Hi Ben!
The auction also shows some fuzzy zone places yet to be resolved.
-> Yes, bidding is not easy thing, but at least you know sure 4 cards in major, unlike after negative double, so transfer way is much better.
West North East South
- - - Pass
Pass 1♦ 1♠ 2♣
2♠ ?
But this also raises a question. Negative doubles are "gone" so how weak is too weak to "show a suit." This is on the lines on the "negative free bid" type responses. That is, you can use the transfer with hands that are weaker than a normal response up to very stong, since the transfer is 1RF.
-> Yes, this is main problem of any transfer bids. IMHO is beeter to not use them for sign offs, so transfer bids need to show enough strenght at least to make suit contract on fit at level of bidding. After opponent's preempts level-1 strength is enough - not a perfect world.
2
♣ showed
♥'s, and over 2
♠, what are opener's choices here?
- Pass - ok with 4♥, is pass an option?
->Pass is an option with 11-13 bal hand. With hand in example is not an option.
- ->DBL: ♣ or bal strong hand
- 2NT - shows what? good bad or since partner showed ♥ is this the good raise (i think it would be), but this is not a good raise hand. Not nearly strong enough.
->2NT all time show good major raise( inv+), in example too. Instead of GB2NT we use all time 2 way rebid of suit (direct is competitive), when rebid at 2 level is impossible.
- 3♣, ok this shows ♦, with a plan to rebid 3♥. This hand is probably not srtong enough.
->Yes, this bid show strong hand rebid of ♦.
- 3♦ - rebiding own suit, but over 2♠, this should show ♥ fit right, and less than the 2NT response.
->Rebid of own suit is all time natural, so 3♦ is competitive natural bid.
- 3♥. Ok here is the rub... three ways to get to 3♥, though 2NT (really good raise), through 3♦ (transfering in), and a bid of 3♥. First is 3♥'s really ♥'s and by analogy to bidding at two level, would 3♥ be weaker than 3♦ and of course 3♦ weaker than 3♥?
-> 2 ways only when not cheapest bid or dbl - 2NT or 3♥. So 3♥ is normal competitive raise and right bid in your example
Of does 3
♦ show 3 card
♥ support and is passable? Interesting quetion, I don't know the answer too.
->No. But you can bid dbl{
♣} or
♣{
♦} and rebid 3
♥ showing 3
♥ and nf, with enough strength for 3 level contract on 4-3 fit.
I think the auction should be...
West North East South
- - - Pass
Pass 1
♦ 1
♠ 2
♣
2
♠ 3
♥ Pass 4
♥
Pass Pass Pass [/FONT]
->Yes, 4
♥ is risky contract, but such games need to be bided imho.
Where 3
♥ is weakest of four card raises, and South reevaluate his hand for known fit. His now becomes... wonderful for ZAR. He had 24 ZAR points before fit was found. With fit, he gains 1 point for
♥J and three points for the stiff
♠, bringing his total to more than 26, and since his partner opened, bidding the 20 hcp game is more or less automatic. The results from the tourneyment show only 6 out of 16 bid this game, and two of those were willing to stop in 3
♥, and were then "pushed" into 4
♥ after a balancing compete to 3
♠....
-> If we change position of
♣A results from tourney will change too...
Misho