Now what?

[the hog]

This is a real hand:

 

Vul vs NV, imps

 

AQJ5

AQ3

-

AKQJ97

 

(3C) ?

[effervesce]

OUCH-in a big fix!!! Nice (probable) 3C psyche by the opps. Cant pass as it'll just get passed out and you have game at least. You cant really bid 3NT with your diamond void, so X to start off with (hopefully partner has a major) - if partner bids 3D then rebid 3NT. If partner responds in a major you can try cuebidding.

[jillybean]

Is 4♣ pick a major?

[the hog]

Is 4♣ pick a major?

That is the method played by this pair.

[jillybean]

Once we have found a game in a major its not clear to me if I should continue. Did the opps psyche or open 3♣ on ♣108xxxxx/♦AKQ? I've been caught out on widely distributional hands before.

 

If partner responded ♠ I might venture a 5♣ , if ♥ I could just pass.

 

edit: if its a slow 4♠ I pass :)

[Fluffy]

the only chance to play in clubs is pass now, but it is too much risk for very little to gain.

 

bid 3♠ at least you won't get tap on first trick :)

 

My plan is ot either play 3♠ ot 6 (maybe 7) if partner raises

[Fluffy]

Ok, thining more deep RHO has very long diamonds, partner won't likelly bid them, even with 4 cards (unless he has clubs... ouch!)

 

double looks safe, I'll double.

[Gerben42]

Ugh... Have to start with a Double and hope something good happens! Nice opening!

 

Edit: If partner bids 5♦ I bounce to 6NT.

[whereagles]

Dbl. Not clear what I'll do next, but I gotta do something now.

[SoTired]

ugh.. can't think of any other bid but dbl.

Over 3D, bid 3N.

Over 3S or 3H, bid 4C. Over 3S, looking for 7S and will not settle for less than 6S. Over 3H, will try for 6H.

[helene_t]

3NT. If 6♠ is on it may have to be in my hand, which seems impossible to achieve.

[pbleighton]

"3NT. If 6♠ is on it may have to be in my hand, which seems impossible to achieve."

 

I agree. This is ugly but practical.

 

Peter

[Winstonm]

I don't think this is a psyche - most likely 10xxxxx of clubs. I'm going to start with double, just to see what response I get - if 3D, I'll bid 3N; if 3H, I'll continue with 3S; if 3S, I'll continue with 4C.

 

Unless partner shows some life, I am going to settle for a game contract.

[Apollo81]

I don't think this is a psych. I double and then convert diamonds to notrump at whatever level I have to.

[Fluffy]

I don't think this is a psych. I double and then convert diamonds to notrump at whatever level I have to.

I wouldn't take 5NT as nat :)

[the hog]

Its not a psyche. Opener held:

-

Kxx

Qxxx

865432

 

T742

JT92

AJ976

void

 

AQJ6

AQ7

void

AKQJ97

 

K9853

643

KT53

T

 

Not the most robust pre empt of all time. How do you get to 7S from the right side to avoid the C ruff? It makes, but I would not want to be there given the likelihood of bad breaks. How do you get to anything?

[pclayton]

I didn't think it was a psyche. It would be most unusual if it were.

 

I've never been faced with a problem like this, but I did have AKQxx of RHO's preempt once. I think I overcalled in a 4 bagger and ended up in a playable spot.

 

I honestly don't know what I'd do with this.

[skjaeran]

This is an "impossible" problem.

Basically, we only need Kxxxx in ♠'s with partner to have a good play for 6♠ declared by our hand.

Obviously, we can't pass with such a strong hand - a pass out is very likely.

The two most likely actions are 3NT and double.

 

3NT is unilateral, but a very practical bid. We'll be playing there almost on every hand, and it will be a make most of the time. Partner might on occasion bid 4♦. If so, it's not clear what our top spot will be, nor how we'll get there. The lack of fit is discouraging, our playing strenght immence. It's close between 4NT (sign off) and 6NT.

 

Double is flexible, in theory. But partner will bid ♦'s most of the time. We can correct a 3- or 4-level bid to NT. If partner jumps to 5♦, we'd have to correct to 6NT, which might make.

Given our ♣ lenght, a 3♥ reply will be a 5-bagger almost all the time. I'd base my bidding on that, and invite slam via a 4♣ cuebid. The same over a 3♠ reply.

If partner replies 4♥, I'd just raise to 6♥. We might miss a grand, but I can live with that.

If partner replies 4♠ to the double, I'd cuebid 5♣, to start exploring for a grand. 5♠ I'd then raise to 6. If partner makes a 5♥ cuebid, I'll bid 7♠. If partner makes a 5♦ cuebid, I'll cue 6♦.

 

All in all, I think I can handle the auction after a double. So that's my choice.

[whereagles]

I take it pard was the one with ♠Kxxxx. Well, after he bids 3♠ to a take-out dbl, dbler can just shoot at 6. After all, ♠Kxxx and out should be enough for it.