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Slam tries over pre-empts


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Playing a swiss pairs event, with an inexperinced partner but who's generally a smart guy and plays all his bridge with you or your usual partner so if you try something a bit off beat he will usually figure it out in the end (and you're still a beginner yourself, you're seeded 2nd last in the novices...).

 

LHO deals and opens 3D.

 

You're looking at a 17 count with both majors and decent spots (spots approximate, but it was about the below. I cannot use the hand editor from this browser):

 

S: KQJ9

H: A9865

D: Q

C: AJ8

 

The auction continues

 

LHO - Partner - RHO - You

 

(3D) - X - (4D) - ??

 

How do you make a slam try here? What does 5D mean vs double?

 

I had no idea what to do and bid 5D just to hear something more from partner which resulted in us playing 6H, which made on a finesse. 6S is much nicer, but partner has equal length in the majors, and unsurprisingly better hearts texture. This was probably not a great slam, but pre-empts work etc. What should we do?

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I would bid 6, expecting partner to bid his longer major.

I don't understand this. Surely partner will also usually bid his longer major over 5. 6 must then show something more, e.g. a diamond void.

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Your example hand has 14 cards.

 

Double is just a generic takeout, and I would expect partner to pass that a lot if he's balanced - 3=3=2=5, (4-3)=2=4 or a hand that chose to make a TOx with a 4432.

 

There are many ways to force to slam:

 

1. 5 then raise

2. 5 then 5N

3. 5 then 6

4. 5N

 

and these do not count the various routes through 4N, but this discussion is beyond the scope of this forum.

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