[Kaitlyn S]

All this talk of directional value of the bids makes me think that your choice of call depends on partner.

Personally, if I hear the auction go something like 1H (by me) P 1S 2C P (on a different hand) P P, and I have Kx of spades, I think: partner has about 7 points, the opponents have about 20; partner probably has 4 spades and the opponents have 7 (maybe 5-6) so there's a reasonable chance that the SK lead gives up a trick. If I'm playing with someone of a similar opinion, a 1S bid is okay.

If I'm playing with someone who would always lead a spade with Kx on this auction, then 1S should be eschewed in favor of pass or 1NT.

The poll didn't mention the leading idiosyncrasies of partner, so I couldn't vote.

[dokoko]

 Tramticket, on 2017-July-18, 05:33, said:

Unfortunately we found out, in the post-match discussion in the restaurant, that we have been on a different wave-length for years.

I call this fortunate rather than unfortunate - for obvious reasons.

 Tramticket, on 2017-July-18, 05:33, said:

our eventual agreement may include transfer responses (we already play transfer responses to over-calls). If anyone has an links to good reference material to transfer responses after an intervening t/o double it would be welcome.

If you want to put some serious work into this, I recommend a structure by Glen Ashton presented in his script ETM-Gold on bridgematters.com. Not easy to get familiar with, but we are very happy with it now.

[NemoJames]

What if it were the same hand but partner is in first seat? I have always shown a 4 card suit regardless of a takeout intervention but a new partner (who professes to know it all) surprised me by saying you must have a 5 card suit regardless of point count which sounds like nonsense to me.

[apollo1201]

 NemoJames, on 2019-June-23, 03:18, said:

a new partner (who professes to know it all) surprised me by saying you must have a 5 card suit regardless of point count which sounds like nonsense to me.

Sounds like cuz it is!