What is best?

[shyams]

At IMPs, playing 2/1 with 15-17 NT, you have a decision to make with the South hand.

 

[hv=pc=n&s=skj9862had85cq876&d=w&v=0&b=8&a=p1n(15-17)p]133|200[/hv]

[P_Marlowe]

You need fitting values, and to find out xfer, show clubs.

[FelicityR]

Mildly optimistic that slam could be on, but partner has to turn up with plenty of controls in his/her hand. Partnering an inexperienced player I'll settle for 4♥ to 4♠ (as long as they understood that). With an experienced one I'll go via 2♥ - 2♠ - 3♣. It's not beyond the realms of possibility that partner has ♠Ax ♥Qxx ♦Axx ♣AKxxx where 7♣ is on. (Though personally I would open 1♣ with that hand and rebid 2NT.)

[mcphee]

bidding is about show and tell, you know you are reaching at least 4!S, simple transfer and then show !C. This is an area where most pairs have had little discussion on how to advance should the NT hand like !C. As for reaching slam partner will require a perfect fit.

[Cyberyeti]

Mildly optimistic that slam could be on, but partner has to turn up with plenty of controls in his/her hand. Partnering an inexperienced player I'll settle for 4♥ to 4♠ (as long as they understood that). With an experienced one I'll go via 2♥ - 2♠ - 3♣. It's not beyond the realms of possibility that partner has ♠Ax ♥Qxx ♦Axx ♣AKxxx where 7♣ is on. (Though personally I would open 1♣ with that hand and rebid 2NT.)

 

Doesn't need ♥Q for it to be good, but yes a club small/grand with the ability to ruff a spade is not unlikely.

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&s=skj9862had85cq876&d=w&v=0&a=p1n(15-17)p?]133|200| shyams "At IMPs, playing 2/1 with 15-17 NT, you have a decision to make with the South hand."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I rank

1. 2♥ = TFR Then raise 2♠ to 4♠ = Mild S/T.

2. 4♥ = TFR Then pass 4♠. Take the money. You have little to spare.

3. 2♥ = TFR Then 3♣ NAT G/F but ♣s are a trifle weak to suggest as trumps.

4. 2♥ = TFR Then 4♥ SPL but singleton A isn't an ideal splinter.

Consider where you want to play opposite, say

♠ Q x ♥ K x x x ♦ A K J ♣ A x x x[/hv]

[pilowsky]

The K&R hand evaluator says K&R (KJ9862 A 85 Q876) = 11.90 DK = 9+. Who am I to disagree? As I understand it playing 15-17 (balanced) i.e not me. you definitely (IMHO) have a perfect hand for a Texas (Dallas) transfer at the Sydney Bridge Centre and in Melbourne they use South African Style. On the North side of the Harbour Bridge, where most of the South Africans live, they use Dallas-style, which is what I learned (even though I was 1 year old when I left Capetown). Since 17 + an optimistic 12 is unlikely to equal slam in anything, my vote goes to 4♥. Against humans or robots - less info to opps the better.

[apollo1201]

Transferring then a mild slam try would not really show where we want partner to have points, and would probably be a slightly heavier (and less distributional) hand (6322 and 12-14 or so, I guess). Partner will punt in the dark.

 

4H splinter could be a good idea if we had a low H and the C or DA instead. At least it says go if you have a miracle hand opposite, no H wastage, reasonable support for S, good honors in the minors. But experts have extensively said what they thought about splintering in a blank ace. And again, I fear the hand is a little too weak.

 

The C suit is a bit weak to consider playing there. We need excellent support from partner, AKxx or AJxxx at least. Maybe the 2NT GF relay after the transfer rather than natural balanced invite (that was discussed in a recent thread) could help. If we bid 3C and partner bids 3S, we are probably not driving to slam anyway. Over a 3D or 3H denying the S fit, we also shut up with 4S. If partner bids 4C, well, tricky things start, I’ve told LHO what to lead and if I propose now 4S to play, why all this hassle.

 

At MPs, I’d immediately transfer to game. The more I think, the best it seems now as well.

