Your next move please!

[bluerib]

As South, you hold a strong hand of 15 HCPs including 3 aces (6 controls), and the bidding has proceeded as shown. What is your next move?[hv=pc=n&s=sa9ha632dqj94ca97&d=w&v=e&b=16&a=p1dp1hp1np]133|200[/hv]

[Tramticket]

What strength is the 1NT rebid? If it is 12-14, I rebid 3NT. If it is 15-18 (as I play) I am interested in looking for more and will use our 2♣ enquiry to find out more about partner's shape/strength.

[bluerib]

What strength is the 1NT rebid? If it is 12-14, I rebid 3NT. If it is 15-18 (as I play) I am interested in looking for more and will use our 2♣ enquiry to find out more about partner's shape/strength.

The bidding system is SAYC (Standard American Yellow Card).

[eagles123]

i'm not sure how 3 aces = 6 controls, but anyway, if i can make a mild probe for a diamond slam then i might, otherwise just 3N

[NickRW]

i'm not sure how 3 aces = 6 controls

 

 

A=2, K=1

[DozyDom]

i'm not sure how 3 aces = 6 controls, but anyway, if i can make a mild probe for a diamond slam then i might, otherwise just 3N

It's a way of counting controls where aces count as 2, kings count as one. It's used because it's easier to count than A = 1, K = 1/2. Normally people only pay attention to it if they play control-showing responses to 2C though. Or if they're playing a Dynamic NT ofc...

[Tramticket]

The bidding system is SAYC (Standard American Yellow Card).

 

Just bid 3NT (particularly at pairs - at IMPs, trying for slam and settling for 5♣ is less of a disaster but even then I just bid 3NT). Two balanced hands with 29 combined points (max). Absolutely no reason to go looking in my opinion. I'm not saying that you will never make 12 tricks if all the cards are sitting nicely, but it is a low odds.

[FelicityR]

Some players play 3♦ as invitational. others as forcing. If the 1♦ opener shows 4+ cards in ♦s - not a total guarantee given most SAYC players will open 1♦ with 3♦/2♣ - then if you do play it as forcing I believe you should give partner a choice of games if the 1NT rebid is 12-14, even though 3NT is what many players will bid automatically with the South hand.

[diana_eva]

Some players play 3♦ as invitational. others as forcing. If the 1♦ opener shows 4+ cards in ♦s - not a total guarantee given most SAYC players will open 1♦ with 3♦/2♣ - then if you do play it as forcing I believe you should give partner a choice of games if the 1NT rebid is 12-14, even though 3NT is what many players will bid automatically with the South hand.

 

With 3 diamonds and 2 clubs opener would raise hearts.

 

I'd just bid 3NT. Slam would require some shape IMO, which partner probably doesn't have since he bid 1NT.

[tritonium]

Opener did not rebid 1 ♠, therefore, he will hold 4 ♦

[msjennifer]

Opener has not supported hearts nor bid spades or clubs so he has to have at least 4 diamonds.His 1NT rebid is not an encouraging bid at all since with an apparently balanced hand he has not opened 1NT. His hand is a limited 12/14 hand.No point in fooling around and a straightforward 3NT is what I shall bid.

[SelfGovern]

As South, you hold a strong hand of 15 HCPs including 3 aces (6 controls), and the bidding has proceeded as shown. What is your next move?[hv=pc=n&s=sa9ha632dqj94ca97&d=w&v=e&b=16&a=p1dp1hp1np]133|200[/hv]

 

What does partner need for slam? Something like

Kxx

Kx

AKxxx

Kxx

 

With that hand you have 12 tricks, but partner would have opened 1NT (15-17).

His hand could be much worse for 16, too -- more quacky and fewer prime cards.

Therefore, it's very unlikely you have slam, unless partner is 'operating', with a

six-card diamond suit, say. Take your plus at 3NT.

 

Note that if his hand is, say,

Kx

Kxx

AKxxx

Kxx

you won't likely even make six of anything (only if hearts are 3-3, only about 35%.

 

Use your math: with balanced or semi-balanced hands, you need about 33HCP for slam... and partner has told you you can't have anywhere near that much. Save the under-pointed slam investigation for when you've got prime cards (aces and kings) and working shortage.

[PhilG007]

As South, you hold a strong hand of 15 HCPs including 3 aces (6 controls), and the bidding has proceeded as shown. What is your next move?[hv=pc=n&s=sa9ha632dqj94ca97&d=w&v=e&b=16&a=p1dp1hp1np]133|200[/hv]

 

3NT Next question (?)

[nekthen]

I think this may be a hand where 5♦ makes and 3N fails. We have 3 aces but no stuffing. I am not certain that p has less than 4♠ as I would bid 1N to show my range and then partner uses xyz to find out more about my hand. So I bid 2♦ artificial GF and listen to partner. e.g. He may bid 3♣ indicating a 3244 hand now I bid 3♦ and partner can choose which game he wants to play.

 

You could do something similar with 2♣ checkback or nmf. If you do not use any gadgets here then you can bid 3N and watch partner go down on a spade lead, when p has xxx or xx in spades and one of the opps has 5 spades

[aawk]

3nt, looking for slam in ♦ with a 7 looser hand is asking for trouble and gives opponents a better choice in what to lead if you end up in 3nt after all.

