[Coelacanth]

IMPs, vul vs not

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(spots approximate)

Methods:
2♠ is an artificial game force, ambiguous as to spade holding
3♠ would probably be interpreted as a splinter by partner, but you have no explicit agreement about this sequence
4♣ would be ambiguous; you have discussed playing Minorwood with this partner, but have not added it to your card

It looks like you might belong in any strain except spades. How do you proceed?

Spoiler

If you bid 2♠, partner bids 3♣. Now what?

[mgoetze]

If 2♥ is forcing, I bid 2♥. If 2♥ is not forcing, I bid 2♠, unless perhaps I feel like bidding 3♥. Also, if 2♥ is not forcing, I will consider changing my methods.

[Codo]

At imps I need not to aim for the major. It is very likely that partner has short hearts anyway. If he has short spades, opponents silence would not be reasonable.

I go with 2 ♠ and raise clubs later.

[TWO4BRIDGE]

I'm going with the 3♠! splinter.

[aguahombre]

The masters way back "when" agreed that even though a jump to 3♥ would only be an invite after a 1NT rebid, it was clearly forcing when responder could not be assured opener even held one of them, such as this case. Some of us old fossils still believe in that idea.

The problem with 3S is that it addresses the club support, but not the great heart suit, and we really can't recover from that; but we can conceivably get to the club support after 3H ---if we want to, depending on opener's continuation.

Especially for B/I, this is worth thinking about adopting, and eliminating one more thing from 4th suit forcing.

[mike777]

Coelacanth, on 2012-March-05, 13:36, said:

IMPs, vul vs not

---

(spots approximate)

Methods:
2♠ is an artificial game force, ambiguous as to spade holding
3♠ would probably be interpreted as a splinter by partner, but you have no explicit agreement about this sequence
4♣ would be ambiguous; you have discussed playing Minorwood with this partner, but have not added it to your card

It looks like you might belong in any strain except spades. How do you proceed?

Spoiler

If you bid 2♠, partner bids 3♣. Now what?

I will stay low and start with 2s.

over 3c I bid 4d rkc for clubs not natural I want to be the one who bids rkc not pard with h as a source of tricks.

I would bid 3d over 3c to set d as trumps.

[P_Marlowe]

2S.

Partner may still have 3 hearts.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Cyberyeti]

P_Marlowe, on 2012-March-06, 06:23, said:

2S.

Partner may still have 3 hearts.

With kind regards
Marlowe

Only if opps have an undisclosed 11 or 12 card spade fit at favourable, unlikely, partner is most likely 3154/3055 or just maybe 2155/2164/2065 in my world view becoming one of the 5+-5 shapes when he bids 3♣.

[TWO4BRIDGE]

Coelacanth, on 2012-March-05, 13:36, said:

IMPs, vul vs not

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The 3S! splinter does more than show a stiff ♠ and 4 cards ♣, it ostensibly shows GF values ( because of forcing the bidding to the 4-level ) and therefore shows that the 1H response was at least 5 cards ♥. [ Also some measure of ♦ support has been shown . Partner is now in a much better position to proceed ].

Why? Because with GF values and only 4 cards ♥, Responder would have bid 2C! ( 2/1 GF ) over 1D .

[Zelandakh]

TWO4BRIDGE, on 2012-March-06, 07:27, said:

Why? Because with GF values and only 4 cards ♥, Responder would have bid 2C! ( 2/1 GF ) over 1D .

I don't think it is standard to bid 2♣ over 1♦ with x/AKJx/Kxxx/QJxx is it? Given the conditions laid out in the OP I think 2♠ is best - a game-forcing hand without clear direction.

[Coelacanth]

As always, thanks to everyone for their replies. I probably should have mentioned that we were not playing 2/1. Partner would not be interested in any subtle inferences about my heart length anyway; he had a heart void. The hand was approximately (my hand repeated for convenience)

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At our table, I declared 4♥ on the lead of the (singleton) ♣2. I flew Ace, crossed in diamonds, and played 3 rounds of trump. My RHO didn't think I could have (only) 6 hearts and (as many as) 4 clubs, so he exited with a spade. Making 4.

At the other table, the auction was something like: 1♦-1♥; 2♣-2♠; 3♣-3♦; 3♠-6♣. My teammate thought opener was showing the ♠A, and thus led a heart from ♠KQxx ♥Qxx ♦xxx ♣KTx. Making 6.

I think any reasonable set of agreements should let you stop in 5♣ with these cards; time for more discussion with partner.

[mike777]

Coelacanth, on 2012-March-06, 09:17, said:

As always, thanks to everyone for their replies. I probably should have mentioned that we were not playing 2/1. Partner would not be interested in any subtle inferences about my heart length anyway; he had a heart void. The hand was approximately (my hand repeated for convenience)

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At our table, I declared 4♥ on the lead of the (singleton) ♣2. I flew Ace, crossed in diamonds, and played 3 rounds of trump. My RHO didn't think I could have (only) 6 hearts and (as many as) 4 clubs, so he exited with a spade. Making 4.

At the other table, the auction was something like: 1♦-1♥; 2♣-2♠; 3♣-3♦; 3♠-6♣. My teammate thought opener was showing the ♠A, and thus led a heart from ♠KQxx ♥Qxx ♦xxx ♣KTx. Making 6.

I think any reasonable set of agreements should let you stop in 5♣ with these cards; time for more discussion with part

3d by south over 3c was a pretty weird bid.. as was 3s.