[straube]

meckwell responds 1S with sometimes only three spades. I seem to remember that opener can splinter in his fragment (which allows for a pass). So 4513 max opposite 3145 min might find 4C after 1H-1S, 4C. Do I have that right or do they use minisplinters at the 3-level (i.e. opener jump rebids 3C there)? What does 1H-1S, 2N show? Is that an unspecified minisplinter? a jump rebid of hearts? And how do they show 6/5m from 5/6m? How also do they rebid with 4S/6H? I'm thinking they raise spades.

[olien]

I am quite familiar with their system, and as far as I know they don't systemically respond on a 3-card suit. Maybe as a (semi)-psyche because they only raise with 4-card support, but normally with 31xx types, they respond 1NT.

[straube]

 olien, on 2010-December-13, 16:49, said:

I am quite familiar with their system, and as far as I know they don't systemically respond on a 3-card suit. Maybe as a (semi)-psyche because they only raise with 4-card support, but normally with 31xx types, they respond 1NT.

My notes are old, but they did used to. I gathered it was to let opener make a very natural rebid.

[the hog]

"meckwell responds 1S with sometimes only three spades."

Do they? I have never seen a sequence where they do. Even if they do, do you really want to distort your bidding like this?

[straube]

 the hog, on 2010-December-13, 22:50, said:

"meckwell responds 1S with sometimes only three spades."

Do they? I have never seen a sequence where they do. Even if they do, do you really want to distort your bidding like this?

Um. Yeah. That's what their notes said. I have no data on what they actually have bid at the table. Doesn't surprise me that Olien's more recent notes are different. I did look at a convention card of there's that seemed more recent and they listed under "psyches" that they might respond with three spades. Do they psyche one spade to keep opponent's out of spades? Or do they only do so with no heart fit? I don't know.

From memory, they never raised spades without four cd support.

I don't view a 1S response as a distortion (with that word's negative connotation). It takes up the least amount of space and lets opener have very natural rebids. After 1H-1N, 2C responder doesn't know if opener has four clubs or even 4522. I might rather call that a distortion.

The three cd spade response was only to be used for hands with less than invitational strength and 3145 or 3154. Can't remember about 3244 but that could also work. The idea was to find superior part score contracts after opener's more meaningful rebid.

For example...
4522 vs 3154 finds 43 spade fit vs 42 club fit
3532 vs 3145 finds 1N vs 34 diamond fit
3541 vs 3244 finds 44 diamond fit vs 52 heart fit

Now perhaps it loses more than wins and I accept that they don't play this now. I posted because I want to know what their jump rebids are and it seems like there may not be a big difference in whether 1S promises 4S or if it can include a few patterns with only 3 spades.

So I would appreciate anyone who can offer what their continuations are. Thanks.