Full hands were

Qx Axxxxx x Kxxx

AK KQx Jxxx AQxx

Long-winded, and it's not an amazingly brilliant slam to bid, but I was making it up as I went. The system gains more on the esoteric hand shapes.

Relays are available after both 1H and 1S openings, and the relay structure after 1H-1S is identical to that after 1C-1H-1S except that min and max change because one 1H bid is limited, then other is not, and the opening 1H bid does not have a minimum control requirement. After 1S-1NT the relay structure is identical to 1C-1S-1NT with the same min/max alterations.

The twos are still Myxo style, we can Blue them up if you want to.

Email Notes to Tim and Paul

Paul the rest of this is an old email I sent to Tim ages ago - as such some of the comments are applicable if you want to learn how it works, but I’ve added explanatory notes in the auctions to make it make more sense. Whoops, just realised I’ll have to change the auctions back to natural relays, but that’s not too much of a problem!

One feature of the system that I neglected to mention last night is the run-on of the relays. When you give the highest available relay response, it would be wasteful to have its meaning as solely that, and require a new ask for the next phase of asks - instead there is the so-called run-on. This can be readily observed in the single-suited structure. Suppose the auction goes 1C-1S showing 8+hcp 2+controls and 4+spades. After 1NT, the responses are :

2C with 4+C

2D with 4+D

2H with 4S 5+D (the reverser)

2S with high shortage (hearts)

2NT with middle shortage (diamonds)

3C with even shortage (i.e. 6322 or 7222)

3D with low shortage - but this is self evident, so we harness this bid to imply low shortage while showing the 5332 shape - the most common hand shape for single and two-suiters is shown at 3D.

So with a 5332 shape the auction will run 1C-1S-1NT-3D

With a 5233 shape, the high shortage is shown en route to 3D, with 1C-1S-1NT-2S-2NT-3D.

With a 5323, we show middle shortage on the way, with 1C-1S-1NT-2NT-3C-3D. Hence the appellation "symmetric"

With even shortages (6322 or 7222) we have four shapes to show (6322, 6232, 6223, 7222) so we split them into the ones that are 7222 or 6322 with two low doubletons, and show the rest via high shortage. Observe:

With 7222, 1C-1S-1NT-3C-3D-3H (second high shortage, if you like)

With 6322, 1C-1S-1NT-3C-3D-3S (second low shortage, run-on to minimum

With 6223, 1C-1S-1NT-2S-2NT-3C-3D-3H (second high shortage)

With 6232, 1C-1S-1NT-2S-2NT-3C-3D-3S (second low shortage, run-on to minimum)

Another point for the unwary is that in denial cuebidding, care must be taken that no response partner can make can embarrass you (kind of like asking 4NT RKC in hearts and hearing two with the QH).

That should do for an intro. On to the fireworks.

G’day Tim.

Some thoughts I’ve had about our system and treatments based on a column in The Bridge World January 1996 which is a bidding challenge between two "expert" pairs. It gives the hands and lets each pair bid the hands, has a bit of analysis and gives each contract a score from 0 to 12 at MPs where 6 would be an average and 12 a clear top. Over ten hands, the maximum score would be 120, and I reckon we should get 113 based on our current system. (This month’s experts got 67 and 73, however these hands are inevitably geared toward marginal games and and slams, and our system bids almost all of the former (i.e. too many of them) and most of the latter when correct, or at least odds-on.)

However there were a few interesting points of treatment and judgement that I mused over.

Deal 2

Both this deal and another later one featured the same type of hand - slam possible in two denominations with a 5422 opposite a 4432. The 4-4 contract allows you to draw trumps, and pitch from the 4432 doubleton on the 5-4 suit and then ruff that suit, leading to one more trick than the 5-4 contract. This is not altogether surprising, but in bidding both hands I neglected this fact both times.

E deals, NS vul

Our auction runs

1C 1S (shows 4+S, 0-3H, 8+HCP, 2+controls)

1N 2D (shows 5+S 4+D since with 4S5+D you would bid 2H reverser. When you show two suits, the system assumes the higher-ranking suit is 5+ and the lower is 4 exactly unless the 2H reverser is bid at some stage, in which case the opposite is assumed. With a 5+5+ you show the suits, and then bid 2S which begins a separate 55 relay)

2H 3C (shows even shortage, i.e. 5242 or 7141)

3D 3S (8-11 HCP with 5242)

It seems pretty right to push on, since if S are 2-2 and D 3-2 then the only possible loser in a D contract is the QD. Pushing on is not obviously helpful though... you know the AC is held, and you just need to know which (if any) queens are held. So

4C 4D (shows precisely two controls - 2+ was shown earlier; note we encounter one of the exceptions here - 3NT is never a relay ask - so one must bid 4C to ask over a 3S response)

4H 4S (denies the A or K of S)

4N 5C (denies the A or K of D)

5D 5H (denies the A or K of H - we know all this already)

5S 6D (shows the A or K of C, shows the Q of S and denies the Q of D - finally we find something out!)

whereafter 7D is cold so long as trumps behave or the JD is held (and partner needs TS to cater for one 4-0 S split...)

