[PhilG007]

 msjennifer, on 2018-May-13, 00:00, said:

I agree almost fully with you.

So what are the bits you DON'T agree with? Just curious is all

[RD350LC]

 Stephen Tu, on 2018-May-11, 03:11, said:

You got extremely lucky. Anything other than passing 1s would be absurd. You obviously can't double because that is defined as takeout, because being short in spades is going to be many many more times likely than being long in spades. So partner is never going to leave it in. Then on the second round you have no bid, unless partner is going to take the cue as natural, which he should not. Double then cue is reserved for strong hands, usually lacking a spade stopper and unsuited to raising partner's suit or bidding one's own suit, a hand type that would be unbiddable if cue wasn't forcing. Partner should not be passing the cue bid.

Another problem is that even if successful in getting partner to pass a cue bid, you are now attempting to take 8 tricks in spades for a plus, whereas defending you only need 7. Normally if you can take 8 tricks in spades, accurate defense puts 1s at least down 2. It's true at this vulnerability, making 2 is better than down 2 undoubled, but sometimes they are down 3, and if both contracts are down 1 you've blown it. Plus being able to play in 2s requires a partner who also doesn't know that cue bids are normally supposed to be forcing.

Generally you can only play in suits the opponents open after sequences like (1c)-p-(1s)-2s, 4th position bidding responder's suit is often played as natural, because there are alternative methods to show other suits (doubling, bidding 2nt). Bidding opener's suit is sometimes also played as natural here especially against 3cd minor openings, but this requires agreement as some play it as other 2 suits instead. Also (1m)-3m is often played as natural. You can also bid naturally in the opponent's suit in situations where an opponent might be psyching the suit, such as (1H)-dbl-(1s)-2S; your spade bid shows spades, as your partner implied some spades with the double and RHO might be joking with heart support, and even if not might only have 4 little. Similarly (2H)-pass-(2S)-3S should be natural, and if you opened an artificial strong 2c bid your cues should normally be natural as an opponent might try to pick off your suit non-vul.

Against an Acol (note not all caps, not an acronym) type 1S, it could be reasonable to play a sequence like (1S)-p-(1nt)-p-(p)-2S as natural.

I agree completely with the above statements. Years ago, when psyching was a lot more common than it is now, there would have to be some way to play in a suit that the opponents opened. However, the disadvantages of psyching far out weighed the times that the opponents would be discomfited by a psychic bid. Thankfully, psychic bids have largely been drummed out of the game. This is no loss.

[Vampyr]

 RD350LC, on 2018-May-13, 07:36, said:

I agree completely with the above statements. Years ago, when psyching was a lot more common than it is now, there would have to be some way to play in a suit that the opponents opened. However, the disadvantages of psyching far out weighed the times that the opponents would be discomfited by a psychic bid. Thankfully, psychic bids have largely been drummed out of the game. This is no loss.

They have not been “drummed out of the game”. Psyches are both legal and ethical. But I do think that they have become increasingly uncommon for the reasons you cite.