[LBengtsson]

I watched this afternoon the Team Champions table with world class players playing. This looks like a difficult grand slam to bid as key card is ♠Q, and both pairs ended up in 6♥ only also. (I know that the grand slam on a ♣ lead could be a problem and require certain splits in the other suits but it seem a percentage grand slam to bid, and you may not get a ♣ lead so 13 tricks can be claimed.) Both used various conventions and gadget such as transfer responses and splinters, however is there a natural way to reach it, or do you need gadget to find 7♥.

Here are the two hands. All red. No opponents bidding. West is dealer.

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[DavidKok]

1♠-2♥ (2/1 GF);
3♣ (promises extas)-3♥;
4♥ (a slight underbid, even after 3♣. The only alternative would be 3♠, intending to pull 3NT to 4♥. But West would bid the same with a sixth spade, and if East bids something other than 3NT we are in a lot of trouble. Maybe some pairs have 4♦ last train for hearts available here, but for me that would confirm hearts and show a diamond control) - 4NT (RKC 1430);
5♠ (2 + Q)-5NT (kings ask);
6♣ (King of clubs and no diamonds, no spades or the exact opposite)-6♦ ("Do you have any undisclosed values?");
6♠ ("Yes, in spades")-7♥/7NT.

A difficult auction. West has a tough call to make over 3♥, and if 3♣ did not promise extras it is even more challenging. Also pairs not playing 2/1 GF might not be able to rebid 3♥ with the East hand. Then East needs to realise on hearing 4♥ that they should not show the spade king with 4♠, but rather take charge because of the extra length in the heart suit. Finally East and West need to be on the same page about the 6♦ bid - East can count 12 tricks at that point (2 clubs, 1 diamond, 7 hearts, 2 spades) and has to visualise that if West has either black suit queen there are 13 tricks on top (with potential entry problems), if West has the queen of diamonds the 13th trick is at worst on a finesse and may come home on ruffing out the spades or a squeeze. And West needs to realise that 6♦ invites them to go past 6♥.

[Cyberyeti]

1♠-2♥(not GF 10+)
3♣(extras, GF)-3♥
4♥(rock bottom minimum for 3♣)-4♠(KC)
5♥-5♠(A/K, all key cards)

Now W can count 13 with 4 spade tricks so any 4-3 or Jx or J if partner only has 6 hearts and of course he might have 7 or Q♣ so bids 7

[mikeh]

Cyberyeti, on 2022-February-10, 12:23, said:

1♠-2♥(not GF 10+)
3♣(extras, GF)-3♥
4♥(rock bottom minimum for 3♣)-4♠(KC)
5♥-5♠(A/K, all key cards)

Now W can count 13 with 4 spade tricks so any 4-3 or Jx or J if partner only has 6 hearts and of course he might have 7 or Q♣ so bids 7

You are assuming adequate transportation which is definitely an issue here.

I don’t think I’d reach grand but can’t be sure since we know the layout

[Cyberyeti]

mikeh, on 2022-February-10, 12:29, said:

You are assuming adequate transportation which is definitely an issue here.

I don’t think I’d reach grand but can’t be sure since we know the layout

Yes if they lead a club, but you're 90% to get a trump lead from an expert if you don't flag up the stiff

[steve2005]

Cyberyeti, on 2022-February-10, 13:01, said:

Yes if they lead a club, but you're 90% to get a trump lead from an expert if you don't flag up the stiff

7N has no transportation problems and has 13 top tricks

[ali quarg]

Good sequence if East opens using Namyats & Kickbo

4♣ - 4♠ 2KCs w/o ♦ctrl
4NT K♠ w. ♦ctrl - 5♣ K♣
5♠ All KCs w/o Q♥ - 5NT Q♥ & Q♠
7NT I can count 13 tricks 3♠7♥1♦2♣

otherwise fairly similar with West opening

1♠ - 2♥ 5+♥ GI
3♣ 4+♣ Intermediate GF - 3♥ 6+♥
4♥ (could skip and move straight to Kickbo as above as 5♥ should be safe if West is Min) - 4NT 3KCs w. ♠ control
5♣ K♣ - 5♠ All KC w/o Q♥
5NT Q♥ & Q♠ - 7NT I can count 13 tricks 3♠7♥1♦2♣

