Posted 2011-July-06, 21:25
If I understand this correctly, Opener has precisely 5♠3♥3♦2♣ shape?
This seems like a unique sequence. Responder, starting with 2♣, presumably has either clubs as his longest suit OR spade support (or both). I would also assume that Responder (barring some special agreement otherwise) will bid 3♠ in this sequence to show the latter. With a sixth club, I would presume that Responder would bid 3♣, setting trumps (or trump focus). Hence, any red call is odd.
One might presume that a red call is a notrump probe type of call, isolating a problem suit (the other red suit). Alternatively, I suppose that a red call might also prove to be a slam move of some variety, if some weird action is taken later, with unbalanced hands. (Thus, the 3♥ example, followed by some slam-approaching bid, would tend to imply perhaps 2-4-1-6 pattern?)
A reasonable approach, then, might be to denote clubs as trumps (for tactical reasons) and bid 3♣. If that is a clear slam move (bidding red suits being the probe route), one could expect to hear cues (assuredly honor cues, as shortness is eliminated). If you don't hear a red suit call, partner lacks the heart Ace and diamond King, for starters.
That route should allow partner to unwind his honors contribution. If, for example, partner bids 3♦, you could bid 3♥. If partner next bids 3♠, you know that he has the diamond King and the spade King-Queen. If, instead, he starts 3♦ but bypasses to 4♣, you expect a maximum, no spade Queen, and probably ♠K, ♥A, ♦K, ♣A. That's what you need. (That would be an upgrade 1NT opening for me, so opposite myself I'd give up at 2NT, probably, given the "usually not three clubs" agreement.)
If, on the other hand, partner bids 3NT after 3♥, he does not have the perfecto, and you stop at 3NT. Or, you push with 4NT quantitative if aggressive.
If partner bypasses 3♦, he lacks that King. After 3♥, you show the spade honor (3♠). If he suggests a sign off (3NT), you could respect that, or you could bid a pushy 4NT. If he started with K-Q in spades, club Ace, heart Ace, the 3♠ cue will propel him higher, in which case you probably need clubs 3-3 OR a diamond hook, but a squeeze might come in.
If, again, partner's first call over 3♣ is 3♠, he lacks the diamond King or the heart Ace. What is that hand? ♠KQJxx ♥Jxx ♦Jxx ♣Ax, probably. That might actually make slam, strangely. Five spades if spades split 4-3, three clubs, two hearts, and a diamond for 11, with 3-3 clubs or 3-3 hearts or the heart 10 or 3-3 hearts or the diamond hook or a squeeze for trick 12. Maybe you bid 4NT; maybe you suggest a signoff.
The point is that setting clubs as trumps seems to work well.
"Gibberish in, gibberish out. A trial judge, three sets of lawyers, and now three appellate judges cannot agree on what this law means. And we ask police officers, prosecutors, defense lawyers, and citizens to enforce or abide by it? The legislature continues to write unreadable statutes. Gibberish should not be enforced as law."
-P.J. Painter.
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