[ArcLight]

Scoring: IMP

---

Bidding:
1C - 1H -
1S - 2D -
2H - 3D -
4H

Pard and I had never played together.

1) Should one always respond with a 4 card major in preference to a 7 card minor, headed by the AQ?

2) My 4H was not successful. What I was thinking was the rebid of ♦ implied 5-5 in ♥ and ♦ and with my aces and stiff ♦ I'd be able to ruff ♦.

3) 4H was down 1, With the distribution 3NT would probably have made.

[luke warm]

the south hand is too strong to bid hearts first... imo it should be bid naturally, diamonds first (and maybe even 2nd), then hearts.. a responder's reverse isn't the same as an opener's reverse

[Free]

About the Majors first:
- If you've never played together, why play Walsh style? It's only confusing if you have to rebid ♦s.
- Even if playing Walsh, you'll have to bid 1♦ first, because you're at least invitational.

[Double !]

with apologies to all MAF and Walsh-style players (i am the latter), these are guidelines, not rules to be so rigidly used that all bridge reason goes out the window. 7-4 hands bid the 7 first. I don't mind rebidding 2H over 1NT followed by 3D because P should have at least xx in diamonds in order to rebid 1NT, so there's the stronger likelihood that diamonds can be set up. Now, reaching them might prove to be a challenge. (1C-1H-1N-3D = weak 4-6 with most people I know)

[hrothgar]

I prefer MAFIA bidding styles, however, I do not consider them standard and certainly don't beleive this applies as a default in a pickup partnership. For what its worth, MAFIA is very different from Walsh. In short... respond 1♦

One possible auction:

1♣ - 1♦
1♠ - 2♥
2♠ - 2N
3N

The first 4 bids seem clear... I can see arguements for a variety of third round actions icluding 2♠, 2NT, and 3♣.

Personally, I dislike 2NT (Jxx isn't much of a stopper). I prefer that 3♣ shows a 6-4 hand, and use the cheapest bid (2♠) to temporize rather than explictly show shape. There are some that would prefer to use 2♠ to show 5-5 in the blacks, but thats another story...

[Fluffy]

The problem with this tipe of hands is you have to take a decision on first round:
If you bid 1♦ you are forced to show a GF hand later (this means that you think you have opening values), or that instead you don't have a ♥ suit but a single ♦ suiter, in wich case you can decide wich strenght later.


If you insted decide to bid 1♥, you are deciding that your hand has no Game values opposite a minimum, AND that your ♦ suit will probably be hidden forever. It may sound weird, but if you decide to start with 1♥ your only possible rebid after 1♠ is 2NT.

[ArcLight]

If pard opens 1♣

and you have

♠ 9 7 6 5 2
♥ A Q J T

How should one respond?
1S (because of greater length)
or is 1H ok because of the strength of the suit?

[mike777]

ArcLight, on Jun 12 2005, 06:48 PM, said:

If pard opens 1♣

and you have

♠ 9 7 6 5 2
♥ A Q J T

How should one respond?
1S (because of greater length)
or is 1H ok because of the strength of the suit?

This hand is a poster child for reverse flannery.

1minor=2h=weak hand with 5+s and 4+h.

[Winstonm]

Quote

) Should one always respond with a 4 card major in preference to a 7 card minor, headed by the AQ?

Question 1) Simple question; simple answer. Assuming standard bidding, No.

Your bidding as responder depends on the strength of your hand. Generally speaking, responder's hand can be grouped in 3 categories: 1) Game forcing 2) Invitational strength 3) Weak.

Your bidding will depend on which strength you hold: Here are 3 hands with 4/7 hearts/diamonds to show you the difference (Forget Walsh for the moment - this is just plain old standard.) in responses when partner opens 1C.

xx, xxxx, AQxxxxx, x: Bid 1D then 2D. This shows weakness.

xx, KJxx, AQxxxxx, x: Bid 1D then 3D*. This shows invitational strength.

Ax, AJxx, AQxxxxx, x: Bid 1D then 2H. This shows game strength with longer diamonds than hearts.

*Hearts can wait. Better to show your relative stregnth first. If partner cannot bid 1H over 1D, you don't have a heart fit.

Question 2: 98762, AQJx. Answer: In standard 1S always. Otherwise you can never uncover the 5/3 fit. Keep the object in mind about majors - your first priority is to find an 8-card or better fit.

Hope this helps.

WinstonM

[Double !]

I do wish I could remember who it was that answered, "under an assumed name" when asked how a certain hand should be bid. Oh, well, early Alzheimers.
Have a good evening all.

[EricK]

Double !, on Jun 13 2005, 01:03 AM, said:

I do wish I could remember who it was that answered, "under an assumed name" when asked how a certain hand should be bid. Oh, well, early Alzheimers.
Have a good evening all.

It was George Kaufman (and it was about how a hand should have been played, not bid).

Eric

[the hog]

Am I the only one who thinks the South hand is not worth a GF? After 1C 1D 1S, I would bid 3D invitational and play there I guess. 3NT is horrible with no fit in D or C.

"1) Should one always respond with a 4 card major in preference to a 7 card minor, headed by the AQ?"

The answer to the above question is that it depends on which system you play and on what you have agreed with partner. In most systems you would repond 1D. If you play a MAFIA style, as mentioned above by Richard, then you would bid 1H and then make an invitational bid showing long D. No doubt this will be an anathema to some, but it is a very playable style and does give you a lot of inferences in the auction. If you wish to see this in play, watch the Balicki - Zmudzinski partnership.

[Winstonm]

In SAYC, IMO, the bidding should be simple:

1C-1D
1S-3D
P

3 Diamonds=invites game, normally 3N but as here 5D is possible.
P=no extras and no good fit.

Final contract: 3D.

WinstonM

[JSilver]

Winstonm, on Jun 14 2005, 12:22 AM, said:

In SAYC, IMO, the bidding should be simple:

1C-1D
1S-3D
P

3 Diamonds=invites game, normally 3N but as here 5D is possible.
P=no extras and no good fit.

Final contract: 3D.

WinstonM

Sounds good to me. Unless you play that 1♦ categorically denies a 4-card major (and that's not SAYC as I know it), I can't see a reason to skip over a longer diamond suit with a better than average hand. You won't lose a heart fit if you have one.