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Q:
What is the correct bidding on this hand?
North
♠ K J 9 6 4
♥ Q J 4
♦ A J
♣ A 7 5
South
♠ A 7
♥ 8
♦ K Q 8 7 6 4 3 2
♣ Q 3
A:
North would open 1NT despite holding a 5-card major. If North were to open 1♠, it would make for a difficult rebid. Playing Four-Way Transfers, South bids 2NT to transfer to 3♦. Now comes the interesting decision. Does North show a positive holding in diamond or deny such a holding? Usually, a positive response is used when holding honor 3rd or better in partners minor. Here, however North has two honors but only a doubleton in the suit.
My partner and I had a hand in the final session of the 2010 World Mixed Pairs Championships where I had shown a six-card club suit by rebidding clubs as opener and he raised on ♣AJ. We were the only pair to bid 6♣ for a cold top ~ ultimately winning the event! Based on this experience, I would show support by bidding 3♦ (some partnerships bid the suit between the transfer to show support). Over 3♦, South should now bid 3♥ to show shortness and interest in more than just game. This is all North needs to hear.
Playing Redwood (or One Over), North bids 4♥ asking for keycards in diamonds. South bids 5♦ to show two keycards with the ♦Q and North signs off in 6♦s.
The complete bidding would look like this:
North South
1NT 2NT*
3♦** 3♥
4♥*** 5♦****
6♦ AP
*Transfer to 3♦s.
** Honor 3rd or better in diamonds.
*** Keycard for diamonds
**** Two keycards with the ♦Q.
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