[straube]

Here's what we're playing now (numbered below). I'm not sure about having the slave hand (RR) double or redouble for business. I think I'd rather have RR continue to relay in steps (using pass and dbl) and have captain make the cheapest bids to continue the relay or X/XX as business. Any thoughts?

1. If they dbl a relay bid, rdbl by RR is an offer to play. If the relay captain removes the rdbl by bidding the cheapest step, it is "retrying the relay" and bidding continues at +1. Relay captain may also revert to natural bidding by not bidding S1.

2. If they interfere with RR's bid +1, P shows the first response but dbl suggests penalty. For example, over 1C – 1D – 1H – (1S), P shows the 1S bid, X suggests penalty and 1N is the same as before (H/H+D). Note that RC isn’t compelled to sit for the X and can continue relay by bidding the cheapest step.

3. If they interfere with RR's bid + 2, P shows the first step, X shows the second step and everything else is normal.

4. If they interfere with RR's bid +3 or higher, relays are broken and we revert to natural bidding. X by either hand is penalty oriented.

5. If they X a relay response, XX by R is a canonical to play and responder can’t remove.

6. If they bid over a relay response, with the relay step or relay step+1, P by R continues the relay and X is for penalty. In the latter case, X by responder shows the cheapest step and so forth.

7. Higher interference over the relay response breaks relays and we revert to natural bidding. If they bid over R's pass (continuing the relay), any further bid them breaks relays. For example after:
1C – 1D – (1H) – P continues the relay and the bidding continues as if we had bid 1C – 1H – 1D. In the case of 1C – 1D – (1S) – P continues the relay and the bidding continues as if we had bid 1C – 1D – 1H, with X showing the 1S step and others as before.

[Crunch3nt]

I agree with 5 and 6 completely.

I agree with 3 and 7 as well, but we do continue to relay up to two steps higher because we play a hum and/or transfers and so generally are 1-2 steps lower than eg standard symmetric.

For 1 and 2, we add a step to differentiate between good and bad trumps in their suit, and then the step order changes to make double the step that shows good trumps. Our normal order is Diamonds, Clubs, Other major, Single-suited. So, eg:

1D (4+ Hearts, can have longer minor) (Pass) 1H (Relay) (1S Natural):
Pass = Hearts & Diamonds (1st Step)
Dbl = Hearts & 4 Good Spades (usually 3rd step)
1NT = Hearts & Clubs (usually 2nd Step)
2C = Hearts & 4 Poor spades (usually 3 step)
2D = Single Suiter High Shortage - usually 4th step etc


Michael

[straube]

Crunch3nt, on 2010-October-30, 19:46, said:

I agree with 5 and 6 completely.

I agree with 3 and 7 as well, but we do continue to relay up to two steps higher because we play a hum and/or transfers and so generally are 1-2 steps lower than eg standard symmetric.

For 1 and 2, we add a step to differentiate between good and bad trumps in their suit, and then the step order changes to make double the step that shows good trumps. Our normal order is Diamonds, Clubs, Other major, Single-suited. So, eg:

1D (4+ Hearts, can have longer minor) (Pass) 1H (Relay) (1S Natural):
Pass = Hearts & Diamonds (1st Step)
Dbl = Hearts & 4 Good Spades (usually 3rd step)
1NT = Hearts & Clubs (usually 2nd Step)
2C = Hearts & 4 Poor spades (usually 3 step)
2D = Single Suiter High Shortage - usually 4th step etc


Michael

Switching suit order is really clever. Thanks for that idea.