Here's a tough auction for the responder (playing old fashioned standard). With no interference, 1 --2
--2 --3
--3 . That's invitational, but say you have
. That's invitational, but say you have
 KQ5
 KQ5  97643
 97643  K2
 K2  765
 765
 ?
You're in the middle of your range with decent shape and trumps. Game would be good opposite, say
 AJ1093
 AJ1093  AJ
 AJ  AJ43
 AJ43  82
 82
 . You would be able to ruff two diamonds and might make an overtrick if the heart finesse is onside. If you switch partner's suits around so that partner has:
 AJ1093
 AJ1093  AJ
 AJ  82
 82  AJ43,
 AJ43, 
Now the game is terrible with a heart loser, one or two dimond losers, and two likely club losers (or even three if you're not careful). Having your honors fill in your partner's missing values goes a long way to making this hand better. Describing these invitational hands is
Once we have a major suit fit, we don't go looking for another fit. As a result, if a major has been bid and raised, none of the bids of new suits need to be natural. We can't play in diamonds if the auction starts (unimpeded) 1 --2
--2 , then 3
, then 3 (or, for that matter 3
 (or, for that matter 3 or 3
 or 3 ) can not be non-forcing. We don't want to play there. If those bids are forcing, we can use them to describe our hand to partner without fear of ending up there.
) can not be non-forcing. We don't want to play there. If those bids are forcing, we can use them to describe our hand to partner without fear of ending up there.