[sfi]

The splinter is actually a pretty good option here. Partner will downgrade any heart honours and will evaluate the hand fairly well. Splintering with a stiff ace is generally bad because partner will think KQx is a poor holding when in fact it is worth three tricks. That's not the issue here though. On this hand if partner has heart cards then they can't have enough controls to make slam a good prospect - the potential three heart tricks don't help you.

 

The other interesting slam option is to transfer and bid clubs. If you have a way to find out about a fit in either or both suits (and you really should), then this has good chances of working. Partner will rate soft honours in spades and clubs, but not in the red suits.

 

Either of these options give partner useful information to evaluate their hand well opposite my cards. My third choice would be to just have partner play 4S. If I can do that by bidding 4D I might get lucky and have partner show a super-max with 4H. So my ranking is:

 

1. Transfer and bid 3C

2. Transfer and splinter

3. 4-level transfer (hopefully 4D)

4. Bid 4S if natural

5. 2-level transfer and make a mild slam try

[Cyberyeti]

The splinter is actually a pretty good option here. Partner will downgrade any heart honours and will evaluate the hand fairly well. Splintering with a stiff ace is generally bad because partner will think KQx is a poor holding when in fact it is worth three tricks. That's not the issue here though. On this hand if partner has heart cards then they can't have enough controls to make slam a good prospect - the potential three heart tricks don't help you.

 

 

This is not quite true, Ax, Kxx(x), Axx(x), KJ109(x) is a decent slam as is Qx, Kxx(x), Axx(x), AKxx(x), yes KQx is bad but Kxx can be good which the splinter doesn't suggest.

[sfi]

This is not quite true, Ax, Kxx(x), Axx(x), KJ109(x) is a decent slam as is Qx, Kxx(x), Axx(x), AKxx(x), yes KQx is bad but Kxx can be good which the splinter doesn't suggest.

They make much better club slams though. I wouldn't be crazy about being in the spade slam on either hand, so if I were only going to look at spade contracts I'd be happy if the splinter kept me out of it.

[Cyberyeti]

They make much better club slams though. I wouldn't be crazy about being in the spade slam on either hand, so if I were only going to look at spade contracts I'd be happy if the splinter kept me out of it.

 

This is very true, I was talking about the club slam, but partner's club holding is going to be important to the spade slam too. If he can see that ruffing a club in the short hand might be possible then he'll like his Hx. AQx, Kxxx, Axxx, Kx is no great hand, but unless they can lead trumps twice and you're not lucky with the club situation will make 6♠, and the splinter will be offputting.

[sfi]

Ok, I concede that my statement was too definitive. :) In my defence, I did only rate the splinter second best.

[Zelandakh]

I find some interest here from a theoretical point of view. The majority here want to transfer and show clubs. And practically every hand that has been provided is one with strong club support, so let us say that Opener continues 4♣. What is the plan next? 4♠? 4♥? Does someone have methods here to help with the decision-making in a cramped auction? Obviously I use second round transfers here, so my issues would be slightly different but for fairness I am looking at it from a standard bidding perspective.

 

Anyway, my interest comes from this - it is very easy to find perfect hands for Opener. It is somewhat more difficult within the (standard) auction to be able to split those perfectos off from other, similar hands where a slam is less good. So I am interested if the transfer people have a means of doing that that is both +EV over just being in 4♠ and at the same time has a higher success rate than one of the alternative methods of suggesting a slam. So far I have seen many words but little basis to be hopeful of reaching good slams while at the same time avoiding bad ones. So let's move this auction on a little and see...

[nige1]

So let's move this auction on a little and see...

FWIW after 1N - 2♥ - 2♠ - 3♣ (G/F) I like

• 3N = NAT No fit.
• 4♣/4♦/4♥/4♠ = ART. Double fit. 0/3 1/4 2 2+Q (6 key-cards, 2 key-queens)
• 3 new suit = ART 4 + ♣s (3♦ stronger than 3♥ when you have a choice)
• 3♠ = NAT 3♠ denies 4 ♣s.

[Douglas43]

The low-level transfer with 2H gives partner a chance to super-accept. I would have liked an option to transfer with 2H, then bid 4S over a simple 2S acceptance and make a slam try over a super-accept (depending on how they are played)

[pilowsky]

I would like to amend my original answer. Clearly, the answer to the OP's question is me.