Bidding the slam

[CamHenry]

Your choice of system. None vulnerable; S deals and passes.

 

[hv=pc=n&w=sq7hq8652dcaj9752&e=sa9642hakj3djtck8&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=p]266|200[/hv]

 

How does your auction proceed? NS are silent throughout.

 

As a variation, N makes a minimum sufficient bid in diamonds at her first turn, which S then raises to 5. I was surprised that we were the only pair in the room to find 6♥.

[helene_t]

1♣-1♠

2♣-2♥

4♦*-4NT**

6♦***-6♥****

 

*splinter

**RKC

***odd number of KCs, void diamonds

**** Good chance of no spade losers but even so we need a lot for 13 tricks.

[Antrax]

Really? I was sure the auction would start with 1♥ with W. Isn't this the textbook solution for very shapely hands not strong enough to reverse?

[helene_t]

Really? I was sure the auction would start with 1♥ with W. Isn't this the textbook solution for very shapely hands not strong enough to reverse?

I think this depends on the book. With two non-touching suits, and the hearts of such poor quality, I personally prefer 1♣.

[ahydra]

I'll pass! That's not the greatest 9-count I've ever seen. If the SQ and HQ were put together to make the HA it would be much clearer (and I would open 1H since not strong enough to reverse).

 

P-P-P-1S

2C-2H

4D (SPL)-4NT

6D (1 with D void)-6H (stupid void responses eat all the room; but partner is a passed hand, it's unlikely he has enough)

 

If N opens 1D:

P-P-1D-1S

5D-P (what else?)-P-X

P-5NT-P-6H

 

Though I wonder what East would do if he had 3 clubs and only 1 diamond, would he know to bid 6C? Unlikely.

 

ahydra

[mikeh]

I suspect some people will think that slam is easier to reach after opening the West hand, and I admit that is probably true if we open 1♥ (puke) and the opps interfere. However, if the opps stay out, we should easily reach the slam...see below.

 

To me, opening is worse than passing. We have negative defence, and a horrible heart suit and insoluble rebid problems.

 

We open 1♣ and there is a good chance that the heart suit is lost forever on some hands....we might even miss a 9 card fit! Imagine partner responds 1♠. We have to rebid 2♣ and partner may be unable to bid a forcing 2♥. Playing meckwell here would reduce that issue, but even then there are hands that (at least as I play Meckwell) are too strong for the 2♥ response (typically 5+ spades, 4+ hearts, and weak) and not strong enough to force for 1 round, as most would treat 2♥. We could end up in 2♣ on a 6=1 fit, with excellent play for game in hearts.

 

We open 1♥ and over 2♦ we do what?

 

Meanwhile, partner will drive to bad games or too high in search of slam when he has a very strong but misfitting hand, or he will try to penalize the opps, expecting us to have an opening hand.

 

The light openers seem rarely to think about the costs of this approach, especially in methods that are already wide-range in opening values. The lighter one opens, the worse all our constructive bidding becomes. Of course, there are gains to be had from opening light, and here we can see that opening 1♥ (which I just couldn't do) makes reaching the good slam fairly easy.

 

I would pass, and then over partner's 1♠, I have a big problem (of course that was predictable: I never said that passing was perfect).

 

I would choose a semi-forcing 1N. It is horrible, I know, but I can't bid a natural 2♣ because I use drury, and I will not bid 2♥ on that suit.

 

As it happens, if the opps have stayed out so far, this 1N works very well. Partner bids 2♥ and I go nuts. I suspect I would content myself with a splinter in diamonds, which ought to get partner excited. I am slamming opposite a non-jumpshift, and he has good trump, little wastage, and a card that must be huge on the auction...the club K. I must have at least 10 cards in the rounded suits, since I deny 3 spades with 1N, and have now shown short diamonds. Kx Qxxxx x Axxxx is sort of what he expects for the splinter, and slam should be reasonable.

[mike777]

P=1s

2c=2h

4d=4s

6d=6h

 

2c=natural

4d=spl

4s=rkc in h

6d=odd number and void in d.

 

I love opening light but I think this hand is just a bit short to open but close. Move the SQ to clubs and easy opener.

