[TWO4BRIDGE]

mycroft, on 2012-December-31, 13:14, said:

5♦-6♦; 6♠? Why can't 3♦ be a "fake" with only 3, and partner is concerned about bypassing 3NT?

I think you should limit your GF "fake" ( if you need one ) to the ♣ suit only and leave 3D as natural ( at least a good 4 cards ) .

[Zelandakh]

Strange, my first thought with this hand was a 4NT opening; but it is quickly apparent that neither the traditional responses (6♣ = ♣A, 5NT = any 2 aces); nor the modern tweak (5NT = ♣A, ♣6 = any 2 aces); nor the ultra-modern extension (5NT = ♣A; 6♣ = 2 aces without ♣A; 6♦ = ♣A + a major suit ace; 6♥ = ♣A + ♦A) are sound here. Note that the denial method for 2 aces is marginally better than the positive way Mike gave, since we are more likely to need to stop in a suit where partner does not have the ace.

As for how I would bid it, well

1♣ = 15+ nat/bal or 18+ any
... - 1NT = hearts or hearts and clubs, GF
2♣ = relay, usually 18+
... - 3♣ = 0634 or 1624
3♦ = relay
... - 3♠ = 1624, min
4♣ = relay
... - 4♠ = 3 controls
4NT = relay
... - 5♣ = no heart control
5♦ = relay
... - 5NT = controls in both minors, not in spades
6♠

seems to do the trick.

In the "natural" auction, it is not uncommon to play 2♣ - 2♦; 3♠ as 4 spades with longer diamonds these days, rather than the traditional self-supporting suit. That makes the hands where you actually do hold the (semi-)solid suit even more fun...

[Cyberyeti]

I'm prepared to go to the 5 level here.

1♠-1N-3♦-3N-4♦-4♠-5♣-5♦-6♠ is not silly although I'm not sure of some of the nuances of 2/1 and what exactly 3♦ and 4♦ would show so whether 4♠ is the right bid over 4♦.

[PhilKing]

No poker for me today - all these 1♠ openings have put me on monkey tilt.

Two Clubs!

[Cyberyeti]

PhilKing, on 2013-January-02, 05:38, said:

No poker for me today - all these 1♠ openings have put me on monkey tilt.

Two Clubs!

If you're playing exclusion, 1♠ followed by 5♣ exclusion (or 4♣ over 1N if you play this as exclusion) more or less gets you the info you need and 1♠ is very unlikely to be passed out.

2♣ tends to have the auction at 6♥ before I get to bid again without me having shown any suits where I'd get to bid 5♦ if I opened 1♠.

[Free]

While I understand that opening 1♠ will probably not end the auction, I find it absurd not to open 2♣ on this hand. You're interested in only 2 cards: ♠A and ♦A. Unless you have a way to ask for specific Aces another way, I like 2♣ followed by 4♣ as specific Ace ask when partner responds a positive 2♦ (other bids up to 3NT are already defined, and after a negative there's no need to ask for Aces). After that I'll place the final contract.

[han]

Nice gnasher, 1S-1NT-5C had not occured to me but it is so simple and perfect.

Now that we are on the exclusion topic, after 2C - 2D - 3S - 4D you don't need exclusion, partner doesn't have the club ace. At the table partner probably wouldn't bid 4D but 4C. After our 4D I think it is clear that partner should cue 5D.

[Cyberyeti]

han, on 2013-January-03, 04:04, said:

Nice gnasher, 1S-1NT-5C had not occured to me but it is so simple and perfect.

What is 1♠-1N-4♣ ?

[gnasher]

Cyberyeti, on 2013-January-03, 04:45, said:

What is 1♠-1N-4♣ ?

A splinter.

[PhilKing]

Cyberyeti, on 2013-January-02, 05:19, said:

I'm prepared to go to the 1 level here.