The trick is first to recognise the ability to pitch from the 2-2 fit, and secondly to make sure that the relay doesn’t push the contract overboard. Here we gain handsomely - the instant scores were 7D=11, 6NT=8, 6S=7, 6D=6, 5NT=4 and 5S=3...

Score : 11/12

Deal 3

S deals, EW vul

Our auction would run...

1C 1H (shows 4+H, 8+HCP 2+controls)

1S 1N (shows 4+S also)

2C 2S (shows the 5+5+ type shape)

2N 3C (shows high shortage, either 5521 or 5530)

3D 3H (shows 5521 type shape, in context a 5512)

3S 3N (8-11 HCP)

4S P (so the unrevealed hand plays)

Paul - this is a poor contract. The following blather is me thinking through why it is, and how we should pick it, and how to use one little gizmo we have to stop below game - the Game Probe Relay. With it opener essentially tells responder that he doesn’t want to play game opposite a minimum hand, unless there is freaky shape or whatever.

Trick being, of course that the wastage in the minors means 4H and 4S have practically zero play. I think we should diagnose this after the 1N response. West knows that East has 9+ cards in the majors (ok 8 for triple-suiters), and 24+ HCP are held. Let’s look at the various residuals East could hold...

...and to cap it off there is no DP gain because we are nearly always ruffing twice in the long trump hand and dummy reversals are not likely to work because of lack of high trumps.

So, there’s a lesson here. With over 2/3 of his HCP in two suits where responder has shortage, opener needs to think about using the Game Probe Relay to check that game should be being played.

The auction should run

1C 1H

1S 1N

2D 2H

2S P

Responder has no values in excess and shouldn’t value up at all. Opener can then sign off and play the contract (he might consider the un-fun 2NT) (The instant scores are 3H=10, 3S=8, 2NT=6, 4H=5, 3NT=3, 4S=3; where 3S and 3H embrace 2-level contracts with an overtrick)

So I think we need to revise our notion of what hands should use the Game Probe Relay (i.e. minimal balanced hands with no fit, _or_ significant wastage)

[Side issue - these points a relevant to hand valuation opposite 55s in general - consider if the East hand opens a 2C, then 2H and 2S confirms the 55. Where would you like to go now?]

Score : 19/24

Deal 4

Here is more a point of hand evaluation

W deals, both vul

And we’re off....

1C 1N (balanced, 8+hcp, 2+controls

2C 2D (showing a 4432 with colour suits)

2H 3H (showing the doubleton in hearts, run-on shows a 8-11 hand too)

3S 4C (showing 3 controls, either 1A and 1K or 3K)

4S P (bailing!!)

We could easily be missing some aces and a few club tricks which means 3NT isn’t on, and 5D isn’t flash with 24-27 HCP. Guess that leaves 4S, which will see C being ruffed in the short hand initially, and pitched on the D later. D pips and SK should influence this decision also. The best 11-count that the 4234 hand could hold offers no hope for slam - Axxx Kx Axx xxxx - so I think the 3S bid is quite fatuous.

Score : 29/36

Deal 6

This one was a real scumbag - Paul don’t worry about it!

East deals, EW vul, South overcalls 2D

Systemically West’s options are :

Clearly here we have a hand that would like to get its major support into the picture, but isn’t exactly a gilt-edged game force. The astute amongst you will have noticed that 3NT is really shite, and any 4-level contract needs S honours split and the H hook and no stiff club lead for a ruff.

The X response needs to be a bit wider I think, to cater for these borderline hands with takeout orientation, say 5-9. One could pass and then bid, but that needs to be reserved for pissweak hands. On this hand we should get to 2S after an X and a 2S response. Opener needs to remember to make an encouraging noise with a hand that might produce game, as responder is unlikely to bid again unless provoked. Opener’s 3D after the X would be looking firstly for 4M and secondly for a D stop (say in a 3325 with five rat C)

Scores were all over the place: 2S=10, 2H=9, 3C=8, 2NT=3H=3S=5, 4C=4, 3NT=4H=4S=2, 5C!!!=1.

