[TimG]

Both vulnerable, IMPs, 2nd seat, RHO opens 2♥, you hold:

♠Ax ♥xx ♦AQxx ♣AKQJx

This will likely turn into a two-part problem, but I'd be interested in your thoughts at this point.

[hrothgar]

ICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'd bid 3♣

I don't like it, but I consider this the best of a set of very bad options.

I admit to being very tempted by a 2NT bid.

[jdonn]

I call this a wtp double. As for things that can go wrong, if partner bids 2♠ I can easily bid 3♣. If partner bids 3♠ I can easily bid 4♣. If partner bids 2NT as lebensohl I will try 3♥.

[mtvesuvius]

jdonn, on Jan 23 2009, 12:23 PM, said:

I call this a wtp double. As for things that can go wrong, if partner bids 2♠ I can easily bid 3♣. If partner bids 3♠ I can easily bid 4♣. If partner bids 2NT as lebensohl I will try 3♥.

I agree. I see no problem here...

[MFA]

Agree with wtp double.

If I for some strange reason had to make a different call, I think I would choose 3♥. Surely way before 2NT, but 3♣ would be a close 3rd.

[TimG]

If you double, the auction will be:

2♥-DBL-4♥-5♦; Pass-??

to you.

Richard, you get: 2♥-3♣-4♥-5♣; Pass-??

[mtvesuvius]

TimG, on Jan 23 2009, 03:56 PM, said:

If you double, the auction will be:

2♥-DBL-4♥-5♦; Pass-??

to you.

Richard, you get: 2♥-3♣-4♥-5♣; Pass-??

Pass.

[ArtK78]

mtvesuvius, on Jan 23 2009, 04:01 PM, said:

TimG, on Jan 23 2009, 03:56 PM, said:

If you double, the auction will be:

2♥-DBL-4♥-5♦; Pass-??

to you.

Richard, you get: 2♥-3♣-4♥-5♣; Pass-??

Pass.

Wow. That is conservative.

I bid one more in both cases. I might be missing a grand, but I don't see how you can investigate a grand with any real assurance of certainly on this auction.

I like the diamond slam better than the club slam on the auctions presented. If partner has a singleton heart, you are likely to have 12 tricks. But knowing that partner has long diamonds (from the 5♦ bid in the first auction) it seems that both slams will make. Kxxxxx of diamonds with a singleton heart is enough. If partner has only Kxxxx of diamonds and a singleton heart, we will need another trick.

[hrothgar]

TimG, on Jan 23 2009, 11:56 PM, said:

If you double, the auction will be:

2♥-DBL-4♥-5♦; Pass-??

to you.

Richard, you get: 2♥-3♣-4♥-5♣; Pass-??

I am going to repeat my previous

ICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Partner raised to 6♣ and obviously has no spots clubs.
I don't think its all that unreasonable to expect that he has some cards somewhere.
I suspect that the major danger in 6♣ is that we lose 2 Heart tricks off the top.

To me, it boils down to two main considerations:

1. How risk averse am I?
2. How likely do I think that the opponents have 10+ Hearts between them

I'm going to assume that I'm risk neutral (Reasonable given the conditions of the problem)

All other thigns being equal, I'm going to assume that the opponents are Law Abiding citizens.

Mark me down for 6♣

[JLOL]

TimG, on Jan 23 2009, 03:56 PM, said:

If you double, the auction will be:

2♥-DBL-4♥-5♦; Pass-??

Definitely worried about missing 7 but I don't see how to try so I would bid 6D. I wish 5S were a cue but obviously it's not.

Also I do not worry about the times partner has KQx xx KJT9xx xx, that hand will occur very very rarely compared to the times partner has a stiff/void/ace of hearts

[jdonn]

I think 5NT should be an invite to 7 that does not have first round heart control. I think it would be harmless on this hand but useless too, since even if partner is void in hearts I doubt he will bid a grand. So I'll also settle for 6♦, but I guess I would bid 5NT if I thought we were on the same page, just in case.

