[Fluffy]

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#1 4♣ was alerted at west's side of the screen as 6♠ 4♥ althou it was obvious she wasn't sure. At east's side no alert was given.

There was a long pause before the tray came back with 4♠, and I think this can be UI for west that they are not on the same wavelenght and bid 6NT.


south had ♦Kxxx ♣Jxx, but hearts not breaking if I recall correctly, needs to missplay trumps or do something wild with a ruffing finese in diamonds to go down in 6♣. 6NT made comfortably after a diamond lead.

[blackshoe]

3♥ in response to Stayman to deny a four card major seems an odd agreement.

It does seem unlikely that a pause on the West side of the screen (either side, for that matter, at that point in the auction) would be due to an opponent. Still, I don't see that it demonstrably suggests bidding 6NT.

Was there MI?

[BunnyGo]

blackshoe, on 2011-October-29, 05:11, said:

3♥ in response to Stayman to deny a four card major seems an odd agreement.

It's somewhat popular now (especially if kibbing the Bermuda Bowl is any suggestion of what is popular). The structure is the same as puppet stayman, except switches the meaning of 3NT and 3♥.

[FrancesHinden]

blackshoe, on 2011-October-29, 05:11, said:

3♥ in response to Stayman to deny a four card major seems an odd agreement.

No, it's not that uncommon among scientists. 3♦ = 1 or 2 4-card majors, 3♥ = no major, 3♠ = 5, 3NT = 5 hearts.
This allows you to do some clever stuff after the 3♥ response to show various other hand types as you have a little more room.
(We play 4♣ on this particular auction as 4-5 in the majors slam invitational, for example; 3♠ is a puppet to 3NT to show some other minor-suited hands)

[blackshoe]

New to me, and not a method I would choose, but to each his own.

[FrancesHinden]

Fluffy, on 2011-October-29, 04:43, said:

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#1 4♣ was alerted at west's side of the screen as 6♠ 4♥ althou it was obvious she wasn't sure. At east's side no alert was given.

There was a long pause before the tray came back with 4♠, and I think this can be UI for west that they are not on the same wavelenght and bid 6NT.

south had ♦Kxxx ♣Jxx, but hearts not breaking if I recall correctly, needs to missplay trumps or do something wild with a ruffing finese in diamonds to go down in 6♣. 6NT made comfortably after a diamond lead.

I think you mean UI to East?
What I'm struggling with here is while I agree a slow 4S bid is UI, I'm not sure what it suggests other than uncertainty.
If my partner and I had this start to the auction, all a slow 4S bid would tell you is that partner is trying to remember the system. Now that might be the same here, and the slow 4S bid tells East that he has got their complex system wrong.

p.s. I don't think it changes anything, but East would have dealt and passed.

[Fluffy]

Yes, thanks Frances, east is a passed hand. I just think that East should think 6♣ is a good contract after no majors from partner, having singleton diamond really appeals to play in clubs, and that's why she tried 4♣, I just think that a faster 4♠ might end up with them playing in clubs.

There was MI but there was no damage due to it.

[Zelandakh]

If East thinks 4C was natural then surely 4S is a cue bid for clubs in whichever style the opps use. Would that not suggest that E-W are missing the red aces? I would like to ask East why they bid 6NT and what they thought 4S meant.

[bluejak]

blackshoe, on 2011-October-29, 05:11, said:

3♥ in response to Stayman to deny a four card major seems an odd agreement.

You will be surprised to hear that I play it then! Muppet Stayman, the first I heard of it was on RGB, being a simple form of Puppet to allow for the annoying 5♠s+4♥s hand. After 3♣, 3♦ shows one or two four-card majors, as in normal Puppet, and 3♠ shows 5♠s. But 3♥ denies a four or five card major, while 3NT shows 5♥s. This leaves room to bid 3♠ after 3♥ with 5♠s+4♥s.

I see there were other answers suggesting a more complex system: we play because it is simpler than Puppet to include the tricky hand.

[blackshoe]

Interesting. I'd heard of "Muppet Stayman" but never looked at it in detail. So I've learned something new. Probably not going to find a partner willing to play it, though.

[bluejak]

Ah, but do you have partners scientific enough to consider Puppet Stayman allowing for 5/4 major hands? If so, Muppet is simpler. But if you and your partner never consider including 5/4 majors at all, no problem.