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Minor suit slam at matchpoints?


nigel_k

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I have 15 highs and partner forced us to at least 4. I am not stopping short of slam and will look for a possible grand if applicable. My Q is huge, imagine if partner has 4-6 in the minors so I will now cue 4.
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4.

 

Dislike to take away the four-level, and the single Q is a reasonable card. (If I wasn't unsure of partners possible intepretation of 4 as non-forcing, that would be a standout bid). On a bad day, partner has something like:

 

K

xx

AQXX

AKxxxx

 

or, on a (very) good day:

 

K

AKx

AQxx

Jxxxx

 

in which case a club-cue will be reassuring.

 

Including the four level will also be much better for grand exploration and determination of 's vs NT. For one thing, the fact that we doesn't have a heart-cue, might be valuable information for partner.

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I am sure going to start a slam search as we need not so much to make 6 and 7 is possible. In pairs events I think that too many players shoot for NT for the little extra, when most times any slam will score well. I am not sure that NT is a consideration here until further developments uncover information.

 

I am a 4C bidder now and hope to hear 4H. I will try to reach 7D via key card after 4H. I am not going to fall to the temptation of playing NT, although if partner is 5-4-3-1 shape I expect quite a decent hand for a splinter, I would not consider either example oleberg set out as a splinter hand.

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I am closer to 7 NT then to 3.

But as I have no idea how my partner would take 4 Spade, 4 NT or any other bid, I try 6 NT.

If partner has AKxxxx you might regret the NT thing.

 

I agree with jdonn, we are greatly placed if partner bids 4NT, just hope he doesn't have void.

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coming from a 2/1 framework --not stated by the OP--, I cannot imagine splintering after a 1D response to 1C with any of Oleberg's examples. The 1D response is suspect anyway, if you might not choose to respond 1NT with a 3334 six-count. A couple possible hands I could think of are:

 

--

AXX

AQX

KJT9XXX

 

K

AXX

AXX

AJTXXX

 

With these examples, a heart lead is the problem, and I don't want to be declarer.

So, Notrump is out of the Picture. Hence the only strain to play is clubs at whatever level we work out.

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Dealer: [space]
Vul: Nil
Scoring: MP
AQ9x
QJxx
KJxx
Q
 

1-P-1-(1)

3-P-?

 

3 is a splinter. Casual partnership with no other relevant agreements though partner is a good player. What's your plan?

I think lots of people get hung up on having values opposite partner's splinter, even if they would cooperate without those values.

 

Give yourself xxxx QJxx KJxx Q and hear your partner open 1 and then raise your diamonds with a spade splinter and you might cooperate in a slam hunt, you'd certainly cooperate with Axxx QJxx KJxx Q. But, add that Q9 of spades and suddenly the hand has gotten worse for slam?

 

Edit: removed example hand -- anyone can create an example hand to support their position. Also, adding that I'd bid 4.

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I join josh in making the completely unambiguous strong slam try of 4.

 

My preferred methods do not include keycard over 4 (4 by me would have been keycard, and I considered it, perhaps not as fully as I should), but I appreciate that 'everyone' plays 4N by opener as keycard over 4, and certainly a good partner with whom I have no agreements will expect me to take it that way.

 

BTW, I would not be in this position..my auction would likely have been: 1 [P] 1 [1] 2 [p]

 

In which case, I think my ways forward are all going to be easier, altho that is coincidental.

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How did you know 3 was a splinter? I'm torn between 3NT and a 4-lvl bid. Anyway, what's partner's point range? What did LHO have for his overcall? I bid 3NT and hope partner continues if neccessary, though that may be wrong (partner my 'respect' my bid and Pass, he doesn't know how strong my hand really is...)
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To answer some of the questions:

 

We are playing Acol so 1C is always a 4 card suit and I could raise to 2C with four clubs and a bad hand. I would always have a 4 card diamond suit for this, but often only four.

 

I didn't know for absolutely certain that 3S was a splinter but I strongly suspected it and that's what partner actually had. You can assume he has four diamonds as well though I'd be interested to know if Aquahombres examples with three card support are common practice.

 

Sorry I didn't anticipate this information being relevant or I would have given it earlier.

 

Nigel.

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4S gets my vote - its hard to imagine a hand for partner where slam isn't excellent.

 

I don't mind 4C either. However if I did bid 4C with only the stiff Q, I wouldn't feel comfortable passing a subsequent club bid (which could be the right strain).

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We have way too much for 3NT - we promised 5+ or so with 1 and have 15 - so roughly three extra tricks.

 

The shape and likely 4=4 fit are negatives but nevertheless we are driving to slam.

 

4.

 

My normal agreement about this with a splinter in minor suit auction is:

 

3NT is wastage and minimum

 

4minor (or lower ranking cue) is (or could be) minimum cooperation

 

4-higher ranking cue is extra values.

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