[Phil]

A few slam decisions from yesterday. In all cases the opponents are silent.

1. ♠Axx ♥Kxx ♦AQxx ♣ KJ9. Pard opens a strong NT. You?

2. ♠x ♥AKQJxx ♦xx ♣KJTx. 1♠ - 2♥ - 3♦ - 3♥ - (edit = now 4♥) - ?

3. ♠AQ8xx ♥AJ8x ♦xx ♣AK. 1♠ - 2♦ - 2♥ - 4♥. You have a faint recollection of picture jumps with this pard, but aren't 100%.

4. ♠AT9xx ♥x ♦K9xxx ♣Kx. Pard opens 1♥, 1♠ - 2♦. Before the session, you specifically discussed 4♦ to be played as minorwood, if it matters.

If you reply, I'll give you some follow-ups.

[JLOGIC]

1. 4N. Might miss some perfecto slams but I think I will stay out of enough bad ones. I am worried about missing some good 6Ds opposite 4432 and 4 diamonds or w/e, so having methods would be useful here but w/e.

2. I think theres a bid missing? So far I see 1S-2H-3D-3H which makes it partners turn to bid.

3. 4N of course, partner 2/1ed and has a heart fit and I have the nuts.

4. 3C game force, too bad I can't bid 4D to show this hand type. It's just too good for 3D.

[JLOGIC]

Now that the auction on #2 has been edited:

I guess it depends on how much 3D shows, but if it doesn't show some crazy amount of extras I think it's a pass. I have no honors in partners suits, and no club ace. Partner could have bid 4C to say he likes his hand for hearts (saying nothing about clubs) but he didn't. He is probably 5152 with no club honor. Something like AKxxx x AQxxx xx is a pretty gruesome slam. Something like KQJxx x AQJxx xx is obv danger in even 4H.

[karlson]

I would bid a slam on the first one and would try to get to 6♦ via 4♠ if possible.

On the second I would try 5♣.

[Phil]

1. 6N turned out to be an overbid with this 17. Partner held KJ AT8x Kxx ATxx (do you think he has a move over 4N with these Aces and T's?). He guessed clubs through his RHO, but diamonds didn't break and his LHO held the long spade and the hearts (was 6=4=2=1 I think), so once he took the spade finesse he was dead. The other table stayed out.

I heard some interesting treatments about 1N - 4♠ that are more than the 'minor suit stayman' variety. Do you have any ideas?

2. Slam was way too much. Pard held KQJxx xx AJxx Ax. We hadn't discussed 4♣ versus 4♥, but with my regulars I could certainly make that inference.

3. I 4N'd as well and put it into 6. Pard put down: Tx Q7xx AKQT QTx. The splits were horrible, but do you even want to be in 6 here? How would you play on a diamond lead BTW. The other table stayed out.

4. I 3♣'d (after the hand partner said he wouldn't take 4♦ as RKC, but this seems like an obvious minorwood auction if you choose to play it). Pard 3N'd, 4♦ and 5♣ by pard.....

Slam or not?

[hanp]

On 1 I toyed with the idea of using puppet followed by 4D to show four diamonds, but in the end decided that 4NT would be better.

On 2 I hope you passed.

On 3 partner should stop jumping around when it is undiscussed.

4 is interesting. I think 4H should be a cuebid in this auction. So should 4S (and it should be allowed to bid 4S on a singleton) but 4S might be a poor bid if he has the club ace. I don't trust I am on the same wavelength as your partner on this one. I would bid 5D.

[Phil]

hanp, on Sep 14 2010, 10:28 AM, said:

On 1 I toyed with the idea of using puppet followed by 4D to show four diamonds, but in the end decided that 4NT would be better.

On 2 I hope you passed.

On 3 partner should stop jumping around when it is undiscussed.

4 is interesting. I think 4H should be a cuebid in this auction. So should 4S (and it should be allowed to bid 4S on a singleton) but 4S might be a poor bid if he has the club ace. I don't trust I am on the same wavelength as your partner on this one. I would bid 5D.

1. This partner would interpret 3♣--> 4♦ as 5♦'s, not 4. I think a side 4cM would be inferred as well.

2. No I didn't pass, and think I made an overbid in retrospect.

3. Well, you also play with his regular partner and they play picture jumps, not fast arrival. I was 75% sure it was a picture jump - but looking at his hand fast arrival or a picture jump fit.

4. Definitely agree that 4♥ is a cue. Definitely disagree that it can be shortness.

[hanp]

Phil, on Sep 14 2010, 10:35 AM, said:

1. This partner would interpret 3♣--> 4♦ as 5♦'s, not 4. I think a side 4cM would be inferred as well.

With a 4-card major and a 5-card minor I would bid Stayman. Thanks for Justin for handing me this puppet Stayman idea, I've since used it with my regular partner.

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3. Well, you also play with his regular partner and they play picture jumps, not fast arrival. I was 75% sure it was a picture jump - but looking at his hand fast arrival or a picture jump fit.

I thought it fit neither.

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4. Definitely agree that 4♥ is a cue. Definitely disagree that it can be shortness.

I agree that the 1H opener can't have short hearts. What I tried to say was that 4S can be shortness, and I think that here it should be allowed. I don't think a 1-level response has to promise such a good suit.

[Phil]

hanp, on Sep 14 2010, 10:43 AM, said:

4. Definitely agree that 4♥ is a cue. Definitely disagree that it can be shortness.

I agree that the 1H opener can't have short hearts. What I tried to say was that 4S can be shortness, and I think that here it should be allowed. I don't think a 1-level response has to promise such a good suit.

Yes of course you are right. I was thinking responder's cue of 4♥ which is pretty difficult once we bid 4♦.

I suppose I was referring to the general idea about not cue bidding shortness here in opener's suit.