[helene_t]

I said that dbl shows four spades, but if we play nonpromisory stayman, what can I do with a balanced invite without a 4-card major? I don't think pass will show that since I could also be broke with 4342.

[Mbodell]

 DJNeill, on 2013-September-11, 21:36, said:

Tangent: if you are playing weak NT, see the weak NT system bible from Kokish-Kraft. It has a lot of good stuff, including something about this sequence.

I don't see this auction though including the 3♣. I'd guess, playing the Kokish-Kraft method that it would be cooperative penalty. But the key is that 2♥ showed 5 in that method so presumably opener is 5♥332 and a lot is already known. If you don't have that agreement and 2♥ only shows 4 then it is harder to tell and likely cooperative takeout.

[fromageGB]

 fromageGB, on 2013-September-08, 14:53, said:

The double? On the face of it, 2 good possible meanings - game values with 4 spades, and maybe just less than game values not necessarily holding spades, ie penalty. If 2♣ promised a major, then I would think the former has more weight, otherwise the latter.

 helene_t, on 2013-September-12, 03:38, said:

I said that dbl shows four spades, but if we play nonpromisory stayman, what can I do with a balanced invite without a 4-card major? I don't think pass will show that since I could also be broke with 4342.

This is more or less what I meant. You are making a X as a strength bid therefore penalty orientated, but as you will be invitational strength opener has the option of taking it out to 3NT if he has the hand.

[PhilG007]

 gordontd, on 2013-September-08, 02:39, said:

Does the meaning of a call depend on the cards you hold?

Yes absolutely yes unless you are playing " Blind Man's Bridge"(!)
or the bid is conventional

[Zelandakh]

 PhilG007, on 2013-September-13, 08:10, said:

Yes absolutely yes unless you are playing " Blind Man's Bridge"(!)
or the bid is conventional

Could you provide an example, and an explanation as to how partner knows which meaning to explain if the opponents decide to ask.

[aguahombre]

 Zelandakh, on 2013-September-13, 09:31, said:

Could you provide an example, and an explanation as to how partner knows which meaning to explain if the opponents decide to ask.

I am not the person you asked. However, when partner's bid could be one thing or the other, and your own cards tell you which it is....then your answer if asked would be that it shows either one thing or the other (but not which). Otherwise, you would be disclosing what you have in your hand.

[Vampyr]

 aguahombre, on 2013-September-13, 09:31, said:

I am not the person you asked. However, when partner's bid could be one thing or the other, and your own cards tell you which it is....then your answer if asked would be that it shows either one thing or the other (but not which). Otherwise, you would be disclosing what you have in your hand.

Well, sure, but the either/or agreement is still in place before you pick up a hand.

[GreenMan]

 aguahombre, on 2013-September-13, 09:31, said:

I am not the person you asked. However, when partner's bid could be one thing or the other, and your own cards tell you which it is....then your answer if asked would be that it shows either one thing or the other (but not which). Otherwise, you would be disclosing what you have in your hand.

And you could be wrong. I heard a story where a guy's call showed 5+ in some unspecified suit. He was sure it was spades, looking at his own hand, so he explained it that way. RHO was agitated but said nothing until she became dummy and put down a 9-card spade suit.

[aguahombre]

 GreenMan, on 2013-September-15, 11:32, said:

And you could be wrong. I heard a story where a guy's call showed 5+ in some unspecified suit. He was sure it was spades, looking at his own hand, so he explained it that way. RHO was agitated but said nothing until she became dummy and put down a 9-card spade suit.

I would be agitated, too, if I thought there were 14 Spades in the deck.