Posted 2021-February-16, 12:33
Imps or MPs?
At MPS, I can't afford to play 5D if 4H or 3N are in the picture. Slam is wonderful when it makes, but we need partner to have a good mesh to reach and make 6D, and at mps, it isn't worth risking 400 or 420 in 5D when 420/430/450 may be available in hearts or notrump. So I am going to use stayman and, if he bids hearts, follow up with 3S, to preserve a chance at 6H opposite a good mesh, such as Axx KQxx Ax Kxxx, and even 6D opposite AJxx Kx Axxx KJx or so (after 2S 3D). But I am not likely reaching 6D if he only has Axx or Ax, since he won't usually see that as slam suitable opposite a presumed (on a frequency basis) 5 card suit.
At imps, I ignore the hearts. Yes, one can construct hands where 6H is better than 6D, so long as hearts are 3-2 (or he has 5!), but one can also construct hands where we have heart losers that we can avoid in diamonds: Axx Axxx Ax KJ10x: 6H has very little play but 6D is basically cold absent an early club ruff.
So at imps, I bid my diamond transfer and then show my spade stiff. I am not at all worried about 5D scoring an imp worse than 3N or 4H, especially since one can construct hands where 3N fails and 5D is cold. Q10xx KQx xx AKJx on a spade lead from AJxxx xx Axx xxx
Btw, unlike Cyber, if I were, at mps, to stayman and then show diamonds, I am NOT pulling 3N. My sequence already shows interest in 5D rather than 3N (else why tell the opps about my hand?) so if partner, knowing I have at least (and usually) 9 red cards and a gf hand, thinks 3N is best, I am not over-ruling him.
'one of the great markers of the advance of human kindness is the howls you will hear from the Men of God' Johann Hari