How should we find this slam?

[Toradin]

Hi all,

 

[hv=pc=n&w=sk874hk2dkjt5ck65&e=shqt873daq963caq8]266|100[/hv]

 

IMPs. I'm working from memory so I can't remember the vulnerability. East is dealer, and South overcalls 1♠ if East opens 1♥. Our auction is in the spoiler tags below.

 

 

At the table, West bid 3NT which ended the auction, making 9 tricks on a spade lead. Can West double? Or would that always show both minors? And can East bid on if West bids 3NT?

 

[Hanoi5]

I don't think it's an easy decision. West could double in order to go more slowly, but then he might get partner excited with clubs (granted, he would then resort to NT). East could also bid 4♦ over 3NT, and I think I like this action a little more. Hard to say who could have done better.

[bluecalm]

I think W should double. Not because of some distant slam but to have a chance to find hearts 6-2. After:

1H 1S 3N p

?

 

Opener will have hard time converting to 4H with mediocre 6hearts as 3N might be based on source of tricks and a stopper.

Give W KJ9x though and 3N becomes clear (er?) while slam is still laydown.

[Cyberyeti]

I think I'd remove 3N (which would be my bid if that was natural, it isn't for me, I have to bid 2♦ which solves all the issues) to 4♦, mainly because my hearts are not good and there must be a decent chance of partner having a small singleton opposite, meaning 6♦ may play well.

 

Is say AJxx, x, KJxx, KJxx too much to ask ?

[Zelandakh]

If West responds with X or 2♦, how many spades does North bounce it to?

[P_Marlowe]

The auction on your table was reasonable.

[phil_20686]

Bidding 3N should be a hand with lots of spade values an no real interest in other strains.

 

Here you have

(1) Poor spade values

(2) Good cards to play in hearts

(3) Very goood cards to play in either minor.

 

I really strongly dislike 3N here. Its just trivial to imagine hands here where 5d or 4h is cold and 3N has zero play.

[rhm]

I do not like 3NT.

If you jump all the way to 3NT, you should have a more suitable holding in the opponent's suit. 3NT does not run away.

I would have much more sympathy for the bid if West held QJ9x in spades.

Here if opener has something like ♠Qx in spades it could be crucial that opener plays 3NT

 

With 4-3 in the minors and enough for game double stands out.

Over a conservative 3D from East I would bid 3S and would expect 4S from East reaching eventually 6D

 

1♥-(1♠)-DBL

3♦ -- 3♠

4♠ -- 6♦

 

Rainer Herrmann

[helene_t]

I think this shape is typical for a 3NT bid but the honor concentration is not. So W should start with a double. The auction might go

dbl-2♦

3NT-4♦

blah-blah

6♦

[Antrax]

rhm, so 3♠ from W here should be taken as showing a diamond fit?

[mikeh]

I agree with those who criticize 3N: 3N tends to end auctions, and West ought to hold at least a double stopper for unilateral action. In addition, it is not surprising that the hand plays better in a minor, and wouldn't be a surprise if 4♥ were better.

 

Fortunately, West has an easy double, intending, in many cases, to bid notrump later, thus expressing doubt.

 

Now the spotlight turns to East. I don't like 2♦ over double. East has a monster in support of diamonds. 3♦ is not a gf jumpshift over the double....it is invitational, and that describes the East hand quite nicely.

 

West's double didn't guarantee at least 4-4 minors, but it showed either that or the ability to handle a jump in a minor.

 

West's hand is certainly gf, and so the question is whether he ought to try to slow matters down...I think not....3N seems like an underbid, what with the good internal diamonds, the powerful Kx in hearts, and the black Kings, with the spade K promoted by being behind the overcaller.

 

I'd go with the ambiguous 3♠ 'rosy hue' cuebid, and now I think all roads lead to 6♦.

[Fluffy]

double and 3♦ response are clear (Assuming north would pass wich is weird)

 

West is off 5 keycards, obviously 4♦ raise works wonderful, but other bids such as 3♠, 3NT, 5♦ are good alternatives, even 4♥ if partner knows you cannot have 3 could be right.

[rhm]

rhm, so 3♠ from W here should be taken as showing a diamond fit?

A matter of agreement (an important one, because it arises frequently)

 

My preference is that a cuebid below 3NT is ambiguous, when no major suit has been agreed.

Partner always assumes that cue-bidder has an eye on 3NT, frequently with right siding declarer-ship, unless the cue-bidder removes from 3NT.

Since I play negative free bids at the two level, many game forcing hands would start with a negative double over 1♥--(1♠).

 

Here the cue-bidder certainly must have at least tolerance of diamonds or a game forcing hand with clubs, but the suit not strong enough (good six card suit) for a game forcing jump of 3♣ over 1♠.

 

Rainer Herrmann