No bidding by the opposition. I opened the bidding 1♦, partner has 4-1-4-4 distribution with a singleton ♦ and 13 hcp. His response was 2♣. I claim that his bid denies a 4 card major. He claims that he is bidding "up the line" and does not deny a 4 card major. My position is that "up the line" starts with the next available bid, in this case 1♥. His position is that "up the line" starts at clubs at the next available level. Please help us resolve this dispute.
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bidding "up the line" SAYC
#2
Posted 2009-April-16, 18:59
- It's normal to write "4=4=1=4" order to say partner had a singleton diamond, order SHDC, easier for people to read.
- 1♦-2♣ *does not* deny a four card major in SA bidding. However, if a four card major is held, it implies longer clubs (5+) and a game forcing hand. So your partner is wrong to bid 2♣ with only 4 clubs and this shape, but you are also wrong in assuming it denies a 4 card major. Natural systems like SA are based on bidding the longest suit first, so bidding clubs first does not deny a major, just shows the clubs are longer. But bidding clubs then a major forces the bidding to too high a level when holding less than a game force, so with a weaker hand you bid the major first even with longer clubs, in order to find the high scoring major partials. There exist systems where 1♦-2♣ denies a major, but SA/SAYC is not one of them. These other systems also require some gadgetry in order to be able to show a good hand with longer clubs later, if you have to show the major first.
- "up-the-line" means bidding the cheapest of 4 cd suits when only 4 cd suits are held. Not clubs first. But up-the-line doesn't apply when having longer clubs and a GF hand (2♣ is correct with GF, 3=4=1=5 shape, for example).
- for tactical reasons, people may occasionally, perhaps even frequently, skip over a 4cd ♦ suit to bid a 4cd major, when partner opens 1♣. Some even skip over longer diamond suits holding weak hands to bid a major, but this isn't strictly "SAYC" by the notes, it's a "Walsh" influence.
#5
Posted 2009-April-17, 18:09
ArtK78, on Apr 17 2009, 12:51 PM, said:
I am curious. What did your partner think that "up-the-line" meant?
11WAMMER, on Apr 16 2009, 07:42 PM, said:
His position is that "up the line" starts at clubs at the next available level.
That's impossible. No one can give more than one hundred percent. By definition that is the most anyone can give.
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