Story of a slam bidding hand..

[kenrexford]

I think I misunderstood you, Justin. I thought you meant that most expert pairs will leap to 4NT sooner than I think they should, getting the heck away from confused cuebidding as soon as they can. I did not mean to suggest that cuebidding alone, without RKCB, is ideal (although on rare occasions this sometimes works).

 

In reviewing expert sequences, some seem to do exactly what I like -- cuebid as far as it can be done, only committing to 4NT when you have run out of space or where nothing more needs known that RKCB will not state. Some, however, still seem to make strange leaps to 4NT without sufficient info, scratching their head after the answer, or even worse will make what seem like undisciplined "I feel like showing this today" cuebids.

 

I have to admit that I also start to sweat when a partner opts against RKCB and tosses out some five-level side suit call, especially if I suspect that they have forgotten some principle. As an example, I hate the "Normally Exclusion" call when I have already denied a control in that suit. Now, I know that the call means something else (whatever the partnership understanding is), but I always suspect (often correctly) that it is Practice Exclusion anyway.

[Zelandakh]

At the other table, south foresees the problem that if he asks, even when everything is there, he wont be sure of the 3rd round cover cards. He also knows pd is lack of ♥ control,

I am told 6♥ here asks ♥K, since 6♦ did not refuse ♥K. Which i thought it did because with both red Kings i wld think N should bid 7 after 5 NT.

 

This seems a little strange. How can 6H be asking for the HK when by your own definition North has already denied a heart control. Like Justin I thought 6H was obvious after 6D and as, unlike him, I am not an expert I am seriously surprised that this expert South did not find it.

[1eyedjack]

I think as the auction went, North is very close to bidding 7D over 5N, offering a choice. If South has 4 Diamonds instead of 4 Hearts, he may not need the Heart King. If South has only 3 diamonds he will convert, in that case requiring South to have the Heart King or a successful finesse of Heart Queen (I think it rather unlikely that he has neither). The single-dummy a proiri odds of the grand may be a bit below requirements once the dummy hits and South has a disappointing hand, but at the time of bidding it the odds must surely be favourable.