[Cyberyeti]

steve2005, on 2022-February-10, 14:16, said:

7N has no transportation problems and has 13 top tricks

IF you know about 7 card hearts and ♠Q, 7♥ would be better opposite 6 hearts, and I couldn't tell in my auction

[DavidKok]

That's why East should take captaincy. Once East begins asking with Blackwood/kickback/something else they should keep asking. Trying to get West to count to 13 tricks on that start is needlessly complicated.

[Cyberyeti]

DavidKok, on 2022-February-10, 15:37, said:

That's why East should take captaincy. Once East begins asking with Blackwood/kickback/something else they should keep asking. Trying to get West to count to 13 tricks on that start is needlessly complicated.

The way we play, E never finds out about Q♠, hence W knows he has to take captaincy

[DavidKok]

I think it would be better to have a way to keep asking after using keycards, instead of having partner infer that we are still not sure and try to picture our hand.

[Cyberyeti]

DavidKok, on 2022-February-10, 16:04, said:

I think it would be better to have a way to keep asking after using keycards, instead of having partner infer that we are still not sure and try to picture our hand.

We do, but it's more complicated for us when the card is above the potential trump suit and there's still more to show/find out about. We probably can actually do it in this case because 6N is solid, if we continued over 5♠ with 6♣ showing the K-6♥-6♠(Q♠ offering 6N/7♥)-7N

[Winstonm]

I never was comfortable launching into keycard as the primary route to slam. My auction would be the same as others to 4H but my bid then would be 4S. This would both express the slam interest while locating what could be a crucial secondary honor. West would confirm with 4N, not ace-asking but tell me more. This would bring 5D. A 5S is iffy now without the J, 6C is probably better with this hand.

I don’t see east doing more now than 6H.

[Lovera]

I think this can be easier if we look at the points of the two hands. For W we are in the second range with 17 points while E has enough points for SJS. Therefore: 1 ♠ -3 ♥, 4NT-5 ♦ (= 0-3 keys), 5 ♠ (=? K) -5NT (= yes), 6 ♣ (=? for Kings) -7 ♥.

[bluenikki]

Lovera, on 2022-February-11, 16:40, said:

I think this can be easier if we look at the points of the two hands. For W we are in the second range with 17 points while E has enough points for SJS. Therefore: 1 ♠ -3 ♥, 4NT-5 ♦ (= 0-3 keys), 5 ♠ (=? K) -5NT (= yes), 6 ♣ (=? for Kings) -7 ♥.

This time, Edgar Kaplan's structure responding to strong jump shifts is golden. Opener's first obligation is to confirm 2+ top honors in his own suit.

Carl

[Lovera]

bluenikki, on 2022-February-11, 16:58, said:

This time, Edgar Kaplan's structure responding to strong jump shifts is golden. Opener's first obligation is to confirm 2+ top honors in his own suit.

Carl

For me confirm almost Qx/+ in ♥ ...

[bluenikki]

Lovera, on 2022-February-11, 17:03, said:

For me confirm almost Qx/+ in ♥ ...

Kaplan's reply to jumpshift:

Priority: confirm HHxxx in original suit; jump rebid with solid suit
Failing that, show Hxx in responder's suit (which did not suggest 6-card); jumpraise HHxx
Failing that, show honor concentration in third suit
Failing that, bid notrump

[Lovera]

bluenikki, on 2022-February-11, 18:59, said:

Kaplan's reply to jumpshift:

Priority: confirm HHxxx in original suit; jump rebid with solid suit
Failing that, show Hxx in responder's suit (which did not suggest 6-card); jumpraise HHxx
Failing that, show honor concentration in third suit
Failing that, bid notrump

I'm referring to Soloway Jump Shift (as show in Karen Library):

http://kwbridge.com/bb/b_jshift.htm

To complete there is this other part too:http://kwbridge.com/js.htm