No bullets but lots of firepower

[ahydra]

You hold:

 

♠xx ♥KQJxx ♦K ♣KQxxx

 

Pick-up partner deals (game all) and opens 1♠, 2♥ from you, 3♦ from partner, what next?

 

I chose 3♥ which partner responded to with 4♠ - do you now try for slam?

 

ahydra

[gwnn]

over 3♦ you could show your club stop with 3NT instead of showing your 6th heart which you don't have.

 

now that I showed my 6th heart and partner showed his 6th spade I will pass. I hope we make.

[nigel_k]

If playing 2/1 you don't have much extra and the hands fit badly so you should have bid 3NT last time and definitely should not bid on now

 

If playing standard you haven't shown as much and partner has shown a bit more so there is some temptation to move towards slam. The alternative to 3NT should be 3♠ not 3♥ but I still prefer 3NT.

 

As it went you are going to need partner to have quite a lot for his 4♠ bid - something like AKQxxx x Axxx Ax. If partner is void in hearts you might be ok with less, e.g. KQJxxx - Axxx Axx. However the five level is not remotely safe so I would just pass.

[the hog]

3NT over 3D looks totally obvious.

Now that I have destroyed the bidding, I pass 4S.

[NickRW]

As the thread title specifies "UK", I doubt this was "standard" or "2/1" - probably Acol - not that it makes any difference in this case. 3N over 3♦ seems routine and pass over 4♠. As the title says - no bullets - and not well fitting either.

[keylime]

3NT. Where's Bob Hamman at?

[bucky]

4♠ in this auction should have special meaning -- since 3♠ would have been forcing. But since you probably haven't had this discussion with the pick-up partner, passing seems automatic. With ace other than KQs in side suit (H/C), I would be a bit more concerned but still would pass.

[ggwhiz]

Pard is at least 6-4 in the pointed suits.

 

That makes a whole bunch of the soft round cards useless and even if you establish them to pitch a late diamond loser, you still have to get there to use them.