[jillybean]

..I'm serious but this is more to check my understanding than what I'm playing at the moment.

---

2♣ nebulous , clubs or balanced
2♠ 3 cards
4♠/3♥ would be fast arrival, I do not have 3 key cards or 2 key cards + Q trump
3nt mild slam try, too much to shut it down if you have a big hand.

[DavidKok]

This is a nice example of captaincy. Partner knows way more about our hand than we know about partner's hand. That makes it valuable for partner to ask and us to answer.

Instead, 3NT passes the buck. Now we have to decide how enthusiastic to be. Partner knows our shape, I'll just cue the diamonds but sign off over either 4♥ or 4♠.

Note that partner did not bid 3♠, which would have allowed us to describe.

[jillybean]

DavidKok, on 2026-August-04, 13:01, said:

Note that partner did not bid 3♠, which would have allowed us to describe.

That's the bid missing from my list of options. This would show a spade control and serious slam interest?

[DavidKok]

For me it's a waiting bid, only denying the ability to do something more descriptive. I have played and seen it played as promising a spade A/K before, though.

[jillybean]

DavidKok, on 2026-August-04, 13:06, said:

For me it's a waiting bid, only denying the ability to do something more descriptive. I have played and seen it played as promising a spade A/K before, though.

Then what is 3nt, if you are playing non serious?

[DavidKok]

Non-serious, showing a weaker hand than 3♠. It's a vague description, but it shows a hand that wants opener to take control. Typically 'aces and spaces', or a balanced minimum.

In my first reply I did not assume you had this agreement about 3♠. With it, signing off over 3NT might be better.

I do need to emphasise though, these are fuzzy concepts in control and slam bidding. This nuance of 3♠ vs 3NT is not in my notes - rather it's a deduction based on the auction thus far.

[mike777]

One more reason why I don't play this convention, I don't understand the need or frequency for it.

An easy 4NT RKC for spades for me

Partner made a slam try with 2S.
3NT still shows interest.. probably needs a club control after the nebulous 2C and happy if you have club shortness

[DavidKok]

 mike777, on 2026-August-04, 13:18, said:

An easy 4NT RKC for spades for me

It sure would be nice if the hand with three aces, known shape and little else responded to the Blackwood, rather than initiated it... That way the partnership has a chance to evaluate their combined trick-taking potential.

3♥ already confirmed short clubs.

[mike777]

 DavidKok, on 2026-August-04, 13:21, said:

It sure would be nice if the hand with three aces, known shape and little else responded to the Blackwood, rather than initiated it... That way the partnership has a chance to evaluate their combined trick-taking potential.

3♥ already confirmed short clubs.

Well I agree but partner failed to bid it..
So sounds concerned over clubs to me..

I got extras,..

[DavidKok]

Makes one wonder why partner failed to bid it. Probably cowardice, or lack of skill.

[mike777]

In any event, I still don't get all the popularity of this serious/non 3nt

But my partners want me to play it.

And it certainly is popular..

[jillybean]

mike777, on 2026-August-04, 13:18, said:

Partner made a slam try with 2S.

No partner has shown a game forcing hand with spades and is keeping the auction open.

mike777, on 2026-August-04, 13:27, said:

In any event, I still don't get all the popularity of this serious/non 3nt

But my partners want me to play it.

And it certainly is popular..

I don't see much of it at all, or they aren't alerting it.

[mike777]

 jillybean, on 2026-August-04, 13:30, said:

No partner has shown a game forcing hand with spades and is keeping the auction open.


I don't see much of it at all, or they aren't alerting it.

All the tournament going players at my club play it, it seems everyone at that other site does and talks about it

My new partner talks about it, along with other toys ... That I don't get.


Anyway on this hand I just think partner is worried I have 2 small clubs ..

----

With a minimum gf hand, zero to one Keycard and three spades I would jump to 4 spades not rebid Two spades
Pretty common

That means to me partner has extras but no club control.

[mikeh]

Imo David is right when he says that our auction already showed short clubs.

I’m not a fan of serious or non serious 3N, although I play it in one partnership. In the other, we generally use 3N as asking for a club control.

Btw,I’m not surprised partner’s slam interest is mild. He has at most one ace. He’d have a big hand to indicate any interest with at most one ace, and then our possession of three aces makes this a very good hand.

I’ll bid 4C. Yes, he already thinks I have this shape but I really want to hear a 4D cue next. Sure, he might think that I’m showing the stiff ace, but he’s probably got that card anyway.