How to ask for aces?

[humilities]

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We play 2NT as 12-14 balanced (or 18-19) with stops in the unbid suits and normally not 3card support for partner's suit.

 

I think some play 4♣ as gerber here .. but I think I see more value as natural (solid suit, sets trump and demands cue bid). But since 4NT is clearly quantitative, how can we ask for aces?

 

As a side note .. are you insisting on slam on this hand? Or inviting?

[masse24]

2♣ is GF (I assume).

 

So...no need to go jumping to show "solid suit".

 

4♣ Gerber on the slim chance you are off two cashing Aces.

 

If no Gerber available.....just do it, 6NT. Partner can "correct" to 7NT with 18-19.

[semeai]

Strangely enough, 4NT seems enough with this hand even though it's 20 high, given the misfit. We don't want to be in slam opposite a typical seeming ♠KQ ♦K ♥/♣A.

 

I wouldn't play 4♣ as Gerber here.

[mike777]

[hv=pc=n&s=sahkq54daqtckq765&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=1sp2cp2np]133|200|IMPs[/hv]

 

We play 2NT as 12-14 balanced (or 18-19) with stops in the unbid suits and normally not 3card support for partner's suit.

 

I think some play 4♣ as gerber here .. but I think I see more value as natural (solid suit, sets trump and demands cue bid). But since 4NT is clearly quantitative, how can we ask for aces?

 

As a side note .. are you insisting on slam on this hand? Or inviting?

 

 

I will start with 3h over 2nt and see what pard does.

 

If pard rebids 3nt then 4nt quant.

 

6c or even 7c maybe better, lets get pard involved.

[kenrexford]

If I understand this correctly, Opener has precisely 5♠3♥3♦2♣ shape?

 

This seems like a unique sequence. Responder, starting with 2♣, presumably has either clubs as his longest suit OR spade support (or both). I would also assume that Responder (barring some special agreement otherwise) will bid 3♠ in this sequence to show the latter. With a sixth club, I would presume that Responder would bid 3♣, setting trumps (or trump focus). Hence, any red call is odd.

 

One might presume that a red call is a notrump probe type of call, isolating a problem suit (the other red suit). Alternatively, I suppose that a red call might also prove to be a slam move of some variety, if some weird action is taken later, with unbalanced hands. (Thus, the 3♥ example, followed by some slam-approaching bid, would tend to imply perhaps 2-4-1-6 pattern?)

 

A reasonable approach, then, might be to denote clubs as trumps (for tactical reasons) and bid 3♣. If that is a clear slam move (bidding red suits being the probe route), one could expect to hear cues (assuredly honor cues, as shortness is eliminated). If you don't hear a red suit call, partner lacks the heart Ace and diamond King, for starters.

 

That route should allow partner to unwind his honors contribution. If, for example, partner bids 3♦, you could bid 3♥. If partner next bids 3♠, you know that he has the diamond King and the spade King-Queen. If, instead, he starts 3♦ but bypasses to 4♣, you expect a maximum, no spade Queen, and probably ♠K, ♥A, ♦K, ♣A. That's what you need. (That would be an upgrade 1NT opening for me, so opposite myself I'd give up at 2NT, probably, given the "usually not three clubs" agreement.)

 

If, on the other hand, partner bids 3NT after 3♥, he does not have the perfecto, and you stop at 3NT. Or, you push with 4NT quantitative if aggressive.

 

If partner bypasses 3♦, he lacks that King. After 3♥, you show the spade honor (3♠). If he suggests a sign off (3NT), you could respect that, or you could bid a pushy 4NT. If he started with K-Q in spades, club Ace, heart Ace, the 3♠ cue will propel him higher, in which case you probably need clubs 3-3 OR a diamond hook, but a squeeze might come in.

 

If, again, partner's first call over 3♣ is 3♠, he lacks the diamond King or the heart Ace. What is that hand? ♠KQJxx ♥Jxx ♦Jxx ♣Ax, probably. That might actually make slam, strangely. Five spades if spades split 4-3, three clubs, two hearts, and a diamond for 11, with 3-3 clubs or 3-3 hearts or the heart 10 or 3-3 hearts or the diamond hook or a squeeze for trick 12. Maybe you bid 4NT; maybe you suggest a signoff.

 

The point is that setting clubs as trumps seems to work well.

[Free]

Why would anyone play Gerber in this situation?? 4♣ can be minorwood (and use 3♣ followed by 4♣ as setting trumps and asking for cuebids), but Gerber doesn't make much sense to me.

 

With this hand I'd just bid 3♥, lets see what partner comes up with.