[jillybean]

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[mike777]

4C

[jillybean]

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[mikeh]

The problem will be that few partnerships will have a clear understanding of what the auction means. Many will want 4C to show a huge hand in support of spades, and will easily convince themselves that that’s what it shows.

Whether it does or not…whether it should or not…is a complex question. After say (1C) x (o) 1S (p) 2C shows either a truly enormous hand with spades or, more commonly, a very good takeout double with 3 card support, looking for other strains in case partner has only 4 spades.

Over the preempt, things aren’t as clear but what would one bid with say Ax AKQxxx AQJx A? 4H seems pusillanimous. 4C followed by 5H seems acceptable, but otoh so too would be doubling then bidding 6H. It’s murky. My take on the cue bid is that it’s ambiguous. Or shows a big hand and if I nextbshowcspades, it was a slam try in that suit

As for bidding over the actual auction, if 4C agreed spades then 4H is a cue bid and we’re worth 5C to try to sniff out a diamond control. But if 4H was merely showing a second suit, say Jxxx Qxxx xx xxx, we don’t want to go beyond 4S. As for choosing to play the 4=4 fit, hoping to pitch a diamond on the long spades, count me out. The 4=4 fit usually only plays better than the 5=4 fit when suits are breaking normally and the 3C bid suggests a greater than normal chance of bad breaks. When facing preemption, look for safety

On this hand, correcting 4H to 4S has the added advantage of making the meaning of 4C crystal clear…a hand with slam interest in spades opposite a 3S response to the double.