[Cyberyeti]

nullve - I think the other (4441) hand opened 1♦ rather than the one you give.

[DavidKok]

ahtan, on 2021-November-25, 00:01, said:

I counted 17 pts in mine (1 for short suit). Then jumped to 5D - this to me signals to partner we have about a total of 29 playing points (quantitative jump) if I assume she only has a minimum 13. She is free to jump to 6D if she has extras. Is this unreasonable?

Yes, this is unreasonable. You have 3♦ to show a minimum, so 4♦ is 100% forcing. This shows extras and slam interest. A jump to 5♦ is rarely the right bid, but would show a hand with approximately minimum values and sufficient extra shape (for example six diamonds and a singleton) to make game a good proposition without having any slam aspirations. On slam auctions you need all the space you can get, so jumping one or two levels is typically reserved for hands with very specific descriptions and/or no slam interest.

ahtan, on 2021-November-25, 00:01, said:

Either way, assuming:
Option 1. 2H shows unbalanced 15-17 forcing 1 round or
option 2. 2H only shows stopped H suit.

How do I find a reasonable way to explore slam? In 2/1, I can use slow arrival to signal extras.

(yes, i know. Under her definition, she could have bid 3C to show splinters. She probably wasn't sure how I'd interpret it. But 3C to show splinters would work quite well too).

I don't think having options 1+2 combined is playable without investing significant time into (artificial) followups. The bridgewinners article upthread is probably a much better alternative. It is crucial to get a good shape description as soon as possible over inverted minors, so focus on that. Decide where the balanced minima go, and split the unbalanced hands and non-minima over the remaining bids. For example:

• 2♥: unbalanced, 4(+), any strength
  
• 2♠: unbalanced, 4(+), any strength, denies 4♥
  
• 2NT: 12-14 or 18-19 bal, if 12-14 values in both majors (to not wrongside 3NT). Forcing. Any answer other than 3♦ by responder is GF.
  
• 3♣: unbalanced, 4(+), any strength, denies 4M
  
• 3♦: any lousy minimum, can be balanced

Using this system the auction would be:
1♦-2♦*;
2♥-3♥ (assuming 2♦ denies 4M);
3NT (shows a spade stopper, implies club shortness because partner is unbalanced. Likely 3=4=5=1)-4♣ (control bid for slam);
4♦ (not an absolute minimum but not a lot of extras either, temporizing)-4♥ (control);
4♠ (control, the heart king is good news) - 4NT (RKC, that's all you needed to hear);
5♠ (two keycards and the queen) - 6♦ (there is a likely slow spade loser with xxx opposite partner's lack of extras, so I think a grand is against the odds even if we have a chance to set up the hearts).

[helene_t]

If 2NT is nonforcing (which is particularly attractive if 1♣ can be a doubleton so we might not even have a club fit), 2NT=12-14 is problematic as responder with 11 points won't know whether to pass or bid 3NT. So in that case, it is good to have an agreement about whether 3NT is 18-19 or 14.

[Winstonm]

ahtan, on 2021-November-24, 17:36, said:

Great responses Thanks!

Since we seem to have expanded a little from my original question. I thought I'd ask a "How would you bid" question relating to inverted minors

Dealer is South and I'm sitting North.
1D-2D (inverted minor)
2H

I interpreted 2H as saying "No spade stoppers". I'm holding

S 975
H KQ4
D AKT72
C A9

I'm holding 16HCP. What do I do?

What do I do if my partner means something else by the 2H. She means "unbalanced 15-17HCP and just showing 2H as temporizing (forcing)". I have not seen this treatment in a casual search.

Raise to 3H denying a spade card and suggesting the Moysian as a valid option.