[jillybean]

---

Happy to play puppet here

[DavidKok]

Cyberyeti, on 2024-October-06, 15:30, said:

Didnt need to check K&R, rule of 19, other suits 4-0, no reason to devalue, nice intermediates. Plenty to open, I would not even evaluate this as rock bottom minimum.

Besides, if I don't open I'm going to have to pass partner's multi

jillybean, on 2024-October-06, 19:09, said:

That's not a concern for me, I'm protected from Multi.

That's backwards. If partner does have a weak two in hearts, how do you think the auction will go if you open 1♦? I think it's either 1♦-2♥ or 1♦-1♥; 1♠-2♥ depending on agreements. Compared to that having the choice to pass 2♦ is beneficial, not detrimental.

pescetom, on 2024-October-07, 05:56, said:

So it starts:

-

or for the more timid:

-

How do you proceed (in either case) with your preferred methods?

First deal: 2♠. Frequently a 3-card raise so partner will likely continue with spiral. It is tempting to bid more, our hand is worth far more than a minimum with either a 9-card fit or presumed reduced wastage in hearts opposite, and 3♠ (unbal, 4♠5(+)♦ or 4=1=4=4, 13-15) is tempting. But I'll bid slowly - this lack of high card points in an uncontested auction is bothering me.
Second deal: 3♣ puppet Stayman, continuing 3♦ (4cM but not 5)-3♥ (spades not hearts)-3♠ (sets trumps) and now 4♦ showing serious slam interest (bypassing 3NT nonserious) and showing a diamond control while denying a club control.

[pescetom]

I probably should have pointed out that a 1S response to 1D does not deny diamonds fit for the player in West: some of our players would have bid a semi-artificial 2C game force instead.

[Cyberyeti]

pescetom, on 2024-October-07, 13:13, said:

I probably should have pointed out that a 1S response to 1D does not deny diamonds fit for the player in West: some of our players would have bid a semi-artificial 2C game force instead.

If partner has 4♠/4♦ we would start with 2♦

[AL78]

Cyberyeti, on 2024-October-07, 06:26, said:

1♦-1♠-2♠ (usually 4)

2N-3♣ (5M enquiry)

Ditto.

[jillybean]

Do you agree, there has been a significant BIT?

[Cyberyeti]

DavidKok, on 2024-October-07, 10:26, said:

That's backwards. If partner does have a weak two in hearts, how do you think the auction will go if you open 1♦? I think it's either 1♦-2♥ or 1♦-1♥; 1♠-2♥ depending on agreements. Compared to that having the choice to pass 2♦ is beneficial, not detrimental.

Given what we open a multi on, x, Jxxxx, Qx, Axxxx is as likely as a classical 6 card suit type, particularly as KQJxxx will prob open at the 3 level in 3rd.

[pescetom]

jillybean, on 2024-October-08, 07:00, said:

Do you agree, there has been a significant BIT?

Sorry it got slow, I had to fix a car, direct a tournament, meet a candidate for FIGB presidency and a few other chores.
And somewhat ragged too, but I was aware that there would be no consensus on the first call of East, unlike at the club.

Here are both hands so that people can think out their auction more clearly:

---

[pescetom]

Not much joy here for me at the table.
East was a beginner I was mentoring and our auction was short and sweet:
P - 2NT; P.
"I thought you would struggle to make even 8 tricks on a hearts lead" she explained.

Made +5 on a small hearts lead (but only from my side, admittedly).

[jillybean]

Nice hand

As for East's reason to pass, I see this over and over with newer players. They only consider their own hand. I would never want to play in NT with East's cards.
Who said bidding is a conversation? That has become my mantra.

[mw64ahw]

I guess 7♠ makes unless they break 5-0 even if 7♦ has a better chance?

[mycroft]

---

Spots can doom 7♠ even on a 4-1 (okay, only one way). And a 5-0 spade break will set 7♦, too, if you wrong-side it (if you tell us you have a 4-4 spade fit and end up in 7♦, even I can figure out what to lead holding ♠J9876. If you don't, then maybe 7♦ gets doubled, and?)

[pescetom]

The full hand was:

---

so no surprises.

One table played 7♦E=, all the others were in 6♠W+1 except for our 2NW+5.

[pescetom]

With a regular partner I hope it would go much like:

____ 1♦
1♠ - 3♥(Spl)
4♣(♣+Ser) - 4♦
4♥ - 5♥(odd)
6♣(♣+♠Q) - 6♥(GS try)
7♠ - P

It's a rather delicate finale, as West is invested with a certain captaincy, knowing the keycards and maybe ♦Q.
As East looking at my clubs I would be tempted do bid the superfluous third level hearts to indicate interest in the Grand, rather than an academical 6♠; this is undiscussed however.

[akwoo]

Well, my Precision partnership would find this easy:

1D - 1S
2N - 3C (2N=6D/0-2Smax or splinter; 3C=relay)
3S - 4N (3S=heart shortness, 6 losers; 4N=RKCB)
6H - 7S (6H=odd+Hvoid; 7S=I see your 6 losers in my hand)

In case you're wondering, the bids over 3C are 3D=6D/0-2Smax, 3H=4+S/0-1C 6 losers, 3S=4+S/0-1H 6 losers, 3N=4+S/0-1C 5 losers, 4C=4+S/0-1H 5 losers.

I'm thinking about how this would go in my other partnerships, but without the invitational mini-splinter, finding the grand is harder. West should still be able to figure out East has to have all those cards given an opener with a heart void, but I confess I can do that at the table only on a good day.

[Cyberyeti]

1♦-2♦ (not GF, may contain 4M)
2♠-2N (GF bal)
3♣-4♥ (kickback ♦)
5♠(2 without +void ♥)-6♣ (I have one of ♣KQ, bid the grand with the other)
7♦-P/7♠