[kaitlink]

I feel kind of silly asking this, but I just wanted to know. What does this bid mean?

1NT - 2D
2H - 2S

We have ways of handling 5-5 majors, 5-4 majors, and 6-4 majors. How should I play this?

[cherdano]

I think standard is 4=5 in the majors, invitational.

[mtvesuvius]

cherdano, on Dec 25 2008, 03:47 PM, said:

I think standard is 4=5 in the majors, invitational.

Yes... That is the treatment that I use with most of my partners...

[HeavyDluxe]

cherdano, on Dec 25 2008, 02:47 PM, said:

I think standard is 4=5 in the majors, invitational.

*nods*

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

This certainly is not an silly question.

One option is to play it as 5-5 inv., this assumes,
that all 5-4 hand go via Stayman, and in the
consequence of this is, that you cannt use Stayman
with weak 4-4 in the major.

The above treatment is the standard treatment in
France, Germany, at least to my knowledge.

With kind regards
Marlowe

PS: Looking at Bridge World Standard
http://www.bridgeworld.com/default.asp?d=b...bwsall.html#IVF
it seems that 5-4 is standard in North America.

[kenberg]

I handle questions such as this by asking "How can I treat frequently occurring hands?".

I get dealt invitational hands with five hearts and four spades fairly often and transferring to hearts and then bidding 2S seems like an obvious way to handle them. So unless someone tells me different, that's what I figure it means.


A somewhat more iffy situation revolves arises from the also frequently occurring invitational hand with five spades and four hearts. Some transfer to spades and bid 3H but this has the obvious possibility of putting the contract at a a high level with modest values and no eight card fit. Certainly better to play that sequence as 5-5 forcing. My preference with 5-4 invit is to bid 2C Stayman. If partner bids a major that solves all problems. If he bids 2D I like to be able to bid 2S as invitational strength, five spades, four hearts. Definitely not everyone agrees with this and some would play that spade bid as 5-4 and weak. If I hold the 5-4 weak hand, I have to trf to spades and drop it. Not always best, but I prefer it so I can bid my 5-4 invit hands easily.

So:
1N-2D-2H-2S: You should be safe treating this as 5-4 and invit.

1N-2C-2D-2S: It's a guess as to what the 2S bidder intends. Many play as I do (including BWS according to the above link) but I would not claim anything to be standard.