How to test the slam

[Miron]

[hv=d=s&v=n&s=sakqxhakqjxxdc10xx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

1♥ - pass - 2♥ - pass

?

 

Your options;

3♦ diamonds shortness

4♦ diamond void (interresting hand, otherwise 3♦ even with void)

2NT 4♠

2♠ help-suit ask

 

What would you use to know patners club honors?

 

Some more remarks hidden:

 

 

I think that best is 2♠ and IF partner says 3♣, jump to 4♦ showing singleton or void with no fear for spades = strong hearts and spades, void in ♦ and weak clubs and of course slam try.

Is this reasonable?

 

 

[whereagles]

I'll make the Zia lead-inhibiting bid of 4♣ :rolleyes:

[hrothgar]

It seems clear that the key to this hand is whether or not partner can has a club control.

 

Ideally, I'd like to start with a forcing bid of some kind and then cue bid 3♠. One possible option is to start with a natural 2♠ bid (assuming that this is available, and then cue bid 3♠ after partner's (presumed) 3♥ reply.

 

I'm also tempted by 3♣ (presumably, this is also some kind of help suit game try?)... This would immediately focus attention (mine and the opponents) on the club suit.

[mikeh]

Much depends on one's structure over hsgt's. My preference is that responder can bid 2N or 3♣/♦ (over 2♠ game try) to deny help in ♠s but to show a hand that would accept a minor gametry (2N being both minors). Unfortunately that doesn't help a lot, since there are many 3♣ hands that don' t work for slam purposes.

 

I actually have a gadget for opener making a slam move over a single raise: a jump shift shows a second suit, ostensibly 4 cards, with very, very good holdings in the two suits shown and no high card controls outside. Thus 3♠ would be 4=6 or 5=6, typically AKJxx AQJ10xx x x or the like. Responde rlooks at high honours (Q+) in our two suits and Aces outside. With 3 cover cards, he commits to slam with 1 or 2, bids the cheapest cue and with 0 he signs off in game.

 

As it is, deprived of such a gadget (which has never come up at the table), I'd try 2♠ then 3♠ and hope to hear 4♣ at some point.

 

Of course, that may get us to a hopeless slam B) But I may be able to get out at the 5-level, which ought to be reasonably safe opposite the ♣A

[P_Marlowe]

4D, describes what I have got, if he has no wastage in diamonds,

he has values in clubs, ... there are no other cards left,

just what I need.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[kenrexford]

Your idea is reasonable. It gets difficult and muddled after anything but the next bid of 4♦, whereas 4♦ after 2♠ should clearly focus the hand parameters. If 2♠...4♦ also implies three of the top four spades, good trumps, and no control in clubs, you are even closer.

 

The problem is that partner will have difficulty visualizing a three-loser hand, and he has no last train opportunities. So, I'll "use" his club control as safety, planning to bid 4♠ if he tries to sign off at 4♥, if 4♠ is a cue.

 

One great option for future discussion. After 3♣, you might consider using 5♣ as a "weird" form of RKCB. I myself use many bids above game as "RKCB" with the "King and Queen" being the King and Queen of the indicated side suit. This works wonders here.

 

There are many other permutations possible, such as if partner's reply to 2♠ is to support spades, or splinter himself in clubs, or resign to 3♥.