[Free]

For me this is ♠+♣. With ♥ you can just pass and wait for partner's Dbl. Obviously it can go bad if we hold ♥+♣ and opps bid to 4♠, but that's pretty much the only situation.

I think 2♦-Pass-2♥-4♦ more interesting. Here it can go way worse if you don't show your Major immediately. So here I'd definitely play ♦+♠!

[hanp]

I play it shows clubs and a major, just as over 2D directly. I think this is more common here but I could be wrong.

[Fluffy]

I think the poll just shows that having this undiscussed is prone to missunderstanding

The second part is.. if you play as any major, it seems obvious to me that playing 4♦ asking for the major, and 4M as cuebid for clubs is the optimal agreement, however having the guts to bid 4♥ with singleton is reserved for very experienced partnerships, how would ou take it?

[hanp]

Just always bid 4D in this auction . If partner bids 4H then 4S is a slam try in clubs and 4NT a slam try in hearts as usual. If partner bids 4S then 4NT is a slam try in clubs and 5D and 5H are slam tries in spades.

I think it makes sense to agree that 4M is to play here. If you want to try for slam in clubs then you usually want to hear about the major anyway. An alternative is that 4H is pass/correct, and 4D asks for the major but shows a good hand.

[Fluffy]

hanp, on Apr 16 2010, 11:56 AM, said:

If you want to try for slam in clubs then you usually want to hear about the major anyway.

This might sound odd, but the 4♦ bid is so wide ranged normally, that IMO he is the guy who should make the final decisions here.

[MFA]

Cascade, on Apr 15 2010, 02:54 PM, said:

I think having ambiguity about a major at the four level is too big a burden.

I agree with this.

We don't have any agreements about this situation (so the default of no Leaping Michaels would apply).

In second seat we play 4m over multi as m+♥. With m+♠ we can wait and hopefully clarify.

I would prefer to play the same in 4th seat after 2♦-p-2♥, since hearts are more easily preempted than spades.

[campboy]

I wonder if you'd've gotten any votes for C+H if you'd included that as an option

[edit: just noticed the poster above me. So at least one then]

[kenberg]

Fluffy has obviously performed a major service here. He asked what we believed to be standard. The clear conclusion from the poll and the comments is that standard does not exist.

ONEferBRID provides a default answer for those using the acbl defense number 2. 4♣ shows clubs and an unspecified major, the response of 4♦ asks for the major. Being from acbl-land, I would be pleased to accept that just so we can move on to discuss items that occur with greater frequency. I understand the arguments for a definite major, but I am happy with the acbl default.


Just as a parting shot, I observe that if the acbl were not so determined to protect me I would have more experience on which to base my opinion here.

[Free]

Just a quick thought, what do you think about the following agreement:
4♣ = 5+♥ + m
4♦ = 5+♠ + m

[gwnn]

I bid 4♣ with c+s and x (takeout or penalty) with c+h btw.

[Fluffy]

Free, on Apr 16 2010, 01:53 PM, said:

Just a quick thought, what do you think about the following agreement:
4♣ = 5+♥ + m
4♦ = 5+♠ + m

playable, but buries more slams than unspecified major IMO.