Strong hand opposite Michaels

[ahydra]

MPs. Neither side vul.

 

♠Axx

♥A

♦AK10xxx

♣Qxx

 

(1C)-2C-(p)-?

 

2C is Michaels, both majors, constructive or better. What should I do here? Slam is on opposite ♠KQ ♥KQ if partner has a club control so I need to go looking, but wasn't sure how. Clearly any number of spades is NF, and although 3D would be forcing, it doesn't really make it clear that spades are trumps.

 

At the table I started with 3C and after much confusion we stumbled into a making 5S:

 

(1C)-2C-(p)-3C

(X)-3S-(p)-4D

(p)-4H-(p)-4NT

(p)-5C-(p)-5S

end

 

Partner probably had no clue what was going on because he showed the wrong number of keycards.

 

ahydra

[Endymion77]

3♣ is fine, no other option really without some specific agreements about forcing shape/controls-asking bids in response to Michaels (you can for example play that 4♣ asks partner for his singleton in this sequence, or even better 2NT as an artifical inv+ relay that asks for shape first and then the next relay asks for number of controls). Partner's 3♠ over the double should show a weak 6/5 hand. If 4♦ is a cuebid agreeing spades as trump I like it, then partner's 4♥ should also promise a club control so you just go rkcb for spades.

[kenrexford]

I would have guessed that a 4♣ or 4♦ call would have been a flag splinter, like I think Hamman came up with after Flannery. In other words, 4♣ as a heart slam try with shortness in spades?

 

If 3♣ is game-forcing, you can improve upon sequences by simply having partner relay 3♦, then set what the trump suit is, and then allow shortness bids after that. Good to set trumps.

 

If 3♣ is invitational, then 3♦ should accept, after which the same structure applies -- set trumps and then show shortness. With a minimum, Overcaller can bid 3♥, which is normally passed or corrected with the weaker hands. With slam interest, you flag the major fit (3NT for hearts, 4♣ for spades) and then hear the shortness at that point.

[Endymion77]

If 3♣ is game-forcing, you can improve upon sequences by simply having partner relay 3♦, then set what the trump suit is, and then allow shortness bids after that. Good to set trumps.

 

I like this suggestion, plus it lets the "unknown" hand always be declarer.

[ArtK78]

I remember a funny story told to me by a friend who was playing professionally with a regular client. My friend opened 2♦ Flannery and his client responded 4NT. Given that no suit had been agreed upon (but knowing that it was Blackwood) my friend responded with a number of aces. His client then bid 5 of one of the majors, and my friend passed. She quickly rang up 12 tricks and then asked my friend why he had not responded with key cards. His response? "In which suit?"

 

On a more serious note, if I ran into a similar situation, I would assume that 4NT was 6 ace RKCB - asking for key cards counting the Kings in both known long suits as key cards. Perhaps that agreement would help here.

[Fluffy]

You should start with either 2♦ or 2NT, 2NT is normally the GF relay.

[Zelandakh]

After 2♣ Michaels, it is normal to play 2♦ as asking for the better major. As with Landy over 1NT, this also makes a nice run in for constructive relays. So start with 2♦ and then bid 2NT (GF) over partner's 2M and finally set spades as trumps. There are other things you can do too but this procedure is simple and works for most hands. And, as above, if you play a 1NT defence including Landy you can adapt the same structure. It makes little sense to me to use an immediate 2NT as the GF relay here unless you feel the need to use a 2♦ advance for some other purpose. The situation is clearly different if our Michaels overcall had been 2♦ instead.