[Califdude]

Partner opens 1D. You have 6 high-card points and a balanced hand. You have 4 hearts. SAYC.

1. What is the weakest 4-card heart suit with which you will respond 1H rather than 1NT? (Assume 2D response not available.)
2. Is your answer any different if you have 9 high-card points in your hand?
3. Is your answer any different if you have a void or singleton? (Assume 1S and 2D responses are still not available.)
4. Is you answer any different if 2D response is available?

Partner opens 1NT. What is the weakest heart suit with which you will respond 2C Stayman? (Assume 3 or fewer spades.)

Thanks for your replies.

[P_Marlowe]

#1 2345
#2 no
#3 no, voids or single are only of interest,
if we have a fit, go looking for the fit,
and of course it is better to trump with
2,3,4 or 5 than with the A,K,Q or J.
#4 no, but it is great to know, that we have
a diamond fit.

With kind regards
Marlowe

PS: To ask those question is fine and you will get
lots of answers, but be aware, that you choose the
right section of the forum, the question you posted
is not really suitable for the A/E section, in the A/E
section the comments are more sarcastic sometimes.

[Califdude]

Thanks very much, Marlowe. Now, if I can impose on you further, may I ask what is the weakest heart suit with which you will respond 2C Stayman over partner's 1NT opening, assuming 3 or fewer spades.?

I am willing to take the risk of sarcastic responses in case the answers to my questions might be different in this section than in the general or beginner-intermediate sections. I suppose they shouldn't be, but they might be.

[P_Marlowe]

2345.

The only real question regarding Stayman is,
if you have a 4333 shape, should you or should
you not, I will always bid Stayman, there are
players, who will never bid it, and players, which
will look for at the other 3 suits, and bid it, if they
happen to have a side suit with xxx (not 10?).

With kind regards
Marlowe

[OleBerg]

1) 5432
2+3) No.
4) I might choose to bypass a four-card heart suit, if I find the hand better suited for a raise to any number of diamonds. Suit quality in hearts is a parameter. ( I would never, and have never, bypassed a four card spade suit, unless 1♦ was doubled by RHO.)

[helene_t]

When you respond in the next suit, as in 1♦-1♥, opener is not so likely to raise your suit with 3-card support since he will always have some other convenient rebid. This is obviously depending on partnership agreement, but if you have the agreement that opener only raises with 3-card support if he has no convenient alternative, then I would bid 1♥ on any 4-card suit, even Justin's example.

On the other hand, if you don;t have that agreement, or if it goes 1♣-1♠, I would be more likely to bypass a major suit. It would still be rare, though. It would certainly not be automatic to bypass 5432 - I would still bid such a suit if my points were in prime cards or if I had a doubleton in an unbid suit.

[nige1]

Califdude, on Sep 13 2008, 03:51 AM, said:

A. Partner opens 1D.  You have 6 high-card points and a balanced hand.  You have 4 hearts.  SAYC.
1. What is the weakest 4-card heart suit with which you will respond 1H rather than 1NT?  (Assume 2D response not available.)
2. Is your answer any different if you have 9 high-card points in your hand?
3. Is your answer any different if you have a void or singleton?  (Assume 1S and 2D responses are still not available.)
4. Is you answer any different if 2D response is available?
B. Partner opens 1NT.  What is the weakest heart suit with which you will respond 2C Stayman?  (Assume 3 or fewer spades.)

• Replying to 1♦
  • I would bid 1♥ with ♥ 5432 but I pass some 6 HCP hands. Also suit quality is not the only criterion. For example, I prefer 1N with ♠ KTx ♥ Txxx ♦ Jxx ♣ QTx
    
  • Similarly with 9 HCP.
    
  • With a singleton or void, I don't usually reply 1N.
    
  • If the hand is worth only one bid, I prefer the raise. For exampe, I raise to 2♦ with ♠ xx ♥ xxxx ♦ KQxx ♣ Qxx.
    If partner has a strong hand with ♥, he'll bid 2♥ so we may still reach the major game. IMO, this leaves me better placed in competitive auctions, especially if partner doubles a high level contract by opponents. Manifestly, different considerations apply if you hold 4 ♠ rather than 4 ♥ because over opponent's ♠ contract, you have to increase the level to compete in either red suit.
  
  
• Replying to 1N, I would use Stayman with ♥ 432. For example ♠ 432 ♥ 432 ♦ 765432 ♣ 2
  But I prefer 3N with say ♠ KQx ♥ xxxx ♦ Qxx ♣ Qxx

I think Terence Reese and John Mclaren would have advised that it is all a matter of judgement. There are no clear-cut answers.

[gwnn]

I would bid 1♥ and 2♣ also with 5432, but that is not to say I would always do it on every hand.

For example with

KJT
xxxx
KJT
KJT

I would just bid 3NT over 1NT, to show one obvious hand.

With transfers it's a bit different, though. It's a good idea always to show your major over 1NT and 2NT, although with 2NT is not always that clear.

[mike777]

Jlall, on Sep 13 2008, 10:46 AM, said:

I guess I would bid 1N with QJx Jxxx Qxx QJx or something but it would be very rare, much less than 1 % of hands.

ditto

[matmat]

gwnn, on Sep 13 2008, 11:43 AM, said:

I would bid 1♥ and 2♣ also with 5432, but that is not to say I would always do it on every hand.

For example with

KJT
xxxx
KJT
KJT

I would just bid 3NT over 1NT, to show one obvious hand.

With transfers it's a bit different, though. It's a good idea always to show your major over 1NT and 2NT, although with 2NT is not always that clear.

i bid 1h and then force to 3n. dissuades a heart lead.