Score : 39/48

Deal 7

I’m still headscratching about this one - Paul don’t bother with this one - this one uses the transfer openings 1NT with a different relay structure.

S deals, both vul

And we’re off again...

1N 2H

3C 3D

3S (well now we really would rather play 5D...)

...4C

4D 4H

5C (phew, 6D has play opposite 4Ks or A&2Ks)

...5D

6C 6D

P

But give opener a hand like Q85 74 QJ63 KQJ5 and 5D depends on one of two hooks even if you avoid a S lead through the QS. What we want is a way to evaluate wastage below game level (funny I’ve heard that idea before somewhere).

What if responder tells a lie and transfers to H and shows C shortage invitationally? Hmmm. Let’s see

1N 2C

2H 3C

3D (since opener is at least 5431 then either a secondary 4-4 D fit exists, or two Moysians. Opener is minimal but the wastage is nil, so he might make another attempt)

...3S (forcing, responder can’t insist on H contract, but leaves options open)

3N (pretty descriptive - doubleton H, C stop with little wastage must be close to ace and small ones, the 3D bid suggests 3244 or 3253. Is 3NT forcing? Almost, I think)

...6D (a fair bid, wonder if I’d do it - even opposite QJx xx QJxx AJxx it needs two from three finesses - 50%)

Here responder needs to recognise two things. Firstly, he can lie about the H length in order to find out about the C wastage. Secondly, the honours should make the moysian play alright - one ruff might have to be taken in the long hand, but we can hope for 3-3 or to get enough clubs away on the diamond suit. If partner shows C wastage then we can suggest 3NT and he will probably accept our offer. If we are playing in slam, partner will not "correct" to 6H if we have a 4-4 D fit, even if he has three hearts - we might need the tricks from the long suit.

I think there is some merit in this style of treatment, but who knows if I’d see it at the table. What say that if we have this sort of transfer auction with a shortage probe that a good 4-card major with a 5-card minor and a stiff is a real possibility (and needs to be explained to the opponents if relevant - so the transfer needs to be explained as "almost always five of the suit")

The beauty of it is that opener need take no account of the possibility of such a hand - he just bids as if there’s a 5M out there. Thoughts? Or is your brain hurting? :-)

Scores were 6D=10, 5D=5, 3NT=4, 7D=3

Score : 49/60

Deal 8

W deals, nil vul

1H 1S (its only invitational, and we can invite the pointed suits or notrump)

1N (showing spades - its not looking as good as it was on first thought - partner usually has a 54 for this auction and H wastage could be significant)

...2S (let’s settle for an invite)

3S (a counter-invite? - we’re not minimum, we have an extra spade, but we’re not maximum HCP certainly. Actually, no, partner knows we have some minor suit distribution (at least a doubleton if we are 44(23) even). If we had nothing much in H and this hand we might go 4S (try swapping KJH into D) but we should be aware of our vulnerable holdings in the round suits and potential wastages)

...P (we’re down the bottom of possible accepting hands, swap AC into Ds and we might think more about it)

Instant scores were : 2S=10, 3S=8, 4S=4, 1NT=2D=3

Score : 57/72

Deal 9 (yes there’s more)

N deals, EW vul

Again here’s that 5422 lark, except here it only lets you make 6C when 6H has no play at all.

1C 1H (shows 4+H, 2+ controls 8+hcp)

1S 2C (shows 4+C also)

2S 3C (shows even shortage, 2524 or 1714)

3D 4D (shows maximum with run-on showing four controls - most 4-control combinations offer reasonable or good slam chances)

4H 5D (showing A or K in H, C and S and denying A or K of D - so looking at our hand partner has AS and H&C kings)

6C (since we are committed to at least 5S, here we are)

Instant scores were : 6C=10, 5NT=7, 5H =5, 5C=2, 6NT=6H=1

Score : 67/84

And lucky last

Deal 10

E deals, both vul

- 1D

1N (there’s an argument for 2C but I don’t see it’s better - we are semi-balanced with values in all outside suits - at 1NT we have tolerance to set up partner’s suit if he is single-suited and enough to play in a side suit contract also)

...3S (I find the argument for this bid compelling - partner has 8-11 and we have an 18-count in presumed spade fit. Partner must be able to infer the shape, and can raise us if he is maximal or his minor suit values are not wasted - another recurring theme. 4S has merit, but is too restrictive - 3S or 3NT might have play when 4S does not)

Instant scores were 4S=10, 3NT=6, 3S=4, 2NT=2

Score : 87/96

The other deals were largely trivial for our system, and we scored 16/24 - one we bid a 5H that should make but is more risky than 4H when slam is impossible.

