[ahydra]

IMPs, advanced opps. You're vul, they're not.

---

2D = multi (weak two in a major or various strong types). Partner overcalls 2NT showing 16-18 with both majors stopped. How do you plan to advance? Options are 3C puppet stayman, 3D/H transfers, 3S minor suit stayman, 4C gerber (sorry).

If you pick puppet stayman, it goes like this:

---

What next? Pass is forcing, if you pick this partner will double.

ahydra

[eagles123]

it would be a lot easier if p just bid 3s and then we could cue clubs

[ggwhiz]

Never mind, misread the auction.

[mgoetze]

The question is, how awful does partner's hand have to be to bid 4♠? Over a normal 3♠ I think I would go to 5♠ but here I guess it's better to defend.

[WesleyC]

I don't mind starting with puppet stayman, but I think you've wasted a couple of chances earlier in the auction.

I'd rather pass over 3H, which leaves partner room to show/deny a diamond control based on your methods.

After 3H, what does partner's jump to 4S mean? What would 3S be instead?

[ahydra]

To clarify - our system after 3C-3D; 3H is: 3S = 3c spades, 3NT = 4c hearts, 4S = 4c spades, cue = 4c spades + good hand

ahydra

[BillPatch]

ahydra, on 2015-September-04, 08:02, said:

To clarify - our system after 3C-3D; 3H is: 3S = 3c spades, 3NT = 4c hearts, 4S = 4c spades, cue = 4c spades + good hand

ahydra

So 3♠ and 4♠ both show the same hand???

[gszes]

5s

We had visions of sugar plums when p bid 2n and 6c or 6s certainly seemed like a realistic goal. As the bidding has gone on and partner has said they have a poor hand (i assume that does NOT include minimum control rich hands) slam has slowly slipped by the way side. The bidding has revealed something very interesting. The opps have a huge heart fit (10 card fit hardly unreasonable) but rho does not have a lot of spades (would YOU be sacrificing if you held AJTx in spades?) since they could have preempted immediately (in my system that is 3N bid your major). If rho is short in spades that means lho may easily be 46 in the majors and 5h might have some serious play or go down 300 at worst. That is small potatoes compared to the vul game bonus we would be giving up defending 5h.

It is barely plausible the opps have a AAK combination they can set us with off the top and if we have trump holes it would seem lho is finesseable. I would much rather gamble on the 5 level here since I would much rather defend 6hx than 5hx and the percentage of 5s failing should be under 20% so the overall risk vs reward favors 5s.

[ahydra]

BillPatch, on 2015-September-04, 08:21, said:

So 3♠ and 4♠ both show the same hand???

Huh? 3S = three cards in spades (exactly), 4S = four cards in spades. This allows responder to use puppet stayman with 5S4H. (Though I'm beginning to wonder if the gain on 5S4H hands is worth the loss of responder being able to cue)

ahydra

[BillPatch]

ahydra, on 2015-September-04, 09:28, said:

Huh? 3S = three cards in spades (exactly), 4S = four cards in spades. This allows responder to use puppet stayman with 5S4H. (Though I'm beginning to wonder if the gain on 5S4H hands is worth the loss of responder being able to cue)

ahydra

Sorry, failed to see that "c" was an abbreviation for cards. Normally it stands for clubs, though I could see that was wrong here.

[mgoetze]

ahydra, on 2015-September-04, 09:28, said:

(Though I'm beginning to wonder if the gain on 5S4H hands is worth the loss of responder being able to cue)

Just switch to Muppet Stayman like I did.