[gwnn]

5♠ sounds like a ♠ control and grand try for clubs to me....

[ONEferBRID]

Ok, how about :
1NT - 2H!
2S - 4C! ( splinter w/ 6+cards ♠ )
4D ( courtesy cue ) - 6S

[gwnn]

sorry don't mean to pick on you but opener has already upgraded once and now partner splintered in his QJxxx suit, doesn't look like he should cue, even if he wants to be courteous.

[dicklont]

P_Marlowe, on Dec 22 2009, 05:47 PM, said:

You play weak NT, with a standard agreement set, Stayman, Transfer, Smolen, Texas.

J6
K8
AK54
QJ832

-

AKQ743
A732
Q10
A

I can use my new toy now: Quest transfers

1NT - 2C (1)
2D - 3H (2)
3NT (3) - 3H (4)
4S - 4NT (5)

1) Stayman
2) Transfer for spades, 5+/4 invite or better
3) Accept invitation with doubleton spades
4) Retransfer, 6+ spades
5) RKCB

After RKCB it goes to 6♠.
I could ask for kings, but I can't find out the third round control in hearts.

[lamford]

TylerE, on Dec 22 2009, 10:57 AM, said:

Assuming 1NT is 12-14, I hate 1N. Far too good, and 2-2 in the majors isn't very attractive either.

I'd propose:

1♦ - 1♠

Zia was in the audience in Vugraph once at a US nationals, and he was quick to condemn a similar 1D bid with 4-5 in the minors, describing such a distortion of suit lengths in a hand that could not reverse as an American malaise.

I also dislike 1NT, so have to start 1C - 1S, and now think that Cyberyeti's 1NT rebid is far from abominable, even playing it as 15-17, just because the alternative 2C is so ugly.

Now, either 2C checkback, or 2D NMF, followed by 3S will show six spades forcing on the South hand. North will just raise to 4S, but South will use RKCB and ask for specific kings; there was a toy used in the Lederer now, whereby North responds to 5NT with 6C showing either the king of clubs or the two red kings. South can tell it is likely to be the latter, and might have a shot at the grand. Even if it is the former, North has at least Jx QJx AJx KQJxx and grand is still good.

[Trinidad]

I agree that basically South could have bid 1NT-6♠.

But if North is going to sell his hand as balanced, please evaluate it as 15-17 and not as weak.

Summarizing: North and South both bid wrong on their first turn.

Rik