Finding a small slam

[BorislavS]

[hv=d=n&v=n&s=sq2hakj93da62ckq9]133|100|Scoring: IMP

North opens with 1NT (12-14 HCP balanced)

Easts overcalls with 2♠[/hv]

 

So it's likely that we have a slam in hearts or NT (as it turned out we did) but how can we find it?

 

Generally it would be safe to assume that we don't have a stopper in spades as a 1NT opening doesn't require one. I did that and bid 4♥, but it turned out that my partner did have the ♠K and we ended up +2.

 

Other tables, not using ACOL (or weak 1NT) opened with 1♣, 2♣ and 1♦ had no oponent overcalls and played 6♥ or 6♣.

 

My question is, is there a way to find the slam with a weak 1NT opening?

[Fluffy]

yes, bid 3♥ instead of jumping to game, and you have all the 4 level to find out what you have and what you don't.

 

A good extra for the 3♥ bid is that when LHO has ♥Q10xxx and partner has ♠A you play 3NT.

 

In general don't assume much form opps bidding, the opponents are not on your side!

[BorislavS]

3♥ is not forcing and and my partner may pass.

 

Probably a double would have been my best option, but still finding the slam seems hard

[mike777]

3♥ is not forcing and and my partner may pass.

 

Probably a double would have been my best option, but still finding the slam seems hard

hmm I have never played a wk nt where 3h is not gf.

 

if x for t/o is my only option....then i guess x it is.

[Fluffy]

If you and your partner play 3♥ as non forcing I recomend that you both read about lebenshol (google it).

[Cascade]

3♥ non forcing works fine.

 

Along with good other agreements.

 

Lebensohl also works fine but has some disadvantages - the opponents get two opportunities to come in when it is their hand.

 

Transfers also work fine.

 

Along with non-forcing new suits it is normal to play double and bid is strong. Assuming that you do that then you should take that route to at least give yourself a chance to invite slam.

 

If partner has no spade control then with this hand the five-level should still be safe. ♥Q ♦KQ and ♣A are only 11 hcp so partner is almost guaranteed those cards.

 

Therefore we can risk going to the five-level to explore for slam.

[Free]

3♥ is not forcing and and my partner may pass.

 

Probably a double would have been my best option, but still finding the slam seems hard

My question is, is there a way to find the slam with a weak 1NT opening?

Yes, change your system so that 3♥ is GF, or that you play transfers at 3-level.

[gordontd]

Generally it would be safe to assume that we don't have a stopper in spades as a 1NT opening doesn't require one.

This seems wrong to me. Perhaps you meant to say:

 

"Generally it would not be safe to assume that we have a stopper in spades as a 1NT opening doesn't require one."?

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

 

Did not see the overcall.

 

<snip>

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[cloa513]

3S is an option to represent the strength of your hand. Then bid 4H over the your partner's 3NT (in this case and partner should continue past 4H), if no cover then he can bid 4C always for you to correct or raise to the correct game.

[ONEferBRID]

[hv=d=n&v=n&s=sq2hakj93da62ckq9]133|100|Scoring: IMP

North opens with 1NT (12-14 HCP balanced)

Easts overcalls with 2♠[/hv]

 

So it's likely that we have a slam in hearts or NT (as it turned out we did) but how can we find it?

 

If you don't play 3H forcing ( or transfers or some such ) , how can you ever reasonably find the best contract even if it is game only ? You must guess a lot.

 

Here you have enough combined points to be in the slam zone, but you need to find a fit and a high Sp honor with partner.

 

So I'll just have to guess that we have enough of a fit and bid 5♥ -- asking pard to bid 6♥ with either 1st or 2nd Rnd Ctrl in ♠.

[gszeszycki]

[hv=d=n&v=n&s=sq2hakj93da62ckq9]133|100|Scoring: IMP

North opens with 1NT (12-14 HCP balanced)

Easts overcalls with 2♠[/hv]

 

So it's likely that we have a slam in hearts or NT (as it turned out we did) but how can we find it?

 

Generally it would be safe to assume that we don't have a stopper in spades as a 1NT opening doesn't require one. I did that and bid 4♥, but it turned out that my partner did have the ♠K and we ended up +2.

 

Other tables, not using ACOL (or weak 1NT) opened with 1♣, 2♣ and 1♦ had no oponent overcalls and played 6♥ or 6♣.

 

My question is, is there a way to find the slam with a weak 1NT opening?

Slam zone possibility but no slam w/o spade control from P i would try

 

3s

 

if p bids 3n bid 4n quantitative (p might offer to play 6c or 6d (I would pass)

or 6h (with a 4 bagger------ i would pass) If p cannot bid over 4n we probably dont belong in slam anyway.

 

if p bids 4c or 4d bid 4h and hope it is right and forget slam.

