[Raff90]

Your partner opens 1NT.
How do you bid following hand:
♠AQ7
♥J1094
♦KT9xxx
♣Void

At my table it was:
1NT - 2♣
2♠ - 3♣ Asking
3♦(one 4 card minor ) - 3♥ asking
3♠ 4 card♣ - whats your bid now?

[Zelandakh]

Do you have a way to show 4♥ and longer ♦ in your system?

[kenrexford]

One intriguing option is to just set spades as trumps. 6♠ might be better than 6♦ anyway, and 4♠ might be better than 3NT.

[mikeh]

I am a simple man. I bid 2♣ stayman in an effort to find a heart fit, I then bid 3♦ natural and forcing, implying hearts since I did not transfer to diamonds initially, and then I bid 4♠ over 3N since I like my spades for spades and don't like my clubs for notrump. A good partner isn't frightened of 4-3 fits.

[Raff90]

Well thats the problem. we dont know how to show 4♥ and 6♦.
3♦ would be balanced GF with ♥ FIT.
For me was actually only one problem.
What does 5♦ show? I was scared that my partners takes it as exclusion on ♣.

[Zelandakh]

The meaning of 1NT - 2♣; 2♠ - 3♦ is balanced with heart fit? That makes little sense to me; if I am wrong on what you wrote then tell us what this would mean please. When I played normal Stayman I used the above sequence for your Baron-style ask (I assume this is what 3♣ is) and 3♣ then showed diamonds. One of these has to show the 4M5+♦ hand unless you get there using an immediate transfer. If your system has no way of showing a basic hand type such as this then I suggest going back to a standard method.

[lalldonn]

mikeh, on 2012-October-24, 09:00, said:

I am a simple man. I bid 2♣ stayman in an effort to find a heart fit, I then bid 3♦ natural and forcing, implying hearts since I did not transfer to diamonds initially, and then I bid 4♠ over 3N since I like my spades for spades and don't like my clubs for notrump. A good partner isn't frightened of 4-3 fits.

You aren't as simple as you think. I think pulling 3NT to 4♠ is a big mistake for several reasons.

- Doesn't it sound invitational to slam, like a 3451 shaped 14 or 15 count? In fact, I'm pretty much positive that's what it means.
- Partner didn't rebid 3♠ over 3♦ so he won't have five spades (that he felt like showing anyway).
- Partner didn't rebid 3♥ over 3♦ so he won't be worried about clubs.
- It will be very hard to draw trumps and set up diamonds without losing too many tricks in between. Despite the shortness in the 3 trump hand I do not think this will play well in a 4-3 fit.

[hrothgar]

lalldonn, on 2012-October-24, 10:31, said:

You aren't as simple as you think. I think pulling 3NT to 4♠ is a big mistake for several reasons.

- Doesn't it sound invitational to slam, like a 3451 shaped 14 or 15 count? In fact, I'm pretty much positive that's what it means.
- Partner didn't rebid 3♠ over 3♦ so he won't have five spades (that he felt like showing anyway).
- Partner didn't rebid 3♥ over 3♦ so he won't be worried about clubs.
- It will be very hard to draw trumps and set up diamonds without losing too many tricks in between. Despite the shortness in the 3 trump hand I do not think this will play well in a 4-3 fit.

I'd like to add the fact that you may need to ruff clubs with Spade honors.
I'd be much happier in a Moysian holding Axx in Spades and moving that queen into the Diamond suit

[Raff90]

Well after the 3♠ response you know that partner has 4-(2/3)-(2/3)-4 has.
Question is 5♦ exclusion? the reason i bid 4♦ was that my partner easier understands that ive got ♦.
he bid 4nt and then i rebid 5♦. we ended up in 6D which we shouldnt have

[awm]

This is an example where I'd much rather show my shape than ask about partner's. The fact that partner has four clubs really helps me not at all; if they are four small clubs then 3NT won't make on a club lead, whereas we might be cold for 6♦ (or 6♠). If he has a club holding like ♣AQJx then 3NT is probably the limit of the hand. My preference would be to show my distribution as accurately as possible; in my preferred methods:

1NT - 3♦(1)
3♠(2) - 3NT(3)

(1) 3-4♠, 3-4♥, 4+♦, 0-1♣; basically a three-suiter short in clubs but can be a bit off shape; GF.
(2) Four spades, not four hearts.
(3) No major fit; thus 3451 or 3460 or 3361. Willing to play 3NT if partner has good club cards.

Now partner can pass, or bid 4♣ to show a really excellent hand for slam (no wasted club values), or otherwise suggest various strains.

If not playing my preferred methods, I will try stayman followed by 3♦ (natural, forcing to game) and then pass if partner tries 3NT. Hopefully this means he has good clubs since I have shown a whole bunch of red cards.

[straube]

Similar to awm

1N-2S. (size ask/relay)
2N-3D weak, short clubs with 4+ diamonds
3S-3N natural, 3451 or 3460

On the actual auction, I think pass is clear.