[relknes]

P - 1♠

2♣ - 2♥

3♦* - 3♥

3N - 4♣

4♦ - 4♠

5♣ - 6♥

 

*4th suit forcing, agreeing to hearts and showing a hand that is worth at least 13 points including distribution (thus, must have shortness somewhere).

The rest is just cue bidding, 3♥ showing 2 of the top 3 trump, 3N showing the remaining, 4♣ and 4♦ showing first or second round control, higher cue bids showing first round control.

 

P - (1♦) - 1♠ - (5♦)

X - (P) - 5♥

 

I would miss the slam here. I would be surprised, however, if South still raised to 5 when partner's bid was an opening 1♦ rather than an overcall. Possible, of course, but a lot less frequent than an auction such as 1♣ - (1♦) - 1♠ - (5♦) when they can count on north for a 5 card suit and the opponents likely have the balance of points.

[mikeh]

I had thought that some version of drury was almost universal, even at the intermediate level. Seems like I am wrong...only one post (mine) acknowledges that there may be a problem responding to a 3rd seat 1♠, while 3 posters, so far, respond with a natural 2♣ with no comment as to drury. Is drury really that uncommon at the I/A level?

[kuhchung]

Any diamond interference?

[whereagles]

how about...

 

pass 1♠

1NT 2♥

4♦ etc...

 

4♦ = splinter, obv.

[Winstonm]

how about...

 

pass 1♠

1NT 2♥

4♦ etc...

 

4♦ = splinter, obv.

 

That's my sequence, too.

[mike777]

I don't find a need to play Drury when you open light in first and second seat. IT is very rare to have a true 3 card inv raise as a passed hand. Constructive raises are still on by passed hand...roughly 8-11 3 card support. Playing sf 1nt pard opening in third seat may just pass you out in 1nt when dead minimum or less from third seat opener.

[bluechip10]

Your choice of system. None vulnerable; S deals and passes.

 

[hv=pc=n&w=sq7hq8652dcaj9752&e=sa9642hakj3djtck8&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=p]266|200[/hv]

 

How does your auction proceed? NS are silent throughout.

 

As a variation, N makes a minimum sufficient bid in diamonds at her first turn, which S then raises to 5. I was surprised that we were the only pair in the room to find 6♥.

 

I have been a Marty Bergen fan since I met him many moons ago. Then I read his book POINTS, SHMOINTS. To open, he taught the rule of 20. Add up your HCP, then add the number of cards to that in the two longest suits. If it adds up to 20, then open. Ever since I started doing this, I have found games and slams that would never have been found otherwise. So, without further ado:

 

W--E

1♣--1♠

2♣--2♥

3♥--4NT (0314)

5♦--6♥

 

9 HCP plus 6♣ plus 5♥=20. All of my regular partners open the same way.

[bluechip10]

Really? I was sure the auction would start with 1♥ with W. Isn't this the textbook solution for very shapely hands not strong enough to reverse?

 

Accurately describing your length is very important. I learned this the hard way many moons ago. With the weakness of the West hand, the best you can do is rebid clubs. If partner advances, then you may get a chance to show your hearts. But at least partner knows you are weak.

[helene_t]

I had thought that some version of drury was almost universal

I play it with most on BBO but locally, whether in England or NL, I tried to introduce it to a few partners but they keep forgetting it so I gave up.

 

Obviously Manudude03 is an exception but he is not I/A anyway :)

[shep]

Really? I was sure the auction would start with 1♥ with W. Isn't this the textbook solution for very shapely hands not strong enough to reverse?

 

I open 6-5 hands in the longer suit. With two short suits where the defense can force me to ruff, I don't want to end up in a 5-2 fit when I could play 6-2 or even 6-3.

[Trump Echo]

Our 2/1 system.

 

West passes.

 

1S - 1 NT

2H - 4 H

4S - 5 C

5H - 6H

[kenrexford]

This is a lot more interesting with Modified Italian Canapé System. The normal start is fantastic:

 

P-1♥(6+hearts one-suiter or 4+ hearts two suiter longer or equal in second suit)

 

If Responder bids, say, Drury 2♣, Opener can show extras and nature by rebidding 2♠(maximum, spades equal or longer -- equal if 5-5). Opposite that start, Responder's hand is a monster. There are several ways to proceed, but the simplest option is to simply splinter 4♦, a slam venture that Opener will surely accept.