[aguahombre]

3♥ is not forcing and and my partner may pass.

 

Probably a double would have been my best option, but still finding the slam seems hard

hmm I have never played a wk nt where 3h is not gf.

 

if x for t/o is my only option....then i guess x it is.

this, and Fluffy's, below it. Mike makes a valiant attempt to live with the OP's conditions, but 3♥ must be forcing whether 1NT is weak or strong. Alternatively playing reverse LEBEN for a forcing sequence is not a good idea when the opps might bid again.

[Cascade]

If you don't play 3H forcing ( or transfers or some such ) , how can you ever reasonably find the best contract even if it is game only ? You must guess a lot.

I don't see how this follows.

 

On many auctions by starting with a double as a forcing bid you have more information not less so therefore may have to guess less.

 

1NT (2♠) Dbl (Pass)

3m (Pass) 3♥ - forcing

 

If choice of game is the primary objective then having exchanged more information it seems to me that we are better off not worse off.

[ONEferBRID]

I guess I'm still thinking Lebensohl, because a DBL is better used for penalty.

[pooltuna]

I guess I'm still thinking Lebensohl, because a DBL is better used for penalty.

HEY!!! THIS IS BBF! DBL FOR PENALTY IS FORBIDDEN AND MUST BE TAKEOUT <_< besides you never, ever hold 4 of the opps trumps including the AQT :)

[gwnn]

yes pooltuna, that was very funny a year ago when you first posted it.

[Cascade]

I guess I'm still thinking Lebensohl, because a DBL is better used for penalty.

HEY!!! THIS IS BBF! DBL FOR PENALTY IS FORBIDDEN AND MUST BE TAKEOUT <_< besides you never, ever hold 4 of the opps trumps including the AQT :)

You overstate things.

 

In a simulation opposite a 12-14 hcp 1NT and with your RHO opponent having five spades and 11-15 hcp or perhaps a little less strength with six spades ...

 

1087 times out of 1000000 you had ♠AQTx.

 

Actually I was generous to you and counted hands where the x was the jack or king and hands where you had five or more spades.

 

I am sure that there are much more frequent uses for double, the most economical positive call, that would prove much more useful than a penalty double in this auction.

[Fluffy]

Actually I was generous to you and counted hands where the x was the jack or king and hands where you had five or more spades.

that's another way of saying you were too lazy to remove them <_<

[pooltuna]

I guess I'm still thinking Lebensohl, because a DBL is better used for penalty.

HEY!!! THIS IS BBF! DBL FOR PENALTY IS FORBIDDEN AND MUST BE TAKEOUT <_< besides you never, ever hold 4 of the opps trumps including the AQT :)

You overstate things.

 

In a simulation opposite a 12-14 hcp 1NT and with your RHO opponent having five spades and 11-15 hcp or perhaps a little less strength with six spades ...

 

1087 times out of 1000000 you had ♠AQTx.

 

Actually I was generous to you and counted hands where the x was the jack or king and hands where you had five or more spades.

 

I am sure that there are much more frequent uses for double, the most economical positive call, that would prove much more useful than a penalty double in this auction.

if you have no easy way to penalize the opponents you are inviting them to steal from you and they will.

[pooltuna]

yes pooltuna, that was very funny a year ago when you first posted it.

The trouble is that too many people believe penalty doubles never apply.

[gwnn]

The trouble is that the best posters on the forums play penalty doubles only in positions where people like Meckwell or Fantunes or Helgeness or other Bermuda Bowl winners play penalty doubles, while some other posters on the forums named after water or fish play penalty doubles in positions where only people like my Auntie Gladys would play them as penalty, for example 1m-p-1H-(2S); X or 1S-p-1N-(2C); X

[pooltuna]

The trouble is that the best posters on the forums play penalty doubles only in positions where people like Meckwell or Fantunes or Helgeness or other Bermuda Bowl winners play penalty doubles, while some other posters on the forums named after water or fish play penalty doubles in positions where only people like my Auntie Gladys would play them as penalty, for example 1m-p-1H-(2S); X or 1S-p-1N-(2C); X

Well I assume you have specific examples where I called for a penalty X on these. If so I erred on the first one (1m-p-1H-(2S)) where with a trump stack I can pass and expect partnership protection. On the second one I would guess you pass up this free shot at the opponents as they will not be in game unless they can find an XX but I won't! <_<

[655321]

I don't agree with gwnn's first post in this thread.

[aguahombre]

I don't agree with gwnn's first post in this thread.

In case there is doubt, that means it wasn't funny the first time, either.

 

Ever helpful, here. Actually there must be something in between "Everything is takeout" and "double means double". the Vugraph commentators in one match observed that the trend is cyclical and top experts are coming back around to more penalty oriented doubles.

 

I wonder if that will throw a wrench into EBU alerting policy when the trend moves more.