Hi Jimmy,

My preference would go with the following sequence:
1 -1 [GF balanced 8+ HCP]
1NT[Low Beta asking for Aces and Kings]-2 [0-2]
2 [Iota]
If I get a negative response I can do a new suit Iota in  at a lower level than if I had originally Iota'ed in  first. But back to the bidding
2 - 3 [showing HH/Hxx agreeing trumps]
4 [Relay Beta - had to step over 3NT for Beta since trumps agreed with a minimum positive]- 4 [one control]
it must be a Minor suit King - not of any help since it is known we are missing two Minor suit Aces
4 signoff

John

Hi Jimmy,

OCP practitioners will tend to use Gamma - a trump asking bid - with these hands. Whether the auction is
1 -1NT-2 -2 [Gamma]
OR
2 [weak 2]-3 [Gamma]

In either case, Gamma will allow partnership to discover they are missing BOTH the Ace and Queen of trumps.

Continuation of the asking bid sequences will show the other suits are tied up tight. Gamma will also show Opener has 6-cards in hearts so even though we are missing the AQ of trumps they are the ONLY two trump cards missing. If West has the AQ or they are split 1-1, 6 comes home. So many will still bid 6 with that knowledge in hand and knowing the outside suits are all stitched up. So do not feel bad Jimmy. The odds were for you making it.

Note our 1M-1NT is quite different from the "normal 1NT Forcing." The big difference is it incorporates Gamma into it. That is why most OCP Responder's will bid 1 -1NT instead of 1 -1 with Responder's hand.

Very nice learning example, Ash.

I hate to admit but I would have probably followed you, too. That's why I am intermediate player -- my Declarer play sucks. I do way too many things on auto-pilot -- like drawing trumps in your example. As you pointed out, there is no risk in drawing two rounds of  before finishing up on trumps because if they don't split 2-2, you will always be going down one if you make the mistake of drawing out all your trump first. Now, if I can only imprint this lesson in my Declarer brain I might move up a notch. Oliver's recent posting of other "lesson hands" has been great, too.

Keep them coming.

Good lesson on not giving up. Also, hope you go to church twice tomorrow - someone is certainly looking over you.

I would take 4 as NOT being a High Beta with the reasoning that if Responder had a slammish hand they would be going through either an Alpha sequence [with a strong slammish hand and a 5-card suit] or a 1 -2NT sequence [with a strong balanced hand].

Also, the only times I have seen High Beta in a natural sequence is after trump agreement has occurred or been implied. I do believe one 1NT-4 sequence came up in one of the past practice sessions. So that might be another situation where 4 is High Beta. But none of that appears to be the case after 1 -1 -3 . So I am going with 4 as NOT being a High Beta.

After seeing Responder's actual hand, it is obvious that 4 was not meant as High Beta; but I can understand many new practitioners as seeing it as ambiguous.

Before parting, I have to admit I do not know what I would have done holding Responder's cards after 1 -1 -3 . I guess rather than bidding 4 [the 4 bid must be assuming the 93 holding in  is too scary for 3NT], I would bid 3NT - even with only 93 in  under the assumption Opener has 14-15 HCP so some of those HCP must be in Spades. Of course, there is no certainty there so I could end up with egg on my face. I guess Pass is another possibility. What would others bid sitting in Responder's seat?

John

I think the point here is for Declarer to establish his  trick [10 spot] immediately.

I think if you play the spade after playing two rounds of clubs - hoping for a mistake or Ax - and then playing your remaining three diamonds - BEFORE establishing your spade trick. Then the opponents will cash not only the  Q and  A but also their now established  winner(s) for at least -1.

IMO once West shows the  J, Declarer knows Dummy's  10 is good as long as he first establishes it before transportation issues enter the fray. So while he has the transportation, Declarer's first step should be to establish the spade trick.

Thanks again, Oliver for sharing these sweet nuggets of defensive wisdom.

Totally different story if it were a Suit Contract.

I might lead a singleton to partner's overcall in a NT Contract but only if I suspected partner had some extra HCP [entries]. In this example that cannot be the case. The opponents probably have 25 HCP in order to bid their 3NT game. With 12 HCP in my hand as East, I should know partner probably has at MOST about 3 HCP.

In my mind, that means even if we can get West's  suit established, there is probably going to be no entries available for it. Better to seek fortunes elsewhere.

The only seat where auto-pilot can be engaged is Dummy.

These seem to get better with each one.

Betcha Ash is doing cartwheels on this one knowing how much he likes squeezes.

Thanks for sharing, Oliver I feel like I am getting a private lesson on declarer play by reading your three entries today.
 

Well done, Sifu and Ezster.

I particularly enjoyed the thinking behind the play of the hand. Thanks for sharing.

John