Who takes control, and how

[jerryblu]

Suppose partner opens 2NT (20-21) and you hold AJxxxx, Kx, Qxx, JTx

 

You are very close to slam but opener really needs to judge the combined holdings; there is no easy way for you to know whether you have only one loser off the top.

 

My thought would be to do a Texas transfer to Spades, and then define 4NT as the usual keycard ask, but also define any bids beyond that as a way of telling opener what you have rather than asking. This gives up cuebidding, but when partner has opened 2NT maybe that is superfluous.

 

Telling could be via the usual rkc steps or by 2-1 controls, I would think.

 

Any comments?

 

Jerry Blumenthal

[kenrexford]

One major problem -- you have a 14-card hand described. That said...

 

I'm not sure that answering is actually ideal with this hand. You have a lot of slow features that cannot be shown with answers to RKCB. If you just answer, partner knows that you have slam interest with one key card, and presumably 6+ trumps. That says little. So, he infers something else, but that could be anything.

 

Consider as a contrast a hand like AKxxxx-Ax-xxx-xx. If you want to show with this hand, great! Partner will know that you have 6+ trumps and three key cards. He will suspect that you have nothing else, or else why "show?"

 

It seems much more reasonable to transfer (not Texas), IMO. Partner's cuebids will help (if he can super-accept). The mere fact that he cuebids would be wildly important.

 

That said, he probably won't. So, you probably end up raising to 4♠, as a mild slam try. That's what you have.

 

Now, that this point I could see merits to what you are suggesting, but completely from the opposite perspective. Opener could very easily answer RKCB himself if he has primed values. For example, if he shows four keys, and then shows the Queen, you know that he has all three missing Aces, and the remaining two top trump honors. Your King is working, as well. Plus, he has interest, suggesting that his remaining three points are probably "working," meaning with an honor. Of course, they have to be per force.

 

All that said, if partner has KQ-A-A-A, plus a nice King, this is far from working out yet. I mean, give him a precise hand like ♠KQx ♥Axx ♦Axxx ♣AKx. This is a rock for partner. He has six clear cover cards. I would actually super-accept with that hand, even though I only have three trumps. That's HUGE.

 

So, when slam seems to make, a super-accept seems right. Of course, this only works if partner super-accepts with primed-out 3-card fit hands.

[billw55]

hmmm, transfer then bid 5♠?

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

 

Assuming, you have

 

a 6 card spade suit with 11HCP

 

The standard approach is transfer to your major, followed by bidding 4 of

your major, this usually showes a quantitative invite.

Thats what you have, you have at most a 32HCP, and your 11HCP are quacks,

i.e. you have jacks and Queens, i.e. no real reason to upgrade.

If partner makes a super accept of your transfer response, brilliant, otherwise

make an invite, and leave it at that.

 

a 5 card spade suit with 11HCP

 

Transfer and bid 3NT, if p converts to 4S, you know, you have a 8 card spade fit,

and you can make another move torward slam, lets say 5S a quantitative invite.

Partner will accept with a control rich hand, and decline otherwise.

 

4NT instead of 3NT would also be a quantitative raise, but I would say, you are to

weak for 4NT, see my comment regarding the quality of your high card points.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[gnasher]

This isn't really the question you were asking, but I'd probably just raise to 6NT, checking for aces on the way if my system allowed it. If the spades come in we're likely to have 12 tricks; if they don't maybe there are enough tricks in the side suits.

[Jlall]

This isn't really the question you were asking, but I'd probably just raise to 6NT, checking for aces on the way if my system allowed it. If the spades come in we're likely to have 12 tricks; if they don't maybe there are enough tricks in the side suits.

hmm, are you assuming a 5332 hand with this post or assuming a 6322?

[gnasher]

Oh yes. Not only did I not notice that there were 14 cards, I also didn't notice the discussion about their being 14 cards.

 

I was assuming six spades; with five I'd transfer and make a slightly pushy invitation. In other words, I think that the sixth spade is worth about the same as an extra queen or king.