[jillybean]

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[DavidKok]

I'm assuming 4♣ wasn't Leaping Michaels showing ♣+♥?

I pass, the chance that partner holds hearts is way too high and I don't think we have a profitable sacrifice at the 4-level or higher. If partner holds spades (or some strong hand) this will make for a funny story.

[jillybean]

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[Cyberyeti]

jillybean, on 2023-February-07, 11:36, said:

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I suspect I bid 4♠, could be right to pass

[mikeh]

Partner has the balanced 2N opener. So 4S is clear. The 4C bidder should have 7 or 8 club tricks, unless he’s nuts

When playing against multi with a strong option, it’s generally best to ignore the strong option since the weak two is at least 10x more likely. Thus the 4C bid shouldn’t be a random preempt. x x xxx AKQxxxxx looks like a 4C bid (although some might argue that this hand should bid 3C, to cater to partner’s 3N…me§. I want to take away LHO’s ability to bid 4C or 4D or 3Mor 4M, etc.

[paulg]

jillybean, on 2023-February-07, 11:36, said:

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In my view 4♠ is clear. It is unfortunate that we have wrong-sided the contract but not making the clear bid is overthinking the situation.

[jillybean]

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Having fun with Multi, I'm West hoping 2♦ is the weak version. Our opponents happen to be the pair who opened 1NT with 4045 the other week.

[AL78]

Crazy bidding and getting away with it is not confined to my club I see. I am well out of touch with modern bidding strategy.

[jillybean]

At another table..

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Now what?

[DavidKok]

It depends on methods, but I suspect that the 3♥ bid was a mistake. A lot of pairs have a bid to show a long major suit with slam interest, usually a one-under or two-under transfer at the 4-level. I think that is the right description of the North hand opposite 22-23 balanced.
Your earlier auction includes 20-22 in the multi, I think that makes responder's situation a lot more difficult. With two-under transfers there is still room for opener to show some doubt, so it is still worth trying. With one-under transfers I have no idea, and can't be objective having seen both hands.

As an aside, I play slightly non-standard methods over 2NT to cater to most of these problems.

[Cyberyeti]

We initially wrongside this one as we bid 2♣-2♦-2N(22-23)-3♥-4♥(Hxx♠, HHxxx♥ H=AKQ) now I suspect N just bids 5♠ suggesting nothing to cue but some useful stuff and S visualises AQxxxx or AQJxx and a Q and bids 5N to find out if partner has a Q, partner bids 6♠ denying one and suggesting a 6th spade, S bids 6N.

[AL78]

jillybean, on 2023-February-07, 13:29, said:

At another table..

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Now what?

4♠ on the basis that opener has not super-accepted the transfer, which I think they should with K97 in support and a maximum with a solid heart suit.

[mikeh]

For me in my two partnerships:

1. 2C 2N (showing a simple hand with a 5+ major, headed by 2/3 top honours)

2C. 2N. 3C. Asks responder to transfer to his major

3H 3S 4S 6S

Responder will not have AQxxx and a side Ace to have bid 4S, so opener, who can assume he likely has 11 tricks opposite AQxxx and out (responder denies a two suited hand so is unlikely to a hold a stiff unless he has 6 spades) and is at worst on a club guess, and might be cold (6th spade, club Queen plus other small chances) bids the slam

In the other, it’s simpler. 2C 2D. We don’t show suits in response to 2C unless at least AQJxxx…6+ missing at most the King or the Queen. Here, the lack of the Jack forces 2D

2C 2D 2N. 22-23

3H 3S 4S

Going through 3H then bidding 4S shows mild slam interest. With a weaker hand, bid 4H over 2N

With a stronger hand, bid 4H and then take another call.

Opener has an even easier bid of 6S now. If the hearts run, we count 12+winners assuming no spade loser. He could and maybe should keycard over 4S but maybe he should bid the slam anyway. Spades could be 2=2, or he may have 7, or if they don’t take the club Ace, maybe it goes away on the hearts. So I think blasting is fine.

[thepossum]

How do people get away with a bid like multi

Oh this bid could mean anything. Wait until next round to find out

We have fully and fairly disclosed that it could mean anything we like

I feel it makes a mockery of the game

Sorry for still being at a very basic (old school) level

I feel a bit like I was frozen 40 years ago and just woke up

I am reading up on defences to it

[Cyberyeti]

thepossum, on 2023-February-08, 05:00, said:

How do people get away with a bid like multi

Oh this bid could mean anything. Wait until next round to find out

We have fully and fairly disclosed that it could mean anything we like

I feel it makes a mockery of the game

Sorry for still being at a very basic (old school) level

I feel a bit like I was frozen 40 years ago and just woke up

I am reading up on defences to it

This is ridiculous, basically it's no more anything than a lot of other multi way bids of various ranges. How is a weak only multi any more variable than a "clubs or diamonds or balanced" precision diamond, or a polish club. Multis have been around a long time, I was brought up with them from my schooldays 45 years ago.

[thepossum]

Cyberyeti, on 2023-February-08, 05:30, said:

This is ridiculous, basically it's no more anything than a lot of other multi way bids of various ranges. How is a weak only multi any more variable than a "clubs or diamonds or balanced" precision diamond, or a polish club. Multis have been around a long time, I was brought up with them from my schooldays 45 years ago.

I did say I am still at the very basic level when I was frozen.
Some may say I still am frozen at that level
I am considering adding a multi-type bid to my armoury
I genuinely understand the case for them. There are quite a few other bids/hand types I would like to incorporate too
If I ever get the chance I am considering moving to a completely new bidding system

Disclaimer (since I was jumped on) - I have no position or role on anything regarding use of any convention anywhere in the world. I'm a nobody. But I also had a misapprehension about Bridge cards and thought you could play anything you like provided you disclose it

[jillybean]

I was ticked off playing bridge in NZ and having no idea how to play or defend against Multi. I used to feel same when people opened a weak nt, strong club, or even preempted ahead of my bid. It would be so much easier if I didn't have opponents.
Treat Multi as a weak 2 in a Major, or better still, add it and play around with it for a while. It does change quite a lot of your system but it's fun and you'll quickly find that you can both play and defend against it.

[dokoko]

Those who include strong balanced hands in a multi opening usually have at least 3 buckets:

1st: open 2NT
2nd: open 2♣, rebid 2NT
3rd: open 2♦, rebid 2NT

Of these buckets the first should contain the weakest range and the 3rd should contain the strongest range. This is because the bidding preceding the 2NT bid may damage the follow-up after 2NT (and in some cases responder even has reason to bid above 2NT immediately). So with the most common range (the weakest) you should avoid these complications and with the rarest range you accept that these complications exist; usually the stronger the hand the better you can handle them.