[phil_20686]

Zelandakh, on 2012-September-11, 05:18, said:

1. Phil's suggestion that partner will always show a club control or serious interest seems flawed to me too - is partner not allowed to bid 4♥ with bad trumps and spade wastage? If we are willing to respect this as a sign-off then the splinter route is better; if not then it is surely better to force partner to cue bid. How many of the splinter bidders would pass a 4♥ rebid from Opener over their 3♠?

Basically, you can divide the NT hands opposite the splinter into two or three ranges, based on the number of working cards. Both seem workable on this hand. You will have a sign off, a non serious cue, and a serious cue, and over any of them you will get a chance to bid 4S to show your void, and partner will now cue bid efficiently. If partner shows a serious try, for example, you can just bid 4S and away keycard to find the grand, since it must be good even if partner has the ace of spades. If he has KQJx spades and signs off, you have also learned something useful, and your constructions will be moderated. With AK K in the minors and KQJx of spades, you will still get to slam after a non serious try.

You are not ever passing.

[hrothgar]

I personally am intrigued by transferring to hearts and then bidding six

[MrAce]

hrothgar, on 2012-September-11, 06:47, said:

I personally am intrigued by transferring to hearts and then bidding six

Probably the best.

[lalldonn]

I would transfer to hearts then bid exclusion, usually in spades but every now and then in clubs. I'm really not going to concern myself with hands where we belong in diamonds, what am I supposed to do, transfer to hearts then bid diamonds then have no clue which suit I want to play in if he raises me? I'm also not completely concerned with being off a club control. We usually aren't and they still have to find the lead.

To me a spade splinter is pointless, we can't pass a signoff anyway. KQJx xx KQx KQxx has no aces and no trump honors and tons of spade wastage and you claim slam at trick 1. Partner is not supposed to cuebid a supposedly terrible hand like that even with a club control!

[aguahombre]

hrothgar, on 2012-September-11, 06:47, said:

I personally am intrigued by transferring to hearts and then bidding six

It is intriguing to be sure. Is this another example of just deciding the final contract based on imagined sims in order to avoid leakage?

As Timo said earlier, if we try something exploratory we have no f****** idea how it will work out. But, I think we have to at least try a little science...whatever it is.

[mike777]

yes 4s there is indeed exclusion playing kickback

1nt=2d
2h=4s!

[MinorKid]

Quote

in my system I would start with transfer followed by 3d to show red suit
2 suiter and game forcing. I have no intention of stopping at 3n.

how the bidding proceeds from there depends on what opener bids.

if opener bids 3s (showing spades stopped but not clubs) (unless they are cuebidding
with a max where they will cue bid some more) i will bid 4h as a sign off try.
if opener bids 4c showing clubs stopped but not spades (responder may still be
able to bid 4n as an invite to 6n). I have sufficent values to bid 7h.

if opener bids 3n i will follow with (4s or 5c) --in this case 4s- to show my 0652
hand slam invitational (10-13) 0553 (14-16) and let opener decide where to play (though i
will convert dia contracts to hearts). (opener will usually place contract at proper level
or bid 5n to encourage 7 if responder is near the top of their range)

The key is letting p know about the 2 suited nature of your hand. This allows them to
make a much more intelligent decision on how high to go. Sometimes it is best to let
the player looking at their cards decide how well they fit with yours instead of your worrying
about all the possible great vs horrid fits available.

i agree with gszes


I guess most of our players would start with 1NT - 2♦ - 2♥ - 3♦ (Game Forcing , at least 5-4).

If unluckly opener rebid 3NT then, i may try 5♥ unless we specify 4♠ over 3NT is cue bid.