 

Responder could also decide, instead of Drury, to bid 3♣ as a fit bid (clubs, good heart fit). Opener would then be able to bid 3♦ as a pattern ask, with Responder showing a diamond void.

 

Back up. West could also in theory open 2♥ (10-15 with 5+ hearts and 4+ clubs) if the conditions allowed this opening on a 9-count. After whatever asking bid (2♠ or 3♦) Responder (East) elected (based on strategy and judgment), West would "break" by bidding 4♣ to show a 5-6 "freakish minimum." All East need to know, now, is that Opener does not have Qx in diamonds. A single cue or ask will solve that problem. This will be easy if trumps were set (the 3♦ route), as 4♦ would be a "tell me more" pattern ask. If trumps were not set (the 2♠ route), this will be tougher, but a 4NT spade cue (4♠ being Weak Key Card Blackwood) will solve the problem enough. That route will be tougher, admittedly, which is why setting trumps is often a good idea.

 

 

[mikestar13]

In my favorite flavor of Precision:

 

1♥-2NT 10-15, 5+♥; GF Raise

3♦-3♥ Any void; asks

3NT-4♠ ♦void; Kickback

4NT-5♣ one key; queen ask

6♥-P got it but nothing else.

 

 

Clubs are never shown, but East knows that West is likely to have them given his heart suit and diamond void, and if West has clubs, East's ♣Kx couldn't be better. A reasonable small slam, but a grand really needs ♠K in addition.

[CamHenry]

Thanks for the suggestions, all!

 

We were playing a possible-canape precision system, so W had an easy (minimum) 1♥ opening. We proceeded:

[hv=d=s&v=0&b=11&a=p1h2d3d5dpp6hppp]133|100|Good raise[/hv]

 

Most pairs will have been playing Acol of some description; I suspect a lot of auctions went P-1S/1N-2H/4H-end.

[hmcclain98]

I play precision, to the auction is a little weird

 

West East

-Pass

1♣-1♠

2♥-2♠

3♣-3NT

4♦-5♣

5♦-5♥

5♠-5NT

6♥-Pass

 

1♣= 16+HCP

1♠= 5+hearts, 8+HCP

2♥= 3+Hearts, asking to build # of controls A=2, K=1

2♠= 0-2 controls

3♣= Control asking bid in clubs

3NT= I have the ace of ♣ or a void in ♣

4♦= CAB in diamonds

5♣= I have the ace of ♦ or a void in ♦

5♦= do you have the ace or the void

5♥= I have the void

5♠= CAB in spades

5NT= I either have Qxx or a doubleton in ♠

6♥= To play

[Fluffy]

To summarize:

pass-1♣ (strong)

1♠-1NT (relay....)

...-....

...-...

4♦-4NT (2506, blackwood)

...-....

...-6♥

[atlantajon]

My regular partner and I would have this auction. 1♣ ... 2♠ (5 spades and 4+ hearts, game forcing)...3♥ (setting suit)...3♠...3nt (serious)...4♣ ... 4♦...4♥ (nothing left to say)... 6♥ (well if you can't show me the K♠ then we are fine here.

[atlantajon]

I play precision, to the auction is a little weird

 

West East

-Pass

1♣-1♠

2♥-2♠

3♣-3NT

4♦-5♣

5♦-5♥

5♠-5NT

6♥-Pass

 

1♣= 16+HCP

1♠= 5+hearts, 8+HCP

2♥= 3+Hearts, asking to build # of controls A=2, K=1

2♠= 0-2 controls

3♣= Control asking bid in clubs

3NT= I have the ace of ♣ or a void in ♣

4♦= CAB in diamonds

5♣= I have the ace of ♦ or a void in ♦

5♦= do you have the ace or the void

5♥= I have the void

5♠= CAB in spades

5NT= I either have Qxx or a doubleton in ♠

6♥= To play

 

 

Isn't this a 2♣ opener? something like 2♣...2♦ (asking)...3♥ (5♥ and longer ♣)...4♦ (end signal)...4♥ forced...6♥.