Sign off or not?

[phil_20686]

As little as Axxx, Qxxx, AQxx, x will make slam decent, I think you need more with a stiff diamond, eg with the minors reversed you need ♣AKxx.

 

Your diamond trick may well only be useful for throwing a winner on

 

In what world would this and pass a 4h sign off? It is absolutely huge. Give partner 10-11 working points to go with his spade singleton: x AKxxx Kxx xxxx still has a lot to do, but x KJxxxx Kxxx Axx is pretty good. x AKxxx JTx Axxx is even better.

 

I think that the hand in question is an easy sign off, but I also think that you should play better methods. 3C as any min (as evaluated for slam) solves a ton of problems in these auctions. Now 1h-2n-3s would show extras and a spade shortage, whereas 1h-2n-3c(min)-3d(shortage ask)-3S would show 11-14 with a spade shortage. This would help doubly here as you would know after 3N whether parther has a slam try evaluated in the knowledge that you are 11-14 or 14+. So you can evalulate your hand in context.