[paulg]

Scoring: MP

1♠   2♦
2♥   3♣!
3♥   ?

---

A 'future expert' has asked me about bidding this hand. At the table a confident 4NT (keycard in hearts) was bid and recognised as such, although they had not considered what to do over a one keycard response!

What do you think 4NT should be in this auction?

And if, like many future experts, a jump to 4NT is known to be keycard in the last named suit, what would bid?

Finally, if 4NT is known to be quantitative, what would you bid if the ♣Q was the ♥Q (and you would now like to bid keycard)?

Thanks

Paul

[Jlall]

It's probably right to play:

4C=good heart raise (keycard in hearts starts with this)
4N=quant

If you are dealt a huge minor 2 suiter you are screwed and have to bid 5C or 6C, but from frequency point of view this must be better than

4C=natural

and then you lose a good 4H raise, and either keycard in hearts or quant 4N.

I suppose you could play 4C as even more ambiguous but I'm not sure how to make that playable.

[gnasher]

I do what Justin suggests - 4NT natural and 4♣ any good heart raise - and I think that's normal amongst good players in England.

I prefer to play a jump in the fourth suit (1♠-2♦;2♥-4♣) as a strong two-suiter, so that I never have to worry about the possibility that an FSF-bidder has that. This part isn't normal.

[aguahombre]

gnasher, on Jul 1 2009, 04:44 AM, said:

I prefer to play a jump in the fourth suit (1♠-2♦;2♥-4♣) as a strong two-suiter, so that I never have to worry about the possibility that an FSF-bidder has that.  This part isn't normal.

LOL

Separated by an ocean and a common language. "Normal" (standard/common), it is not.
"Normal" (rational/sane) it is.

[Fluffy]

I think 4♦ is also a cue for hearts, so 4♣ shows ♣A an heart support.

why didn't you bid 3♦?

[paulg]

Fluffy, on Jul 1 2009, 12:49 PM, said:

why didn't you bid 3♦?

3♦ on the second round would not have been forcing in the methods being played. In 2/1 I'd probably bid 3♣ too, albeit showing rather than asking

[P_Marlowe]

RKCB for hearts.

If you have agreed that 4C is generic slam try for hearts, than 4NT
quantitative is certainly a possible option.

Of course the base system is important, if 3D would be nonforcing,
than 4D now in the given auction would show a strong 1-suiter (...
dont ask me, what the difference is if responder would have bid 4D
instead of 3C).

With kind regards
Marlowe