[TimG]

jdonn, on Jan 23 2009, 05:32 PM, said:

I think 5NT should be an invite to 7 that does not have first round heart control. I think it would be harmless on this hand but useless too, since even if partner is void in hearts I doubt he will bid a grand. So I'll also settle for 6♦, but I guess I would bid 5NT if I thought we were on the same page, just in case.

If you and partner are on the same page, and advancer thinks ♠Kxx ♥A ♦KJ98x ♣9xxx is enough to accept the grand slam try, you're a winner.

[jdonn]

TimG, on Jan 23 2009, 06:00 PM, said:

jdonn, on Jan 23 2009, 05:32 PM, said:

I think 5NT should be an invite to 7 that does not have first round heart control. I think it would be harmless on this hand but useless too, since even if partner is void in hearts I doubt he will bid a grand. So I'll also settle for 6♦, but I guess I would bid 5NT if I thought we were on the same page, just in case.

If you and partner are on the same page, and advancer thinks ♠Kxx ♥A ♦KJ98x ♣9xxx is enough to accept the grand slam try, you're a winner.

Being already biased I have no idea if it's enough, and I have no idea if he would think it's enough. All I can say is if he had no idea if it was enough he wouldn't bid 7, and that if he does think it's enough and bids 7 I think he is very good!

(5 minutes later) thinking about it more I do think he should bid the grand. Is he worried about AQJx xx AQxxx KQ? Maybe, but I can think of a lot more hands where it's right than where it's wrong.

[MFA]

jdonn, on Jan 23 2009, 05:32 PM, said:

I think 5NT should be an invite to 7 that does not have first round heart control. I think it would be harmless on this hand but useless too, since even if partner is void in hearts I doubt he will bid a grand. So I'll also settle for 6♦, but I guess I would bid 5NT if I thought we were on the same page, just in case.

For me 5NT would be a choice of slams bid. Only grand slam try would be 5♥.
So I could do nothing more than raise to 6♦.

[JLOL]

MFA, on Jan 23 2009, 06:36 PM, said:

jdonn, on Jan 23 2009, 05:32 PM, said:

I think 5NT should be an invite to 7 that does not have first round heart control. I think it would be harmless on this hand but useless too, since even if partner is void in hearts I doubt he will bid a grand. So I'll also settle for 6♦, but I guess I would bid 5NT if I thought we were on the same page, just in case.

For me 5NT would be a choice of slams bid. Only grand slam try would be 5♥.
So I could do nothing more than raise to 6♦.

Yep I agree with that

[TimG]

JLOL, on Jan 23 2009, 06:48 PM, said:

MFA, on Jan 23 2009, 06:36 PM, said:

jdonn, on Jan 23 2009, 05:32 PM, said:

I think 5NT should be an invite to 7 that does not have first round heart control. I think it would be harmless on this hand but useless too, since even if partner is void in hearts I doubt he will bid a grand. So I'll also settle for 6♦, but I guess I would bid 5NT if I thought we were on the same page, just in case.

For me 5NT would be a choice of slams bid. Only grand slam try would be 5♥.
So I could do nothing more than raise to 6♦.

Yep I agree with that

If it goes 2♥-DBL-4♥-5♦; P-5N-P-??

Which strains are the choices?

[JLOL]

I could see bidding that way with 4126 as the most prototypical shape

[jdonn]

JLOL, on Jan 23 2009, 09:59 PM, said:

I could see bidding that way with 4126 as the most prototypical shape

Why not bid 6♣ with that? You can't be nothing-but-clubs or you wouldn't double first.

Not arguing about 5NT meaning, I just think 4135 is the shape you want. Partner was even 5-4 minors on the actual hand. It's a much more common shape for double than 4126 also.

[whereagles]

If (2♥)-3♥ = minors, bid that ofc.

Otherwise dbl + clubs.