Worth a slam try?

[david_c]

[hv=d=e&v=n&s=st874hkj85dakq62c]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

RHO opens a Precision 2♣, and you double for take-out. LHO passes, partner jumps to 4♠ and RHO passes. What do you do now?

[Free]

Pass

[jillybean]

Pass

[mike777]

Pass

ditto.

 

As usual almost always giving up on slam after rho shows opening bid values in first seat. (Bergen)

[cherdano]

5♣.

[kenrexford]

I'm tempted to just bid 6♠. Both heart hooks are probably on if I need both. I'm expecting to simply need partner to have solid spades but have no assured way to ask this question. In the end, I'll probably settle for 5♣.

[Guest Jlall]

Tough one, pard could have KJxxxx xx x Kxxx and the 5 level has no safety, or he could have AKQxx or AKxxxx of spades and 6 is very good. I'm worried by LHO's pass, I think partner might have some club values and some 5-5 hand where he's gambling it out. I think I'll pass.

[Edmunte1]

This is a close one, but i think i'll pass. Why? No trump honours, and even if partener has great trumps, the contract is in danger on a ♥ lead

[mr1303]

Partner hasn't helped us much with his 4S bid. Does he have a 13 count with 5 spades, or does he have a weaker, more shapely hand?

 

It's a guess. I guess badly, so I'll pass.

[whereagles]

Screw it. Got a 5 loser hand. I'm bidding 5♣ :)

[Codo]

I wonder about the passive bidders.I had prefered 6 Spade to pass.

 

If Pd has a real one suiter, He just needs Akxxxx,xx,xx,xxx to make slam worth bidding.

If he has some 13 HCPs he does not neeed more then AKxxx,Axx,xx,xxx to make slam nearly laydown. And there are very few hands which are not safe at the 5. level.

 

 

5 Club

[Guest Jlall]

With 13 points partner cannot bid 4S, that would be a terrible bid. Even with the last example of AKxxx Axx xx xxx he should not be bidding 4S. There is no reason not to start with a cuebid first with a power 4S bid. 4S should be based on shape. That is not to say slam is not possible opposite what a 4S bid should be, but there's no way he should be bidding 4S with some of the hands suggested.

[Apollo81]

A lot of people can't be trusted to actually have their 4♠ bid here. With anyone that might actually have 13 points I would bid 5♣. I'd pass opposite a good player.

[skjaeran]

I'd pass. Rates to be the odds on action, but might be close. See Justin's posts.

[han]

Tough one, I suspect passing is right.

[david_c]

The hands were

 

[hv=d=e&v=n&n=saq962ht7d54cajt7&w=sj3hq964dj9873c52&e=sk5ha32dtckq98643&s=st874hkj85dakq62c]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

 

If you reach the five-level you'll have to play it well. Our teammates who had this problem actually bid to 6♠ which had no chance.

[kenrexford]

This is not that hard of a hand to play well at the five-level. With spades 2-2, you have an ability to ruff two clubs, the third going on the third top diamond. Now, all you need to accomplish is the placing of the heart cards, a rather obvious play.

 

Further, 5♣, the bid by all of us who stabbed at slam, results in a sign-off from partner.

[jchiu]

Now, all you need to accomplish is the placing of the heart cards, a rather obvious play.

While playing the opener for the ♥A is percentage, anyone who claims that it is "obvious" has no sense of card visualisation. Many would certainly open 2♣ with

 

♠ Kx ♥ Qxx ♦ J ♣ KQxxxxx

[kenrexford]

This is not a matter of card visualization.

 

If the opening lead is a small heart, quite an extraordinary lead, you might have a problem. Law of averages seems to point toward rising with the King. Hence, even with that lead, the play is not difficult. It is simply a matter of playing logical percentages that heavily weigh in your favor.

 

If you do not get a heart opening lead, the likely candidate is a diamond. When this proves to not be the Jack, the provided visualized hand disappears. Even on a club lead, the diamond situation will make itself apparent.

 

If a diamond is the lead, then a heart switch when Opener is in with the high trump, if a finesse is taken, then rising with the King is necessary, as the only play.

 

In other words, the play at the five-level is "obvious" in the sense that the only plausible lines on any defense always lead Declarer to the end result of making five. "All roads lead to Rome."

 

That the five-level contract might fail on a specific and unfortunate layout is somewhat irrelevant. The 5♣ call was based upon an assumption that the heart Ace was likely in Opener's hand. Nothing will change that assumption on this deal.

 

Further, for every time Opener happens to have the death hand, partner will have the heart Ace instead of the club Ace and a small slam will be found (or the spade King).