Sophisticated Slamming

[kenrexford]

♠x ♥AKxxx ♦AJ10xx ♣Ax

 

I opened 1♥. Partner responded 2NT Jacoby, so I bid my stiff spade (3♠).

 

Partner now bid Serious 3NT!

 

This seemed extremely likely to be based upon the heart Queen, spade Ace, and a lot of stuff, so I launched into RKCB -- 4NT.

 

Partner showed the expected one KC with 5♦.

 

At this point, somewhat in the back of my mind out of fear that 5♥ would be passed, I bid 5♠, figuring that this would likely be worked out in a good way. Sure enough, partner bid 5NT, which seemed to show the spade King, and whether this also promised the trump Queen or that was inferred from the Serious 3NT, I was now thinking grand slam, but possbly 6NT also. 6♦ seemed like a logical start -- focus partner on the diamond suit.

 

Partner signed off at 6♥.

 

Now, I tried "Grand Slam Train Has Left the Building," bidding 5♠ to invite a choice between 6NT, 7♥, or possibly 7♠.

 

The lead was a club as partner tabled ♠AKQx ♥10xx ♦Kx ♣QJxx.

 

After cleaning up my shirt, I set about analyzing this intriguing choice. Clearly, as you can see, the small slam in spades may well make, when 6♥ may well fail. So, a fair decision after all. granted, 6NT has play when 6♠ makes and 6♥ fails, but 6♠ seems more likely to induce a psychotic break when LHO holds QJxx in hearts, four spades, two small clubs, and three diamonds to the Queen, especially when I play the Jack toward Dummy. That will surely give me a much better read in 6♠ than 6NT.

[mike777]

i DONT GET IT

 

WE have no way to show great d suit over 2nt?

 

in any event I dont get 2nt what was that?

 

an insane auction.

 

start with 2c over 1h and go from there.

 

1h=2c

2d=2h(slam try) good start.

[TWO4BRIDGE]

Let's see if I can count all the "flawed" bids:

 

1) Jac2NT with only THREE trumps to the TEN .... geez.

 

2) Serious-3NT knowing wasted values in Spades ( although A K Q is nothing to scoff at -- partner can get 2 sure discards ).

 

3) After the 5S-trump Q-ask , partner SHOWS it with 5NT ( and possibly the ♠ K ) when he DOESN'T have the ♥Q OR extra Ht length .

 

4) Failing to use 4S! kickback-RKC.... using it surely makes the ♥Q-ask task easier.

 

5) 6S! ..... classic KenRexford .... I actually like this bid !

 

Apparently partner didn't know of Ken's favorite "multi"-2C! response for this auction... eventually showing 3 card ♥ support ( a la mike's start ) :

 

1H - 2C!

2D - 2H

3S ( splinter ) - 4D ( non-Serious cue in partner's 2nd suit, denying a ♣-Ctrl )

4S! ( kickback -RKC ) - 5C ( 1 key )

5D ( ♥Q-ask ) - 5H ( no ♥Q )

6H ( may be a gamble, but partner has to have something else in ♠ or perhaps the ♦ Q or maybe ♣ Q J for his 2/1 Response ).