it's not the same - last train is where you have a cue bid below game - but it isn't the right suit. This is just using 3nt to inquire if slam has a chance or not.
In the prior hand if 3S was non serious, 3NT could be a spade stopper. In another hand after you cue bid 4D, if partner cue bids 4H, I think it means I have the club stopper but I'm asking you about hearts and you can rKC. its called last train. The point is that if partner had both the heart and club stopper they can go past 4S. If they don't have the club stopper, no one does and thus 4S. So 4H is last train. i got that wrong once so I;ll never forget it.
Thanks! Great explanation. Does it make sense to play both this and last train? And how do they combine? Or should you choose one of the two conventions?
Both conventions work in conjunction. It just allows you to further narrow your range or spots where non serious doesn't apply non serious still helps.
My first impression is that non-serious 3NT avoids revealing as much info as serious 3NT does about the hand when you're weaker, and when you have a stronger hand, you don't mind leaking some info since the game contract should be safe anyway.
it can also avoid you pointing out a lead to the opposition - where you might have two losers in one suit because you have bypassed cue bidding that suit.
Yes you are giving up 3NT to play and it doesn't just matter in IMPs. I have absolutely been burned by this in the past. The most memorable example was in a (low-level) national tournament. My teammates stopped at a 4S, going down on the 5-0 spade break, where our opponents stopped in the cold 3NT. I'm not sure if the numbers truly back this up, but it seems to me that when you have 27-30 combined points, that 3NT is actually the safer contract. (It's not enough for me to force my will on my partner. I will usually play virtually anything partner wants to play, including NS3NT.) No, it doesn't apply to a minor fit because you often want to be in 3NT with a minor fit.
An alternative could be to have it mean to play if we have a 4-4 fit, showing a balanced hand. Very rarely is 3NT better than 4M in a 5-3 fit (since the other suits can't be mirrored then).
A wonderful idea. Will try it. Thank you Pete.
Hi Pete, great video. I get the feeling this is a bit like The Last Train. Really enjoying your teachings.
it's not the same - last train is where you have a cue bid below game - but it isn't the right suit. This is just using 3nt to inquire if slam has a chance or not.
Why does partner's raise of 1S to 3S show 4 spades? I thought it was 3 or more.
great content as usual Pete. I just have one question, does this applies with conventional Major suit raises like Bergen raise?
Yep
In the prior hand if 3S was non serious, 3NT could be a spade stopper. In another hand after you cue bid 4D, if partner cue bids 4H, I think it means I have the club stopper but I'm asking you about hearts and you can rKC. its called last train. The point is that if partner had both the heart and club stopper they can go past 4S. If they don't have the club stopper, no one does and thus 4S. So 4H is last train. i got that wrong once so I;ll never forget it.
Thanks! Great explanation. Does it make sense to play both this and last train? And how do they combine? Or should you choose one of the two conventions?
Both conventions work in conjunction. It just allows you to further narrow your range or spots where non serious doesn't apply non serious still helps.
To me they have little to do with each other. Last train usually applies when you are already too high for more scientific options.
My first impression is that non-serious 3NT avoids revealing as much info as serious 3NT does about the hand when you're weaker, and when you have a stronger hand, you don't mind leaking some info since the game contract should be safe anyway.
I think the difference mainly come from which situations can partner cue bid where you then can make further looks for slam.
it can also avoid you pointing out a lead to the opposition - where you might have two losers in one suit because you have bypassed cue bidding that suit.
A couple of questions: Will it apply after a minor fit? At MPs, are we giving up 3nt to play? Thanks.
Yes you are giving up 3NT to play and it doesn't just matter in IMPs. I have absolutely been burned by this in the past. The most memorable example was in a (low-level) national tournament. My teammates stopped at a 4S, going down on the 5-0 spade break, where our opponents stopped in the cold 3NT. I'm not sure if the numbers truly back this up, but it seems to me that when you have 27-30 combined points, that 3NT is actually the safer contract. (It's not enough for me to force my will on my partner. I will usually play virtually anything partner wants to play, including NS3NT.)
No, it doesn't apply to a minor fit because you often want to be in 3NT with a minor fit.
An alternative could be to have it mean to play if we have a 4-4 fit, showing a balanced hand. Very rarely is 3NT better than 4M in a 5-3 fit (since the other suits can't be mirrored then).
No it doesn't apply after a minor fit.
@@jyutzler sorry, i didn't notice the last sentence and typed the query again. Thanķs for your reply.
@@BridgeWithPete thanks Pete.