[Furlan]

A real one that happened yesterday: try to figure out responder's hand given the auction and corresponding explanations. Assume serious bidding (if it's possible) and no system misunderstandings.
Scoring is IMPs, all white.

1NT¹ - 2♣²
2♦³ - 3♣⁴
3♦⁵ - Pass

¹ : 15-17
² : Stayman
³ : no major
⁴ : shape ask (opener can show: 5-card minor; 4♣333; 4♦333; 4-4 minors). A similar asking bid would also be available over 2♥/♠.
⁵ : one 5-card minor

[Fluffy]

I can't understand why don't we play 2♦, We don't ahve any aditional info this round that we didn't have previous round, still 2-3 on each major and 2-5 in each minor. Only new info is no 4 card minor but this is not relevant to any shape I can think about.

[Cyberyeti]

Fluffy, on 2010-November-18, 05:06, said:

I can't understand why don't we play 2♦, We don't ahve any aditional info this round that we didn't have previous round, still 2-3 on each major and 2-5 in each minor. Only new info is no 4 card minor but this is not relevant to any shape I can think about.

Partner has a 4450 with enough values that he wants to play game opposite 4 card ♦ support but not otherwise, but is guessing the 1N opener has 5 ♣.

[Poky]

Furlan, on 2010-November-17, 20:37, said:

A real one that happened yesterday: try to figure out responder's hand given the auction and corresponding explanations. Assume serious bidding (if it's possible) and no system misunderstandings.
Scoring is IMPs, all white.

1NT¹ - 2♣²
2♦³ - 3♣⁴
3♦⁵ - Pass

¹ : 15-17
² : Stayman
³ : no major
⁴ : shape ask (opener can show: 5-card minor; 4♣333; 4♦333; 4-4 minors). A similar asking bid would also be available over 2♥/♠.
⁵ : one 5-card minor

Partner has (41)35 (Axxx-x in majors), lets say: x-Axxx-xxx-AJxxx, and wanted to play game (3NT/5♣) if opener has the 3244 shape. However, without the superfit, he sign-offs in what he hopes to be a 5-3 fit.

[Zelandakh]

The trouble with these 2 explanations (4450 or (41)35) is that Responder is stuck when Opener shows 3334/3343 which presumably is a higher call. On another note I suspect it would be better/simpler to play 3D as 4 diamonds, 3M as 5 cards in the corresponding minor, and 3NT as 3334.

[phil_20686]

I would imagine responder is void in a major, and has values for 3N, but doesnt want to play there with a known 3-0 weakness. 4-0-6-3. However, that assumes that you could not bid 3d over 2d to show 4M-5m GF. It might be more likely he is (40)(36) and therefore is just guessing that partner does not have 5 clubs - clearly he did not have 3c available for this hand. Still think that a misunderstanding is most likely explanation. In practice cannot imagine these hands not driving game......

[Furlan]

As I said, there was no misunderstanding.
Responder could bid 3D to show 4M-5m GF, with 3H by opener asking for the minor.

[MickyB]

4450 seems the most likely to me.

[TWO4BRIDGE]

Is this sequence part of this system or just some sort of "extended Stayman" ??
( hand from my files...Aug, 2006....)

---

1NT - 2C
2S - 3D! (no M fit; 4H/5+minor )
3H! ( asks for minor) - 3S! ( Clubs; 3NT! would be Diam )
??
..3NT = not interested in Cl
..4C! = Minorwood( agrees Cl )

After:
4C! - 4H! = 2nd step, 1/4

4S! ( next step = cQ-ask) - ??

4NT! = cQ or extra length
5C! = no cQ
5D! = cQ and dK
5H! = cQ and hK
5S! = cQ and sK

After 5H!
Opener bids:
6C

[mfa1010]

Marginal hand with 4♥ + 6-7♦? Wants to try 4♥ opposite a fit and 5♦ opposite diamond support. When partner replies 3♦ he is likely to have 5♣ so we take the low road...

[mike777]

It would seem with a "marginal" 6-4 we gf hand.

This is imps we are here to bid games.