[jillybean]

WasWinM, on 2026-September-19, 08:50, said:

I'm curious what motivated you to jump to 4H. Even die hard proponents of fast arrival don't jump to game unless they are minimum for their bidding.

I'm south My partner was motivated to jump to 4♥ by our combined LTC

[mikeh]

jillybean, on 2026-September-19, 08:54, said:

I'm south My partner was motivated to jump to 4♥ by our combined LTC

Late to the thread. Puzzled by the notion of anyone these days who ‘plays’ LTC.

Also puzzled by the notion that your partner thought he or she knew your side’s combined LTC. You hand was virtually unlimited.

LTC is an extremely simple and simplistic means of hand evaluation. I do think it has some value when deciding what to bid with distributional hands. It tends to break down a bit on balanced hands, and is of very little help once partner shows shape, as 3C presumably did.

As responder, if you jump to 4H, how many side aces do you think opener has? That was a trick question….you hold ALL tye side aces. So opener would need a very strange hand to move, since nobody in their right mind would jump to 4H with 4 working cards…three aces and the heart queen.

[apollo1201]

 jillybean, on 2026-September-18, 23:57, said:

---

Talking it over afterwards, partner walked me through the LTC numbers behind the 4♥ bid, and mentioned I could've gone on with extras.

Late to the thread and not reading the ones after (which I hope will agree with me).

This is outrageous.

1st of all they do not know your hand. But despite nice elements (3 A, the HQ) it is not big enough to continue.

Bidding 4H would be a horrible 5422 habd with soft values in the doubletons and weak main suits. AK 5th and KQ 4th look good for 6C but they should know these concentrated values are not a horrible habd.

Unless a lot of luck with everything we’ll positioned explained the making slam, it looks like partner did not evaluate their habd well and is ATBing on you. And refusing to acknowledge the blame should mostly be on them.

[mike777]

Strangely enough partner just did this today.



He had 3 keycards and the Q of trump, spades, and a double fit. I was the two diamond bidder.

1S-2D(5)
3D-3S
4S- I passed. I guessed he denied controls in clubs or hearts..

Very frustrating and exhausting..

[steve2005]

jillybean, on 2026-September-18, 23:57, said:

---

Talking it over afterwards, partner walked me through the LTC numbers behind the 4♥ bid, and mentioned I could've gone on with extras.

Your partner doesn't know how to count LTC
Aces are good!

You have to adjust losers downward when you have more Aces than Queens. Plus the Queen of trump is also worth an upgrade.
Replace his 3 aces with Kings then it is a 7-loser hand

[P_Marlowe]

jillybean, on 2026-September-18, 10:21, said:

---

Playing losing trick count, what is your thinking?

#0 2C was gf, ... including GF heart raise?
#1 LTC is not developed to evaluate bal. hands.
#2 I stick to my plan and show the heart support, and take it from there
...
#3 4H with the given hand denies a slam suitable hand, given the amount
of KC and the double fit, this is pretty pessimistic, 6H would be a better
call and more approbriate, but you have lots of room, why burn it.

Partner will have 54??, you cover 2 of his loosers in spade and diamonds,
also 2 loosers (1 heart looser, 1 club looser).
The only question is, if you should hide the heart fit and go looking for
club slam, e.g. by bidding 3S instead of 3H, ... MP scoring favors Major,
so this is only an valid idea, playing IMP.


With kind regards
Marlowe

[P_Marlowe]

jillybean, on 2026-September-18, 11:35, said:

3♣ neither promises or denies extras.

This question is posted because one half of the partnership uses LTC, the other doesn't, and frankly the marriage counselor isn't cheap.

LTC can be used by one side, and not used by the other.

With regards to counselor, you may try Pamela Granovetters books "How to play Bridge with your Spouse and survive",
I have yet to read it, but they are stll married, as far as I know.
As it is my wife is also playing, with my reg. p, someone needs to play Sherif to get the kids into bed, i.e. we rarely
play, although she says, it is less stressful to play with me, ...

[jillybean]

The reference to a marriage counsellor was only a metaphor, although given the nature of a few recent posts, a mediator for bridge partnerships may be useful.

[P_Marlowe]

jillybean, on 2026-September-21, 17:28, said:

The reference to a marriage counsellor was only a metaphor, although given the nature of a few recent posts, a mediator for bridge partnerships may be useful.

Sure, the book is still on my list of books to read ( ..., I have to purchase it first).

[WasWinM]

jillybean, on 2026-September-19, 08:54, said:

I'm south My partner was motivated to jump to 4♥ by our combined LTC

Your country seems to have a lot of psychics who also claim to play bridge.

[jillybean]

I am aware of the Bergen school 2M = 6, Lawrence; 2M is the catch all, 2N promises stoppers and my favorite, Sculers 2M=5, 2N=6 and no one has mentioned stoppers.

And then there is this,
When you make a 2/1 2nt by me says I have either 18 or 19 or 13 14.
3nt over your 2/1 says i have 15 to 17 and a reason to not open 1nt.

[mike777]

 jillybean, on 2026-September-23, 10:31, said:

I am aware of the Bergen school 2M = 6, Lawrence; 2M is the catch all, 2N promises stoppers and my favorite, Sculers 2M=5, 2N=6 and no one has mentioned stoppers.

And then there is this,
When you make a 2/1 2nt by me says I have either 18 or 19 or 13 14.
3nt over your 2/1 says i have 15 to 17 and a reason to not open 1nt.

Excellent


Spelled
"Schuler Shift"

[jillybean]

which option(s) do you consider excellent?

[mike777]

jillybean, on 2026-September-23, 18:05, said:

which option(s) do you consider excellent?

Your summary of options

[jillybean]

Is there any modern, expert consensus : Bergen, Lawrence or Sculer , or other methods?

[mike777]

jillybean, on 2026-September-24, 11:57, said:

Is there any modern, expert consensus : Bergen, Lawrence or Sculer , or other methods?

I would say in ACBL land:

at the club level rebidding the major=six most common
top levels rebidding the major=5 or 6
Very very few play Schuler Shift, face to face I have never met anyone besides myself. I only started playing it the last year or so, however it has been around at least 15 years.