Notes on Interference

The system uses SWINE after 1NT X - it's in the notes.

I think the notes in section 12 are fairly clear about whose doubles and passes are what, but here are some examples:

OK, responder's 1H established a relay situation. This is interference by 4th hand (See Section 12), in a suit that responder _has_not_denied_. If relayer can pass for relay, then responder's X has to be for blood, so 2D from responder will show the first step in the relay. Said 2D will show the same as 1NT in 1C-1H-1S-1NT, i.e. spade suit, and two steps will have been lost (1NT->2D), so relays are available. So relayer can happily pass for relay, or double for blood. Note that responder with a freak can pull relayer’s penalty double and give a relay response of 2D or higher, and again 2 steps have been lost.

Here is the benefit of learning the system structure, and not the bids themselves. I learned the bids themselves, and still haven't forced myself to stop. It works, but you spend time counting up and down steps :-)

Now I don’t know why this heart interference is late, but it is - maybe a system constraint. Again we are in a relay situation, this is now a 2nd seat interference, and responder has _not_denied_ a 4-card heart holding, so his double has to be for penalty. Responder’s pass thus shows the first step in the relay (and relayer will then double for relay, actually losing no steps), and 2S shows the next. In real life the second step would have been shown with 2H, so one step has been lost in the relay.

There are several points to note here:

1. With balanced and 3-suiters the immediate justification for a 3D Criterion is tenuous - most balanced shapes are shown at about 3C on average, and most 3-suiter shapes around 2NT (guessing here). For consistency we apply the 3D criterion in all situations
2. Hands that may have a concealed minor or major in a 3-suiter (e.g. 1C-1H-1S-1NT or 1C-2C) or a balanced hand, have _not_denied_a_4-card_holding_ in a minor or major respectively, and as such, must have a penalty double available.
3. If your brain is undertaxed you will have noticed in the above sequence that with a 4432 with colour suits or a 4333 major hand, responder will pass the 2H and relayer will reopen a double for relay. Responder could then pass this for penalty, rather than having a direct penalty double available. Tim turned several interesting shades when I proposed this wheeze. It can work, but may well be ugly opposite transfer-overcall (or TWERB) style overcalls, where rapid preemption then leaves the other hand guessing about whether it was a penalty pass or a 1st step relay response, so we decided to let a sleeping dog lie.
4. It is eminently possible to choose not to penalise, and then show a 4+card holding in their suit. This has a two-fold advantage: it exposes psychics & wonderbids, and it doesn't constrain us to penalising on four rats in their suit!

Onward!

Again the responder (opener) has not denied 4D, and we are in a relay situation. This is interference by 2nd hand. X is for blood, Pass shows spades, 2H shows clubs, i.e. losing two steps.

One presumes 2N for the minors. If relayer can pass for relay, responder can X for blood and bid 3C for relay, showing a 3-suiter. Whoops, without interference, that would have been bid with 2D, so four steps have been lost and relays are broken (of course a direct 1H-2NT breaks relays too). The agreement is that 3-level bids are Rubinsohl, so take it from there.

1C-1H-?

1C - 2H - ?

Pass is weak or for blood

X is 5-9 or so with a takeout orientation down to semi-balanced.

All bids are as in Rubinsohl, so 2S is 5-8 or so and competitive, non-forward going, 2NT is ostensibly a club transfer, 3C to diamonds, 3D is GF Stayman with 4 spades, may or may not have a heart stopper, 3H is invitational+ with 5+spades, 3S is a balanced GF with 2-3 spades and no heart stopper (the HELP bid) and 3NT is a balanced GF with 2-3 spades and a heart stopper.

1C - 3D - ?

I played the five-card major version of this system with Richard Hills when I was in Canberra after the SWPT. The agreement with him (and from the times I have seen he and Hasmat play, I believe their agreement is the same) was that if partner has shown a suit or bid notrumps, then double is penalty, else double is takeout. There is merit in this treatment, especially in its simplicity, however there are a great many times people insert a very light oar in the one level over a 1C opener just because they've been told this is a good idea to muck us around. We sacrifice many one level penalties (except by responder who can pass with a positive hand and pass the relay double), and don't lose much in not giving a positive suit response. If advancer raises then invariaby the relays are cut, but we know we own the hand, so arranging penalty doubles is quite easy. If the auction goes 1C-1H-P-4H then we are a little further behind the eight-ball than if we had a positive 1S available - e.g. 1C-1H-1S-4H, but this is the price to pay for not allowing them an easy run to muck around with our system.

