[lamford]

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A genuine hand from the Woodberry Bridge Club, North London.

https://www.bridgewe...&club=woodberry

What would you open, and what would your plan be. I found this unbiddable, but suggest a "modified specific ace". For once in a blue moon 2C-2D-4NT is MSA, asking partner to bid aces in ascending ordee. Then you ask in the next suit, with 5C being none. So, here 2C-2D-4NT-5H would show the ae of hearts. Over none, all bids are to play. OVer 5H, here, you id 5S, asking in spades. Partner bids 5N with the ace of clubs but not the ace of spades. With the ace of spades, he bids 6C. Any thoughts?

Diamonds are forever
They are all I need to please me
They can stimulate and tease me
They won't leave in the night, I've no fear that they might desert me

[jillybean]

Diamonds are Forever, Shirley Bassey 1971

I don't have any special agreements. I open 2♣ and raise 2♦ to 3
I think I will have to bid 5♦/2♥

[mw64ahw]

I 'm currently playing a Rainbow 2♦ which includes strong primary ♦ with 9+ playing tricks/23+ total points.
Now 2♦ - 3♦ 33xx GI - 4♣ UB 6+♦.
So what do you bid with 4 quick tricks/3 Aces opposite 9+ playing tricks? I'd like to think 7N

[DavidKok]

I think opening 1♦ is the obvious choice.

[shyams]

Agree with DavidKok. I too open 1♦

[Cyberyeti]

2♣-3♣-4♦(solid suit)-7N

Although would actually open 1♦

[mikeh]

I have what I’ve always half jokingly described as a rule for opening 2C. When I open 2C it is close to impossible that the opps could bid and make a grand slam. I’m looking for the 2C bidders here to tell me how they expect to defeat any one of three grand slam denominations.

As for modified specific aces, I’ve long understood that an opening 4N demands that partner bid aces up the line. Obviously this isn’t a hand that should ask for aces anyway. What makes anyone think that they know the correct contract opposite most likely responses?

Finally, anyone who claims to know how to bid freak hands is delusional. Whatever we do will contain an element of guesswork.

As for my bid: I have a sneaking admiration for pass. It’s the improbable that the hand gets passed out and we may learn something useful if we pass. Plus we may get to play a doubled contract. However, at the table I wouldn’t risk the confusion that will often ensue. So I’ll open 1D

[Cyberyeti]

mikeh, on 2025-November-06, 08:03, said:

As for my bid: I have a sneaking admiration for pass. It’s the improbable that the hand gets passed out and we may learn something useful if we pass. Plus we may get to play a doubled contract. However, at the table I wouldn’t risk the confusion that will often ensue. So I’ll open 1D

I have passed a very similar hand in first seat, void, Ax, x, AKQ 10th

What happened ? 4♠-P-P-6♣ this made, but unfortunately was doubled at the other table

[pescetom]

Our direct 4NT is a specific Ace ask where 5NT shows either both major or both minor Aces, which would be nice to hear here. But if the reply is 5H showing only hearts Ace, we are in a quandary.
So I too would open 1D and take it from there. In one partnership over the probable 1M response I can now bid 2oM, eliciting a strength signal from partner and showing either the natural reverse or a range of strong hands with diamonds, including this one.

[Huibertus]

1♦.

I do have sympathy for 5 or 6 ♦, not for 2♣.

[jillybean]

Of course this hand is opened 1♦ but the OP says this is unbiddable so we need a different approach.