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Three-Suiters in Relay Bidding

© Copyright 2002, Jim Loy

See Intro to Relays - A 2D Relay Stayman. Three-suiters are 4441 and 5440. We may show them in this way:

1. 4441, numeric
2. 5440, long clubs, numeric
3. 5440, long diamonds, numeric
4. 5440, long hearts, numeric
5. 5440, long spades, Zoom numeric

Or, since the identity of the short suit may be important, we may show them in this way:

1. 3-suiter, short spades
2. 3-suiter, short hearts
3. 3-suiter, short diamonds
4. 3-suiter, short clubs, zoom

Then at the next ask we may clarify:

1. 4441
2. 5440, long low suit
3. 5440, long middle suit
4. 5440, long high suit

In practice, many systems show various kinds of 3-suiters in other ways. A certain bid may show "three-suiter with short diamonds" or "three-suiter with both majors." The Symmetric Relay shows some three-suiters with the balanced distributions, and others with the two-suiters. 1D-1H-1S shows "4S and minor or black 3-suiter." The next relay asks partner to clear this up. So the above tables often are fragmented.

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