S KJ3

H A

D KJ64

C AQJ98

south north

snoozie mabraham

S QT654 S A9872

H QJT83 H 652

D T D 5

C 62 C K754

east

zzork

S -

H K974

D AQ98732

C T3

OK here's some slightly altered OKb hands from my set this week. As west we open

1C 1H 4+H 8+HCP, 2+controls

1S 2H reverser, 4H 5+D

2S 2N high shortage

3C 3S 0472 shape

4C 4D 8-11

4H 4N 3 controls

Tank time. We are missing 3 of 12 controls. Pard cannot hold the AS, so pard has the AD, and we have 12 tricks (7 diamonds, AC, AH and 2 H ruffs and either KC or KH for twelve). But if pard can give us the KC and not the KH, then we can contract for 7D and fail only on an opening ruff. So let's find out! - I will insert what all bids would mean here... 5C begins the denial cuebidding. The order is longest to shortest, and highest to lowest for ties. Singletons are never scanned, other suits are scanned n-1 times where n is their length. Here the order is DHC - and then back to Ds and so on as far as possible.

5C 5D No A or K of diamonds (impossible, but the correct system bid if using the Solid Suit Exceptions)

5H shows A or K of diamonds, denies A or K of hearts.

5S shows A or K of diamonds, shows A or K of hearts, denies A or K of clubs

6D - signs off and claims for partner before the lead! :) NOTE - hardcore sys shows the diamond suit with a 2C bid, so that a D contract is right-sided. For relay system purposes, right-siding is having the described hand on the table, not necessarily the stronger hand playing the contract. Of course it may be necessary to right-side a suit stopper, but that will become clear in an individual case.

IMPs east IMP-32 Board 159

Dlr: South mabraham

Vul: N-S S AQT9632 north east south west

H A853 maccell mabraham klair snoozie

D A

C Q pass 1C

north south 3D X pass 3H

maccell klair pass 4D pass 4H

S 854 S 7 pass 4S pass 5C

H T9 H QJ2 pass 6H (all pass)

D QJT98 D 7543

C T34 C KJ965 Opening Lead: DQ

west Result: +6

snoozie N-S Score: 0, N-S IMPs: -4.36

S KJ E-W Score: 980, E-W IMPs: 4.36

H K764 Playing time: 7:53

D K62

C A872 1 2 3 4

And from later Monday night (this hand altered to remove interf for example purposes).... and suppose east deals. (Oh, BTW, don't bother with Relay Stayman - it doesn't exist in TOSR, and we will use nat over our 1NT opening in Natural TOSR)

1C 1N 8+HCP 2+controls any 4432 or 4333

2C 2N 2434 shape

3C 4C 12+ HCP 5 controls

(note, the 3C ask should be with slam intentions, and should not be a hand that will want to sign off in notrumps - especially since pard has bid notrumps - hence the 4C bid bypassing 3N is not bad)

Tank time. Six has to be cold. Even if pard doesn't have KS, he will have KD and AKC and we can get two heart pitches. But if pard has KS KH AKC, then we have seven spades. KS KD AKC isn't nearly so good, because we can't afford to overtake QC to get to dummy, and if spades are 3-1 or 4-0, we have no entry to table after drawing trumps (unless pd has JC or QD!). And KS KH KH AC is chilly for six too (unless 4-0 spades with south and pard does not have the JS). Let's keep asking. Again I'll spell out all the bids and sequences - the suit order is HCDS. I will discuss several variants of the auction depending on responder's hand - some will be impossible, based on the 1C opener's hand, others might be possible but wrong on the layout being considered, etc.

