[pilun]

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East got to show 4-5-3-1.
3NT showed 7 SPs (QPs)
We count stiff kings as 1 SP (David Morgan's recommendation)
In our simple DCB, stop = 0 or 4+ SP (so none or AQ/AK(Q))
We switch to positive with singletons, so
4NT = H-y, S-y, D-y, C-y

so has to be the actual.
♦Q not needed so this time kontrol ask would work nicely as well.
(On the other hand, West might want to avoid 6♥ opposite xxxx, KJxxx, KQx, K)

A bit tougher in methods that ignore stiff kings, like KK relay.

[foobar]

awm doesn't discount stiffs, so wonder how KK-relay might do here with that option.

After 3!D - 3!H asks:

4C (4 controls) - 4D - 4H (DCB) - 5C (heart, spade, not QH). Note that the scan skips the second shortest suit. In this case, there's some ambiguity about KD or KC, but either should do on this hand.

[awm]

Easy for Sam and me of course:

1♥ - 1NT (GF relay or good invite with 5+♠)
2♥ (4♠) - 2♠ (GF relay)
3♦ (4531) - 3♥ (RP?)
4♣ (8) - 4♦ (relay)
4♥ (singleton honor in clubs) - 4♠ (relay)
5♥ (one top honor in each suit; K in hearts and Q in diamonds rather than vice-versa)

At this point responder knows all the cards, so 7♥ is clear.

[foobar]

awm, on 2026-June-27, 13:08, said:

Easy for Sam and me of course:

1♥ - 1NT (GF relay or good invite with 5+♠)
2♥ (4♠) - 2♠ (GF relay)
3♦ (4531) - 3♥ (RP?)
4♣ (8) - 4♦ (relay)
4♥ (singleton honor in clubs) - 4♠ (relay)
5♥ (one top honor in each suit; K in hearts and Q in diamonds rather than vice-versa)

At this point responder knows all the cards, so 7♥ is clear.

Adam,

It seems like you have reversed you scan order for the PCB? Do you scan the shortest first, then switch to the longest? Are there any other tweaks?

[pilun]

foobar, on 2026-June-27, 12:13, said:

awm doesn't discount stiffs, so wonder how KK-relay might do here with that option.

After 3!D - 3!H asks:

4C (4 controls) - 4D - 4H (DCB) - 5C (heart, spade, not QH). Note that the scan skips the second shortest suit. In this case, there's some ambiguity about KD or KC, but either should do on this hand.

♦K is not enough for 13.
Also in KK "A singleton king is not counted at all"

[mike777]

I don't play or know relay systems.
Certainly a clear victory for them..

In defense of us non relay Players I hope to bid an aggressive seven.

Granted I would not know if partner held the KD or not. I would not know if partner held three or four diamonds..


However if I know you are my tough opponents at the other table, it makes it easy to chance it..
😎🕵️
0

[awm]

foobar, on 2026-June-27, 15:28, said:

Adam,

It seems like you have reversed you scan order for the PCB? Do you scan the shortest first, then switch to the longest? Are there any other tweaks?

We've noticed that a singleton honour is often (not always, and not here) a disappointment to relayer. So it makes sense to show that by stopping early. This is the only relay resolution thing we've changed recently, although we have messed with our major suit sequences a bit too (in particular, we want relays to start with 1NT after the 1♠ opening, which has caused a bit of a shuffle since we also want many weak non-fitting hands to bid 1NT over 1♠).