Slam or not

[brianshark]

2/3 way through a 16 board teams match, you are at least even but probably a little ahead based on the boards so far. I can't remember the vulnerability but it was probably nobody vul.

 

You hold:

 

♠AJxx

♥KT9xx

♦ATx

♣A

 

The auction went:

 

1♣ - (Pass) - 1♥ - (Pass)

1NT - (Pass) - 2♣ - (Dbl)

3♥ - (Pass) - ?

 

1♣ is artificial, 11-13 balanced or 16+

1♥ is 8+ pts, 4+ ♥s

1NT is 11-13 balanced, denies 4 card support

2♣ is checkback

3♥ would have shown a max with 3 card support and may still have 4♠s absent the Dbl, but after the Dbl, no explicit agreement.

 

Your slam methods are fairly standard, cue-bids, 1430, specific king ask, GSF, etc.

 

Do you:

- Sign off in game

- Make some sort of slam try (specify what you want to bid and what you hope to hear)

- Force to slam

[han]

Certainly will make a slam try, the double is really good news.

[pclayton]

Certainly will make a slam try, the double is really good news.

Agree.

 

If pard skips a club cue its also good news. I'm not unilaterally taking this to slam, but its close.

 

Not crazy about the methods by the way (or maybe the choice of 2♣). What would 2♠ have meant? What if pard has a good hand with both four spades and three hearts? How can we find out about our 4-4 spade fit, which could be key on a hand like this? Imagine: KQxx Axx Kxx Jxx.

[skjaeran]

I'm making a slam try now. 3♠ cuebid seems normal. Over 4♣ I'll try 4♦ and pass 4♥. Over 4♦ I'll try 4♠ - not good enough to just drive to slam over 4♦, but very close.

[Hanoi5]

I'd bid 4NT.