[jmcw]

I think there is considerable advantage playing Walsh. As responder with less than GF values lets say 6 to 12 points.

Kx
Axxx
Qxxx(x)
xx(x)

Over 1♣ you bid a 4 card M (♥) regardless of your ♦ length, this immediately locates a Major suit fit if one exists. On my example consider what might happen if you respond 1♦. Lefty now sticks in a 1♠ overcall!, its not too difficult to see that your side may never discover your 8 card ♥ fit. Now, respond 1♥ and lefty makes the same 1♠ overcall, partner can show 4card support or X to show 3.

Kx
Ax
Qxxxx
xxxx

Another plus for walsh is when the auction starts:
1♣>>1♦

Opener assumes you have no 4 card M and will rebid 1NT with all balanced hands even with 1 or 2 4card M

QTxx
KJxx
Kx
AJT

However, with an unbalanced type

QTxx
KJx
x
AKxxx

1♣>>1♦
1♠

Opener knows you have less than 4 ♠, so this sequence will always announce the unbalanced nature of his hand.

No such assertion can be made if you bid up the line. Responder will not know whether you have 3,4,5,or more ♣ on an auction that starts

1♣>>1♦
1♠.

FWIW, I play Walsh with my most serious partner's and bid up the line with a couple of others. IMO Walsh is far more effective.

[MrAce]

TWO4BRIDGE, on 2011-October-07, 17:07, said:

Well, which is it in Walsh ?
Responder ( I'll make the hand with definite GF values, 14 hcp ):
A K
K 9 8 2
Q T 7 5
Q 4 2

1C - 1D or 1H ??

The following folks say you bid 1H first because you MUST have longer Diam for a 1D bid:
Ken
mike777
aquahombre
jmcw
Max Hardy

But the following say you can bid 1D first with 4-4 in the reds :
MrAce
sasioc
han

[ I may have missed some folks ] .

I don't think Han made such a claim.

But FYI, one thing i hate to do in bidding is both sides showing their hands when there is no need at all. When u play walsh 1♣-1♦-1M, why on earth is it important if reponder has 5♦ or not ? He has the space of the world to learn side cards of his pd since opener already showed the unbalanced hand.

Look what happens when u bid 1♥ first. Assume opener has 3145 and responder 4-4 reds big hand.

1♣-1♥
2♣-2♦ (this doesnt mean ♦ of course)
3♦-By the time u set ♦ as trump u are already at 4 level. Needs imagination to waste space and use all these levels just to confirm each other our trump is diamonds. Congrats.

Or opener has 4045 and responder 4-4 reds big hand

1♣-1♥
1♠-2♦ (xyz or 4th suit forc, whatever u play)
3♦-4♦ Again, we just confimed our trump at 4 level

Which could be as easy as

1♣-1♦
2♦
3♦
Splinter

or if our fit is ♥

1♣-1♦
1♥-2♥ We use this as GF due to lack of 1♥ bid initially. I actually got into deep debate about this in past in forums. (If my memory serves well u should remember ) One of them was Phil, it came when he was watching once, and it also came when he and i was practice bidding and we laughed calling "Timo convention" Here it is again, after this auction opener can bid 2 NT and other one can bid 3 NT or 4♥ if he wants to, since they both are able to show ♥s and desire to play 3NT. If you are into artificial bidding after i suggested in the past that after 1

1♣-1♦
1♥ You can use 1♠ as relay and scan entire shape and honors of your pd and use other bids as picture bids.

[Zelandakh]

jmcw, on 2011-October-07, 21:23, said:

Over 1♣ you bid a 4 card M (♥) regardless of your ♦ length, this immediately locates a Major suit fit if one exists. On my example consider what might happen if you respond 1♦. Lefty now sticks in a 1♠ overcall!, its not too difficult to see that your side may never discover your 8 card ♥ fit.

Sorry to just nit-pick a tiny part of your post but I do not really get the above. With 4 hearts Opener doubles and the 4-4 heart fit is immediately uncovered. I think it is probably fair to say that there are advantages to both (natural) approaches but that Transfer Walsh is better than either.

[jmcw]

Zelandakh, on 2011-October-08, 06:42, said:

Sorry to just nit-pick a tiny part of your post but I do not really get the above. With 4 hearts Opener doubles and the 4-4 heart fit is immediately uncovered. I think it is probably fair to say that there are advantages to both (natural) approaches but that Transfer Walsh is better than either.

So in your system, holding

KJ
Qxxx
x
AQJxxx

or

KJx
Qxxx
xxx
AQJ

1♣ P 1♦ 1♠
X>> showing 4 ♥

Walsh allows a rebid of 2♣ and 1NT since I know P has less than 4♥.

[MrAce]

deleted

[Zelandakh]

jmcw, on 2011-October-08, 13:47, said:

So in your system, holding

This is not my system, but playing this style I would expect double to replace a 1H rebid, yes.