2=2=5=4 bids 4NT directly, with a three-card or longer major we might try puppet stayman first).

In addition we can sign-off in a minor:

2NT 5♣/♦ showing no slam interest

or

2NT 4♠ both minors no slam interest