How would you bid this grand?

[foobar]

Uncontested auction with South dealer (from NABC GNT-B KO round):

 

[hv=pc=n&s=sak2haj432dq32ca5&n=sqj763hkt765dak6c]133|200[/hv]

[Cyberyeti]

We'd bid this:

 

1♥-1♠

1N(15-bad 19)-2♣(asking)

3♥(5 hearts 17-bad 19)-5♣(XKC)

5♠(2 without, A♣excluded)-5N(anything else, looking for grand)

7♥(anything you could possibly want)

 

There are some subtle inferences in this auction due to bids that weren't made, but partner will have at least ♠Qxxxx, KQxx, Axxx void so the worst it can possibly be on is the spade break assuming hearts not 4-0, and very likely he has J♠ and/or is 553 and/or has K♦. The 5N bid implies he's looking for K♠ as he can't ask for it directly, or possibly K♠ and another card, and that A♣ will be of some use, so AKx♦ is very likely.

[rmnka447]

I wouldn't worry about showing ♠. I'd start with a Jacoby 2 NT raise.

 

1 ♥ - 2 NT (Jacoby)

 

3 ♥ (Standard Jacoby - 17+ flat hand)

 

--- 4 ♦ - (Cue)

 

(A judgement to show the control partner can't have rather than cheapest control)

 

4 NT - (1430)

 

--- 6 ♣ - (even number and ♣ void)

 

6 ♦ - (must be a grand slam try, implies having all the keys)

 

--- 7 ♥ - (K fifth is good enough opposite A fifth, ♦ K is here if looking for it, at worst might need ♠ finesse)

 

(Responder should see that opener might not try for grand holding many ♣ honors.)

 

 

 

Playing with my favorite partner, we'd have our own responses to Jacoby and some specialized old fashioned cueing. So our auction would be

 

1 ♥ - 2 NT (Jacoby)

 

3 ♦ (17+ flat hand)

 

--- 3 ♥ - waiting bid initiating cueing

 

3 ♠ - 1st round control in ♠

 

--- 4 ♦ - 1st round controls in ♣, ♦

 

(Looking at ♣ A, opener knows responder has a ♣ void)

 

4 ♠ - 2nd round control in ♠

 

--- 5 ♠ - 2nd round controls in ♣, ♦, a high trump honor, 3rd round ♠ control

 

5 NT (GSF)

 

7 ♥ - K fifth is good enough.

[Hanoi5]

1♥-1♠

2N-3♥

3♠-5♣

5♠-5N

6♠-7♥

[Zelandakh]

IMPs or MPs?

 

Natural-ish:

 

1♥ - 2♠ (nat; mini-spl or maxi-spl);

2NT - 3♠ (relay; maxi + void);

3NT - 4♣ (relay; ♣ void);

4♦ - 4♠ (control ask; ♦ control, no ♠ control);

4NT - 5♣ (kc ask; 1 or 4 kc);

5♦ - 5NT (Q ask; ♥Q + ♦K);

6♣ - 6♠ (SSA; ♠Q);

7♥

 

Strong Club:

 

1♣ = 15+ nat/bal or 18+ any

... - 1♥ = 4+ spades, GF

1♠ = relay, usually 18+

... - 1NT = 4+ hearts

2♣ = relay

... - 2♠ = 5-5 or more

2NT = relay

... - 3♥ = 5530

3♠ = relay

... - 4♥ = extras, 4 controls

4NT = Q ask

... - 5♦ = ♠Q, no ♦Q

5♠ = J ask

... - 5NT = no ♥J

6♣ = ♠J?

... - 6♦ = yes, but no ♦J

7NT

 

Getting to 7NT naturally probably means having North take control together with a little space optimisation. For example, take Hanoi's auction up to 5NT but adjust for the known ♣ void, then possible is:

 

(1♥ - 1♠; 2NT - 3♥; 3♠ - 5♣; 5♠ - 5NT)

6♣ = ♠K

... - 6♠ = ♣A?

7♦ = yes, and ♦Q

... - 7NT

 

Of course if we are playing IMPs the hand is not such a challenge...