4D 4H denies A or K of hearts (since you know there is a heart loser, you might sign off, but give pd Kx Qxxx KQx AKxx and the seq continues)

4S 4N denies A or K of C (imposs)

5C shows A or K of C, denies A or K of D (imposs)

5D shows A or K of C, shows A or K of D, denies A or K of S (imposs)

5H shows A or K of C, shows A or K of D, shows A or K of S, denies QH (possible, but not on the layout we are considering in this sequence)

5S shows A or K of C, shows A or K of D, shows A or K of S, shows QH, denies QC (duh we know this)

5N 6C denies Q of D (possible, but not on this layout)

6D shows Q of D, denies J of H (bingo! we have three pitches on dummy's minor honours, we can bid 7S which fails only on opening ruff or if pard doesn't have JS and South has four spades) NOTES : 1) spades have been scanned once, which is the limit for a two-card suit, this is why scanning skipped to the JH after showing the QD. 2) 5N is the highest relay ask, by agreement. Very occasionally this is restrictive. Tim and I imposed this as our first system change, so that we could be clear in our own minds when relays stopped. In principle it is unecessary, as relayer can work out whether responder's possible responses could push them too high _before_ he asks, and if so sign off. In practice, this takes time and with oppos bored and impatient, you are often a little frazzled.

7S (yeah!)

4D 4H (covered above)

4S shows A or K of hearts, denies A or K of clubs (impossible)

4N shows A or K of hearts, shows A or K of clubs, denies A or K of

diamonds (this is the following layout: Kx Kxxx xxx AKxx, and so we bid the grand, which fails only under the same conditions as above, since we preserve KH as an entry after cashing QC)

7S (yeah!)

4D ...

5C shows A or K of hearts, shows A or K of clubs, shows A or K of diamonds, denies A or K of spades

6S (unless you feel like bidding a grand on hook needing a 2-2)

4D ...

5D shows A or K in all four suits, denies Q of H (this is the layout in the original diagram - note that if responder holds QD then grand is still on....)

5H 5S denies Q of C

5N 6C denies Q of D

6S (having investigated fully, we can sign off and claim)

Now you see why the tank is occasionally necessary before you ask - you might know from the controls parity (i.e. odd or even) that pard has to have a particular set of cards for his number of controls (e.g. 4 could be AA, AKK or KKKK, your hand will mostly restrict these possibilities). Plus you need to work out in two of the above cases whether it is mathematically possible for partner to show the QD if he has it... no point throwing away any IMPs.

The above seems esoteric and daunting, but remember, only one person need ever do any thinking, and the other should always have his bid ready before it is his turn to bid. The discipline to do this is quite useful in not narking opponents off.

MPs east IMP-32 Board 158

Dlr: East mabraham

Vul: None S A3 north east south west

H J974 maccell mabraham klair snoozie

D 84

C AQ764 pass pass 1D

north south pass 1H pass 2NT

maccell klair pass 3NT (all pass)

S QT6 S 98752

H QT5 H 862 Opening Lead: S6

D KJT32 D Q6 Result: +6

C T5 C 832 N-S Score: 0, N-S IMPs: -1.76

west E-W Score: 490, E-W IMPs: 1.76

snoozie Playing time: 6:22

S KJ4

H AK3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

D A975 N S6 5 T Q-DJ T 5 Q T

C KJ9 E 3 4 7 9 4 A-C4 D8 6

S 9 8 6 2 6 2 8 5 3

(Gotta go soon, this'll be brief)

suppose west deals

1C 1H 4+H 8+hcp 2+ctls

1S 2C 4+C

2D 2H reverser, 4H 5+C

2S 3C even shortage

3D 3N 2425 8-11 HCP

Tank. We are limited to 30 HCP and our fit is in clubs. Partner has even

wrong-sided notrumps for us. Bastard. Qx xxxx Kx AQxxx could get us two

heart pitches if Ds are 3-3. No slam here. What's the best game? The opps

could do well leading spades in 3NT. Is 5C a goer? If clubs run we can see

8 tricks - pd isn't going to provide three more. Is 4H a goer? Maybe. Toss

a coin, 3N or 4H, or see if you can think of a reason to prefer one or the

other. (Remember your only source of info is the bidding, and when u aren't

wildly happy about 4H when you see the single-dummy problem, you realise it

is a guess!)

Note that these concerns are an asset to the system, not a problem. Note

that in the Standard auction Susie and I used, clubs were not even

considered, let alone 4H. And nobody thought twice about bidding 2NT or

3NT.

Playing this system you recognise some of the pitfalls before the opening

lead, which has to put you ahead of the field. On three hands in the ANC, I

knew to prefer the 5-2 or 4-3 4M contract over 3N, and gained 17 IMPs over

the three boards. On one, every man and his dog in Standard fails in 3NT, I

make a tight Moysian 4H when the defence genuinely doesn't know to tap me.

Adios, and hope that computer gets working soon... :)

Mark