[ArtK78]

IMPs. Swiss Teams. 6 9-board matches scored at IMPs converted to VPs (20 point scale).

Vul against not, you pick up:

---

You are in fourth seat, and the auction is:

LHO....Pard....RHO....You

..1♦......1♠.,,,,..P........2♦
..3♦......3♥.......P,,,,,,...?


Your plan?

[akwoo]

Questions:

1) Did 2♦ promise spade support, or is it also bid with a strong hand with no clear direction?

2) Does 3♥ actually say anything about hearts, or it is simply partner's only game try at this point?

[Fluffy]

4m, depending on whether I can have long strogn clubs or it is forbidden by previous bid. This han dis really huge now given that opponent's actions seem to favour that partner's shortness is in clubs.

[whereagles]

Gonzalo's observation of short clubs across is important.

If 3♠ were forcing, that's my bid. Otherwise I'll have to decide NOW whether to give up on slam or bid it.

[ArtK78]

The 2♦ bid shows a strong hand with no clear direction. Often it has a fit. A jump in a new suit would have been fit showing.

2♦ is not a game force, so 3♠ here is not forcing (despite partner's free bid of 3♥).

[rhm]

I am a simple soul and bid 4NT followed by appropriate heart bids.
I can see that there might be scope for misunderstandings about what are the key-suits.
If you think 4NT could be natural here.. well we might not match well as a partnership.


Raner Herrmann

[rmnka447]

I assume that 3 ♥ must confirm at least opening values and ♥. If overcaller is less than an opener, it would seem a pass would be in order after LHO has competed to 3 ♦.

I'm with rhm, I'm making the RKCB bid whatever you agreed bid for that is. Since the cue doesn't necessarily show ♠ support, the RKC bid ought to be for ♥ -- last bid suit.

[mike777]

6h

I don't expect pard to have less than:

AQxxx..KQxx..xx..xx

and often more.

[mikeh]

The only reason to do anything other than keycard is concern about missing grand opposite something like AQJxx Kxxx Axx x. Maybe he can bid it after I tell him we have all the keycards...it is plausible to assume I hold help in spades in order to invoke keycard and, if not, the K rates to be onside some of the time

Meanwhile, no alternative comes to mind. Blasting seems unilateral since we could be off 2 keycards, altho if I was limited to one call, ending the auction, it would be 6♥.

I don't like the methods, but I don't think that other methods would necessarily help. For example, playing transfers, which I like here, we'd have the same auction through 3♦, and I assume that partner has the values to drive to game when I transfer...I like partner to bid as if I held weak 2 values. However, it is, I suppose, possible that with a hand that makes grand good, he'd cue 4♦ on the way. As I say, it probably makes no difference.

I can't imagine ever wanting to support spades after this start, btw. It might be nice if doing so would set the stage for 2-suit keycard, but why should it when we haven't shown hearts yet? Besides, 3♠ isn't forcing (not a treatment I like once overcaller shows values and I have promised a strong hand....3♠ should, imo, be forcing) and 4♠ ends the auction 99% of the time when I hold this hand.

Cuebidding a minor is no use....clubs is natural and 4♦ can't get us more info than would an immediate keycard and might add confusion to what should be a simple auction.

[gszes]

so many questions so little time

1. could south have bid 3h as a jump fit? if so why not?
2. was 3h really promising hearts?? ie what would north bid
with say Axxxxx xx x KQxx I know I would invite game if 2d
showed spade support (limit +).
3. if 3h really showed hearts how would N have invited with
the example hand given (2).

back to the question

Assuming 3h showed hearts (and the fact that p did not pass
when they could have let us compete further) our hand has
become so monstrous that I agree with RHM and I trot out the
old 4n bid to keep me out of bidding a poor slam (that I really
want to just jump to 6h).

[Lovera]

mikeh, on 2014-April-14, 14:08, said:

The only reason to do anything other than keycard is concern about missing grand opposite something like AQJxx Kxxx Axx x. Maybe he can bid it after I tell him we have all the keycards...it is plausible to assume I hold help in spades in order to invoke keycard and, if not, the K rates to be onside some of the time

Meanwhile, no alternative comes to mind. Blasting seems unilateral since we could be off 2 keycards, altho if I was limited to one call, ending the auction, it would be 6♥.

I don't like the methods, but I don't think that other methods would necessarily help. For example, playing transfers, which I like here, we'd have the same auction through 3♦, and I assume that partner has the values to drive to game when I transfer...I like partner to bid as if I held weak 2 values. However, it is, I suppose, possible that with a hand that makes grand good, he'd cue 4♦ on the way. As I say, it probably makes no difference.

I can't imagine ever wanting to support spades after this start, btw. It might be nice if doing so would set the stage for 2-suit keycard, but why should it when we haven't shown hearts yet? Besides, 3♠ isn't forcing (not a treatment I like once overcaller shows values and I have promised a strong hand....3♠ should, imo, be forcing) and 4♠ ends the auction 99% of the time when I hold this hand.

Cuebidding a minor is no use....clubs is natural and 4♦ can't get us more info than would an immediate keycard and might add confusion to what should be a simple auction.

After 3 keys is easy explorer for grand in hearts via 5NT ( if there is a singleton in clubs ) ..

[lackeman]

In this spot Ithink partner try further describe his hand! So the heart bid shuld be natural. He probably have 5-4. then partner must have 2keycards. But even then the slam could be impossible. For partner have A9xxx,KQxx,QX,qx. I therfore not bid 4NT.