another bidding question - responder updated for pard hand

[phoenixmj]

[hv=pc=n&w=skjt6432hk954dck9&d=e&v=b&b=10&a=1np]133|200[/hv]

 

Both vulnerable.

 

We play a strong NT open - 15-17 points. We do not open NT with any singletons and we do open with 4 card suits.

 

How would you bid this hand?

 

Please give any following bids as well as the first bid.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Note - later post shows partner's hand. Thx[hv=pc=n&w=skjt6432hk954dck9&e=sa8hat6dq95cajt65&d=e&v=b&b=10&a=1np4hp4sp6sppp]266|200[/hv]

[kuhchung]

I would transfer into 2S and then bid 4D splinter. Respect partner's signoff if he does sign off. If he bids 4H in between, I will try 5C.

 

The other route to me is stayman, then delayed transfer into 4S. This seems strictly worse, since even if we have a heart fit, I'm not sure I want to play it, and once I oblige partner to accept the transfer into 4S, I'll have no idea what to do.

[etha]

ok first I claim we are always playing this is spades so it is just a question of how much of a slam try we want to make in spades. I would say it is ok to make a mild slam try by bidding 2♥ and bidding 4♠ next. If partner happens to super accept then start cue bidding or jump to show the splinter depending what they bid. If they showed diamonds in the super accept maybe go quietly.

[pescetom]

1NT - 2♥ (transfer); 2♠ (or superaccept) - 5♦ (exclusion)

 

If he shows 1 keycard we play 5♠, if he shows 3 and then the Q we play 7♠, otherwise 6♠.

[apollo1201]

Transfer then auto splinter. Can’t do less, but can’t do more with so little. I really need no wasted D points (except the A maybe to park a H loser) and good working honors.

With only 2 to 4-cd majors opposite, S should play better than H. From my side, though🤣

[mikeh]

A tough hand

 

I won't look for hearts. Even if he has 4, hearts may be the slam we can't make. Axx Axxx Axx Axxx: hearts 4-1 and down we go with 6S or even 6N very close to laydown.

 

So how to look for a spade slam?

 

We cannot find out what we need: if we transfer at any level and then use exclusion, the answer will often leave us guessing

 

So we want to invite partner to evaluate his hand, rather than having us take control.

 

There are two ways to do this:

 

2H then 4S: will get him excited with Aces and Kings, but he won't know that he should maybe downgrade diamond cards.

 

2H then 4D: he will have a closer idea: he will assume something like 6=3=1=3.

 

We probably don't mind his thinking the diamond Ace is a good card...we can often use the pitch, and we are happy that he discounts the Q or Jack in the suit, and that he will upgrade Aces and the spade Queen. So I opt for the splinter

[rmnka447]

If all you play are transfers, then I think the 2 ♥ transfer followed by a 4 ♦ splinter is the best way to go.

 

I guess I'm one of the few dinosaurs who retain 3 of a major over 1 NT as a slammish hand in that suit. IMO, this is one of those hands where this tool might be useful. The controls in the hand are Ks and if you transfer, opening leader may find a lead through one of those controls. If you declare the hand, the Ks are at least protected on the opening lead.

 

Also, the opportunity to save some bidding space for slam exploration exists. Over 3 ♠, partner has the opportunity to show the ♣ A as well as other possible control bids below game and RKCB.

[msjennifer]

SIR,this hand is a difficult one to convey exactly what we have by ,I personally feel, any method.We will bid 1NT-2H-2S-4D and hope for the best.

[phoenixmj]

A tough hand

 

I won't look for hearts. Even if he has 4, hearts may be the slam we can't make. Axx Axxx Axx Axxx: hearts 4-1 and down we go with 6S or even 6N very close to laydown.

 

So how to look for a spade slam?

 

We cannot find out what we need: if we transfer at any level and then use exclusion, the answer will often leave us guessing

 

So we want to invite partner to evaluate his hand, rather than having us take control.

 

There are two ways to do this:

 

2H then 4S: will get him excited with Aces and Kings, but he won't know that he should maybe downgrade diamond cards.

 

2H then 4D: he will have a closer idea: he will assume something like 6=3=1=3.

 

We probably don't mind his thinking the diamond Ace is a good card...we can often use the pitch, and we are happy that he discounts the Q or Jack in the suit, and that he will upgrade Aces and the spade Queen. So I opt for the splinter

[hv=pc=n&s=shdc&w=skjt6432hk954dck9&n=shdc&e=sa8hat6dq95cajt65]399|300[/hv]

 

I like the splinter approach but not sure what partner would have done next - and as I just consulted him - he is not sure either :)

 

I was in a quandry but clearly smelled a likely slam. So - I instead decided to take control and did a texas transfer. Bidding went -- 1N, pass, 4H, pass, 4S, pass, 6S. I did not feel I could get answers to my questions asking for key cards so I gambled - and in THIS case - it paid off. We bid and made the slam.

 

The results - I looked at the field and we were only 1 of two out of a field of 21 tables that bid the slam (most of whom frankly are better players than us). I questioned my tactics. The finesse in clubs is key in this case. We are also missing the spade Q.

 

So - how would you have proceeded as east if the bidding had gone as you suggested?

 

Any and all help is appreciated.

[gszes]

I personally think this hand is just too good for splinter. It only takes 12 HCP and a spade fit for a grand to be great A9x Ax xxxx Axxx. My choice of auction would be (as a non puppet user over 1n)

1n 15-17

2c stayman does not promise 4 card major (4 way xfers), do NOT get the wrong idea, hearts is not the main goal.

