[aguahombre]

I don't play Acol, either, Ken. But it must be better to use 3NT rather than a jump to 5H when pard has unconditionally set trumps and wants to explore. It is getting out of her way and letting her find out what she wants to know.

But, I don't have any decisions to make as West anyway after the 3H jump. I just show any ace, show if I have any kings (3NT) otherwise, and then answer partner's questions via simple step responses to side suit asking bids if she wants the information.

[fromageGB]

Whatever I say repeats what Zel has said, but let me put it in different words. If you are playing 3♥ as a suit-setting ace ask, then 3NT denies an ace and 4♣ by opener asks for a king. However, unless this 4♣ is a denial cue, this is seriously inefficient as he can't find a club K at low level, so 3♠ should be swapped with 3NT (then 3NT would ask for a king). This is easy if you play non-serious 3NT which is spades when hearts are trumps. You can then look at the action in a different way, and 3♠ is the usual non-serious bid. However, you could have signed off in 4♥ with nothing to show, but as you have bid 3♠ you must be denying an ace but will have king(s).

After the 3♠, use your normal king finding method to discover the diamond and lack of spades. You are then at the game level, and at this point you wish you had methods to discover a diamond (preferably) or club Q. If you don't have side queen asks in your repertoire, now is the time to add something!

[lexlogan]

VixTD, on 2013-March-14, 09:13, said:

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Partner and I didn't bid this hand well on Tuesday. We don't play together often, and obviously had different ideas about this sequence.

2♣ was Acol, artificial GF or 23+ balanced. 2♦ was a relay. 3♥ showed a solid suit and invited cue-bids...

East's hand does not need controls -- it needs tricks. A reasonable auction might begin 2C-2D; 2H-2NT, showing some values (Responder could bid 3C with a bust.) At this point I think opener can force to slam and invite grand slam with 5NT, and responder can accept with 7NT.

[gszes]

kenberg, on 2013-March-18, 19:37, said:

I don't play Acol; so maybe I should just listen, but suppose that my partner has shown a solid heart suit and gf values, that I have shown nothing yet, and I have something., While often a 5♥ bid asks about trump. that can hardly be the case when partner has shown a solid suit. Would not 5♥ be something like: Too much to sign off in 4♥, no ace to cue, but values I haven't shown yet. I realize that holding the J of hearts you may think pard will be worried about his so-called solid suit, and of course 5♥ does not at all show where these values are, but if forced by system to improvise I think that 5♥ would be my choice. Pard will not be bidding 7 but I imagine 6 is an easy call.

note the advantage of adopting 3n for this purpose* (once p shows a self sufficient major
that is trumps unless we sign off in 6n or 7n) we still have tons of room to explore and all
we have to do is work on methods:)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))



*as noted many times above

[kenberg]

Right, I agree with you and aqua, and probably about everyone else, that 3NT has advantages. I was more thinking of this as what I would do if this came up in an undiscussed auction. Lacking any great ideas, I have smoe extras and I would suppose that voluntarily going past game shows extras. It's hardly a great move, I agree. But I think it is what I would do.
Probably anything except 4♥ will get the partnership to 6. Maybe some get to 7. Me, probably not.It's nice to have four tricks in diamonds.