Julian Pottage
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Yes the three-level responses do use up a lot of space, which is why they need to convey a specific message. Most of the time opener has more features to describe than responder does, which is why responder uses the relay on most hands.
Yes the new suit up is the relay response you use on most hands in reply to a Benjamin 2C or 2D opener.
With my most regular partner we bid a suit at the two level if we have a 5-card suit headed by two of the top three honours or a suit at 3 level with a 6-card suit headed by 2 of the top 3 honours. Other hands use the relay.
Elaine, the upper point count limit for a one level overcall is lower than that for a one level opening – with 18 or 19 points partner would double first, so you have less reason to strain to keep the bidding open. While for sure you can bid 1NT with a singleton in partner’s suit, you ought to have a stopper in opener’s suit. The range is something like a good 8-11.
The K will be onside 50% of the time. A 3-1 break occurs 50% of the time but only in a quarter of that is the king singleton, so 12.5%. Unless you have a strong indication from the bidding that the K is offside (which you say in the question you do not have), you should finesse.
Your second suggestion of 4D to show both majors is just right. Once in a blue moon partner would have liked to have left in 3D doubled but much of the time he will bid clubs and then you will be guessing what to do.
Most people would lead the 9 or the 10 from the East holding. If they play strong tens, you would know the 9 lead places the king in the West hand. If they do not play strong 10s and lead the 10, it would then be roughly 50-50 whether the lead is from K-10-9 or a ten-high suit and you would be aware of the significant chance that West holds the king.
Susan, thanks yes – Bernard Magee Bridge has a Facebook page where members can ask their peers for an opinion and you are very welcome to contribute to that. This forum is slightly different because people posting are looking for an expert view.
If the 5D is second highest from a poor suit, East has 10 5 3, 9 5 3, 8 5 3 or 7 5 3 of diamonds. There would seem to be quite a lot more holdings for East that involved holding the king: K 10 7 5(3) K 10 8 5 (3) K 9 7 5 (3) K 8 7 5 (3) K 9 8 5 (3) K 8 7 5 (3). I am not sure if I have missed any but that is already 12 holdings. At matchpoints finessing seems clear cut.
Your partner might have bid 5H to make it clear she was inviting a slam in hearts. If you have 20 points, that is minimum for a 20-22 range so you would pass that, just as you passed 4NT. Your bidding seems fine to me.
If partner is a passed hand, you can play a wide range for a weak jump overcall, the maximum being a hand that you think will not produce game facing a passed hand.
If you play intermediate or strong jump overcalls, whether partner has or has not already passed would seem to make little difference.
With the hand cited, which includes 3 aces, I would not make a weak jump overcall even facing a passed hand – you have good defence and would not wish to rule out game.
If you have 17 points and a 4333 shape, it is normal to open 1S if you are playing 4-card majors and a weak NT and to open 1NT if you are playing a strong NT. If you are playing 5-card majors or 5-card spade suits and a weak NT then you have to open 1C. You cannot open 1NT with 3 points more than partner expects. Partner will not often pass 1C anyway.
If you do not open 2D, you are never going to catch up, though it is difficult to show all the suits if you do so. It might not be so easy to show all the suits if you do open 1C because after 1C-1S-2H, diamonds will be the fourth suit.
There are probably more hands on which you can make an extra trick with a 4-4 fit than with a 5-3 fit because with a 4-4 fit a ruff in either hand generates an extra trick while with a 5-3 fit only a ruff in the short hand does so.
As you suggest, the quality of the suits can be important, especially at slam level, and if one suit is a minor and the other is a major this can be important too. Below the slam level it is unlikely that you would wish to play in a 4-4 fit in a minor when you have a 5-3 fit in a major.
