[bd71]

You are playing 2/1 in a matchpoint game. With partner dealing, our unopposed bidding has gone...

1♠ 1N
3♦ 3♥
4♥

If you are interested in exploring a heart slam, can you infer that partner has club shortness? Or as you play do you need to allow for him to be something like 5242 with ♥Hx?

The specific hand that raised this discussion with partner (void AJ98xxx xxx Kxx) did have clubs controlled, but say the hand was (AJ98xxx Kxx xxx), how do you feel about slam?

[mike777]

I suppose 5h now could ask for club help.
At Mp I could understand just passing and win the bd in the play of the hand.

[kenrexford]

I would be curious about what partner would mean by 4C.

Some would tend strain. In that type of person, 4C would be a good call with 5242. Because of this, that partner tends to reliably be short in clubs.

Control heavy people might tend the opposite. 4C would be on going with hearts, with 4H flawed somehow.

people who don't bid 4C at all are harder to read.

[whereagles]

Not sure you can assume opener has singleton club.. he's favourite to have it, but 5242 with bad clubs and ♥Hx also comes to mind.

[the_clown]

I think 4♣ should be excellent hand for ♥s and 4♥ more like 5242 or very min hand with stiff club.

[gszes]

The number of hands where 4c is needed as natural is probably the point on a needle.
That means 4c is probably better used to show the difference btn heart interest with
and w/o a club control. I would use the 4c to show a hand with a club control (at
least Hx in hearts) and 4h to deny a club control.

[ggwhiz]

I don't know many (or any) that have a specific agreement but a game forcing 3♦ bid with 2 losing clubs in a hand that raises hearts instead of bidding spades or diamonds again seems remote at best.

I'll raise this to 5♥ as a transfer..... of responsibility.