[Bad_Wolf]

 BobElliott, on 2009-January-15, 07:54, said:

A "better" method called FCTS (FiveCardTransferStayman) was written
up in the BRIDGE WORLD sometime in the 1980's .I have been using it
ever since and it works great:
2NT - 3C -
3D=NO FIVE CARD MAJOR/NOT 4H/MAY HAVE 4S.
(3H SHOWS 4/5 S AND ASKS SPADE LENGTH:3S=3 3NT=2 4S=4).
(3S SHOWS 3S & 5H).
3H=4/5 H & NOT 4S (3S ASKS: 3NT=4H 4H=5H).
3S= 5S.
3NT=44 MAJORS. (THEN 4C & 4D ARE TEXAS TRANSFERS)

2NT - 3H(TRANSFER) -
3NT = 2S & 5H.

2NT - 3D(TRANSFER) -
3H - 3S=4S & 5H.

2NT - 3NT=SLAM INV.+ 55MAJORS.

(THEREFORE 3C IS USED WITH 3S&5H/5S&4H/4S&4H/4S OR 4H...
" 3D " " " 4S&5H...
" 3H " " " 5S & 0-3 H.

YOU WILL NEVER MISS A 5-3 FIT...HOPE THIS IS HELPFUL.

I play this too and posted it here once. I thought it was part of ROMEX but I could easily be wrong. It seems to work well.

[bluecalm]

Quote

2NT - 3NT=SLAM INV.+ 55MAJORS.

Quote

I've never heard of it before that, but I agree that it is great, covering everything.

I would prefer playing no stayman, no transfer, all natural than this. Seriously, who comes up with those systems ?

[TWO4BRIDGE]

 bluecalm, on 2011-March-17, 17:21, said:

Quote: 2NT - 3NT=SLAM INV.+ 55MAJORS.

I would prefer playing no stayman, no transfer, all natural than this. Seriously, who comes up with those systems ?

They have an alternate way to get to 3NT = to play.

[bluecalm]

Quote

They have an alternate way to get to 3NT = to play.

But those alternative ways gives unnecessary information to defenders.
When I have Txx Kxx Jxx Jxxx I just want to bid 3NT and not:
a)give them information about 5M in opener hands for free which will eliminate the suit as their first lead option
b)give them information about 4M or lack of it which will be useful for them during the defense
c)give them a chance to double 3C or draw interferences from lack of this double
d)same as c) for 3D call (2NT - 3C - 3D)

As for quoted example 5M-5M SI hand comes up about one time in 332 opposite 20-21 balanced.
To compare 4-3-3-3 (5-10hcp) comes up every 14hands opposite 2NT.
So by playing 3NT as 5M-5M SI you hand them free information 24 times just to be able to use your gadget in 25th.
Also 4-3-3-3 hands aren't the only ones which you just want to bid 3NT with so this ratio increases even more.

[nige1]

This one will run and run. There are two schools of thought:
.

• Hugh Kelsey warned partnerships against "daisy picking" that allows opponents to sacrifice or defend double-dummy.
• In contrast, the Sharples Brothers deemed it worth revealing information useful to the defence in the course of reaching the right contract played by the right hand (as they always did).

The optimum strategy is probably a compromise. As far as no-trump methods are concerned, David Burn takes the "careless talk costs lives" viewpoint.

[TWO4BRIDGE]

 nige1, on 2011-March-18, 18:42, said:

As far as no-trump methods are concerned, David Burn takes the "careless talk costs lives" viewpoint.

" Loose lips sink ships "

[blackshoe]

FCTS and Romex Stayman are similar, but the latter is quite a bit more complicated. There are descriptions of both in Bridge: Classic and Modern Conventions.