[Caitlynne]

Assuming that the 1NT rebid shows a minimum range opening bid of approximately 12 to 14 HCP, I will just raise to 3NT, opting for the 9 trick game rather than explore for 5D.

 

If the 1NT shows more - e.g., 15 to 17 HCP, I will use whatever methods we have to show diamond support with game forcing values. This is necessary since there are minimum balanced hands in the strong NT value range that would produce a slam - e.g., consider this 15 HCP hand where 6D is virtually cold:

 

Kxx

xx

AKxxx

KQx

[MrAce]

I ♥ this bar!

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

 

As others have said, 3NT.

If the 1NT bid denied 4 sapdes, than you know, you have a diamond fit.

If you can find out below 3NT, that partner has max. and no values in spades,

than you could make a move. But even with thís, slam wont be ice cold.

Most peoble cant.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[nekthen]

I am much more worried that partner has a hand like this

[hv=pc=n&n=sj4hq84dak62cqt32]133|100[/hv]

 

3N does not stand a chance and even 5♦ is iffy

[msjennifer]

Assuming that the 1NT rebid shows a minimum range opening bid of approximately 12 to 14 HCP, I will just raise to 3NT, opting for the 9 trick game rather than explore for 5D.

 

If the 1NT shows more - e.g., 15 to 17 HCP, I will use whatever methods we have to show diamond support with game forcing values. This is necessary since there are minimum balanced hands in the strong NT value range that would produce a slam - e.g., consider this 15 HCP hand where 6D is virtually cold:

 

Kxx

xx

AKxxx

KQx

And this hand will be opened not 1D but 1NT.

[miamijd]

WTP?

[cleveritis]

3N - no second choice, not close... if he showed 15-17 playing weak NT, i would bid the way i show diamonds and raise to 4n

[bluerib]

Thank you all for so many interesting discussions and useful comments.

One think I can see is that many of you have the same feeling as I did when I held this South hand. To bid 3NT was so easy. In fact, in the session I was playing, almost all other NS pairs landed on a 3NT, one on 5D, and we on a different contract as I will tell you in the following.

Since North already limited his hand to 12-14 HCPs, for if he had 15 HCPs, he would have opened 1NT. As I already wrote, with 15 HCPs plus 3 aces and a good support for diamonds, I had to invent a bid to force partner to show me more of his hand. So I bid 2S, not caring what could be his understanding. He might take it as a second suit (5H and 4S, eg.), or as a cue-bid, or whatever.

As expected, he took my bid for 5H and 4S, so he jumped to 4H. I continued with the Blackwood 4NT, and the response was 5S meaning 3 aces or 5 key cards, with the Q of trumps. Now I could count 4 Hearts, 4 Diamonds, 2 Spades and 2 Clubs if North held the K of Spades and the J/Q of Clubs. If the remaining Clubs honors split between E and W, then by finessing, we could make 12 tricks.

Therefore, with a bit of gambling, I landed on 6NT!

As the cards lie, we made 6NT for an incontestable top board.

Of course, if North’s holding in Spades and Clubs were reversed (meaning J/Q of Spades and K of Clubs), then there is no hope for 12 tricks. Well, audacity sometimes induces luck!

The full board is as shown.

[bluerib]

Thank you all for so many interesting discussions and useful comments.

One think I can see is that many of you have the same feeling as I did when I held this South hand. To bid 3NT was so easy. In fact, in the session I was playing, almost all other NS pairs landed on a 3NT, one on 5D, and we on a different contract as I will tell you in the following.

Since North already limited his hand to 12-14 HCPs, for if he had 15 HCPs, he would have opened 1NT. As I already wrote, with 15 HCPs plus 3 aces and a good support for diamonds, I had to invent a bid to force partner to show me more of his hand. So I bid 2S, not caring what could be his understanding. He might take it as a second suit (5H and 4S, eg.), or as a cue-bid, or whatever.

As expected, he took my bid for 5H and 4S, so he jumped to 4H. I continued with the Blackwood 4NT, and the response was 5S meaning 3 aces or 5 key cards, with the Q of trumps. Now I could count 4 Hearts, 4 Diamonds, 2 Spades and 2 Clubs if North held the K of Spades and the J/Q of Clubs. If the remaining Clubs honors split between E and W, then by finessing, we could make 12 tricks.

Therefore, with a bit of gambling, I landed on 6NT!

As the cards lie, we made 6NT for an incontestable top board.

Of course, if North’s holding in Spades and Clubs were reversed (meaning J/Q of Spades and K of Clubs), then there is no hope for 12 tricks. Well, audacity sometimes induces luck!

The full board is as shown.[hv=pc=n&s=sa9ha632dqj94ca97&w=sj85432ht85dkck85&n=skt6hkq4dat76cjt2&e=sq7hj97d8532cq643&d=w&v=e&b=16&a=p1dp1hp1np2sp4hp4np5sp6n]399|300[/hv]

[sfi]

Well done. You managed to find partner with no wasted values and two critical 10's, all to get to a 14% slam. This time the cards worked for you.

 

BTW, 6D is a much better contract - at a very rough calculation I make it around 30%.