2d no 4 card major

3h smolen I realize this only promises 5 spades but we can amend that view later. The main point now is to get p to start reevaluating their hand thinking about us having at least 9 cards in the majors.

3n no known fit and at least sort of stops in the minors (qxx dia? sigh)

4c worth one more try and this bid at least pinpoints short suit. p might think this is 5404 but they will more likely think 5413 or 6403 with extra values. We can convert any club contract to spades.

4h cue for clubs not much in diamonds (4d = ace) (4n = sign off)

4n keycard for clubs

5c 0-3

6s partner has enough for us to make 6 but 7 is too elusive to try for and at best (even if p has the club QJ) is we will need to find the spade Q which should be around 62% at best and if p has the spade Q but not the club Q the odds seem even worse.

 

If p bids a 4n sign off over our 4c bid I will convert to 5s. This will STILL allow us to reach 6s if p has Qx AQx Axxxx Axx

[smerriman]

2c stayman does not promise 4 card major (4 way xfers), do NOT get the wrong idea, hearts is not the main goal.

2d no 4 card major

What are you going to do if partner responds 2♥? Or raises your Smolen bid to 4♠?

 

I personally think this hand is just too good for splinter.

I don't see how a hand can be too good for a splinter in this auction. It's not like other auctions where a splinter denies extras due to the wasted space; splinter is the only non-keycard method to show slam interest in spades below 4♠.

[apollo1201]

I don't see how a hand can be too good for a splinter in this auction. It's not like other auctions where a splinter denies extras due to the wasted space; splinter is the only non-keycard method to show slam interest in spades below 4♠.

Totally agree. The way I play splinters is slam if you fit well my hand. So not a strong hand but game going with main critical info to convey to partner is the shortness.

 

Here, facing the splinter, opener has mixed feelings. 3 Aces, a nice side-suit and only 2 wasted points, but a minimal fit. I’d probably give a last try with 4H, and respect partner’s decision or a last last try of 5C over 4S the days I’m in great shape and playing skill.

[rmnka447]

I like the splinter approach but not sure what partner would have done next - and as I just consulted him - he is not sure either :)

 

I was in a quandry but clearly smelled a likely slam. So - I instead decided to take control and did a texas transfer. Bidding went -- 1N, pass, 4H, pass, 4S, pass, 6S. I did not feel I could get answers to my questions asking for key cards so I gambled - and in THIS case - it paid off. We bid and made the slam.

 

The results - I looked at the field and we were only 1 of two out of a field of 21 tables that bid the slam (most of whom frankly are better players than us). I questioned my tactics. The finesse in clubs is key in this case. We are also missing the spade Q.

 

So - how would you have proceeded as east if the bidding had gone as you suggested?

 

Any and all help is appreciated.

 

First of all, when you transfer and then splinter, you are not asking about a fit, you are telling partner that you will play in the suit to which you transfer. Furthermore, the splinter has to be at least a mild slam try else you'd just bid game.

 

Let's consider the splinter. Mel Colchamiro in his book How to Play Like an Expert suggests taking a cue from Frank Sinatra with regard to splinters. Ol' Blue Eyes recorded a song called "All or Nothing at All" and this is the basis for Mel's comments. Basically, he suggests the holding you want opposite a splinter is all (the A) or nothing (all spots versus other honors). Now this was in the context of opener considering what to do opposite a limited responding splinter to opener's suit. The A would cover partner's singleton or possibly provide a pitch out of responder's hand. All spots suggests that there is no wasted values in opener's hand. The more wasted values the less opener should be interested in anything but game.

 

The same principle applies in this auction with this hand. Here you have a Q, but not a lot else to devalue. BUT the rest of the hand looks pretty good opposite, the splinter. Consider that the splinter suggests that most, if not all, of responder's values are in the other suits. Opener's hand will mesh nicely with whatever responder holds.

 

How about slam? The first consideration for slam is whether there are 2 quick losers in any suit. Responder's splinter says not in ♦. Opener's hand has the As of the other side suits, so there aren't 2 quick losers in any side suit. The ♠ A also reduces chances of a trump suit loser. Opener should like this hand very much in terms of a possible slam.

 

So over the splinter, opener should show some interest in slam by not bidding 4 ♠. Here the stand out bid over 4 ♦ is 4 ♥. it says "Partner, I also have some interest in slam and am showing you a ♥ control." That will let responder take the next step toward slam if the ♥ control is useful.

 

One important consideration with this hand is that responder should captain the auction. Responder has shown a distributional hand via the splinter, but other than ♦ shortness and likely 6+ pretty good ♠, opener doesn't have a clue what responder's hand is. So opener should be telling in response to responder's bids because responder will be better able to decide if slam is good.

 

Responder can then continue slam exploration by whatever seems appropriate. RKCB can be bid if that is right, or, responder can continue showing controls. What responder does may also depend on your bidding agreements.

[rmnka447]

Totally agree. The way I play splinters is slam if you fit well my hand. So not a strong hand but game going with main critical info to convey to partner is the shortness.

 

Here, facing the splinter, opener has mixed feelings. 3 Aces, a nice side-suit and only 2 wasted points, but a minimal fit. Id probably give a last try with 4H, and respect partners decision or a last last try of 5C over 4S the days Im in great shape and playing skill.

 

Since they are apparently playing both Texas and Jacoby transfers, a splinter over Jacoby can hardly be a blah hand with shortness. First of all, opener's fit for ♠ is unknown, so responder rates to have a pretty decent 6+ card ♠ suit. ♠ Ax should help solidify the suit.

 

If responder bids 4 ♠ over 4 ♥, I would definitely give it 1 more try with a second cue of 5 ♣.