[Phil]

Pairs

void 9xx Jx AKJxxxxx

1N - 2♠*
2N** - 3♠***
3N - ?

* - Clubs
** - I don't like clubs
*** - shortness

Now?

[BunnyGo]

Wow. Even if partner could have:

AKxx, AQxx, Qxx, xx

5♣ makes. I'm having trouble producing a 1NT opener where 5♣ couldn't make. Maybe:

AKQJ KQxx, xxx, xx

I dunno. The thing is that 3NT doesn't make either there. It's the rare hand where 3NT is worse than 5♣. So the real question is whether 6♣ is worth trying for. Partner needs to have diamonds and hearts controlled (at least enough to buy time for spade pitches and keep communication open). Something like

KJxx AKxx AQx, xx

has 6♣ on not 3-0 offside clubs.

I dunno what I'd do at the table, but I'm tempted to pass and try and take my 660 (or is it 460)?

[Free]

You could bid 4♣ imo, partner will start cuebids and he'll be able to evaluate his ♠ holding much better if we bid 4♠ after his 4♦ cuebid.

[MrAce]

Since he has xx ♣, which is good news, we are very close to slam if we dont have a wide open red suit + a red ace even with a lot of wasted ♠ hcps. The problem is, in order to learn all these u need to bid 4♣ now and wrongside the slam. For example;

KQJx
AQx
Kxxx
xx

KQJx
AQx
KQxx
xx

You still have a play for itt though.

Otoh there will be hands where you will jeopardise the game bonus by being in 5♣ such as;

AKJx
Kxx
KQxx
xx

AKQx
KQx
Qxxx
xx

I usually go wrong with that kinda hands but i would probably pass 3 NT .

[Fluffy]

can partner bid 4NT over 4♣ again as negative? feels like he has done enough negatives already and will feel forced to cuebid his worse hands.

On the other hand 4♠ looks like a last train bid showing void, I think its better than 4♣ and it doens't wrongside, just that at least for me, I just don't know if 4NT is to play or not after this, so better to avoid it.

When in doubt inmatch points, play 3NT, I will follow that rule.

[VM1973]

At matchpoints I'll pass. At IMPs I'll bid 5♣.

[gnasher]

If I'm going to move, I'll bid 4♠, which shows a spade void and denies any red-suit control. I know that a 4NT reply would be to play. That would also avoid any rightsiding problem.

Should I do that? BunnyGo's example of KJxx AKxx AQx, xx is a maximum with a fitting queen - move ♦Q into the heart suit and slam is below 50% (even taking into account the red-suit squeeze); move it into the club suit and slam is almost hopeless. Similar arguments apply to MrAce's example of KQJx AQx KQxx xx (but it does feature a Morton's Fork possibility, which must be worth something).

I think these hands are too specific, so I'd pass 3NT.

[whereagles]

The cover card expectancy opposite a 1NT is like 4. Pard has spade wastage but appears not to have the ♣Q as well (a normally worthless card), so odds are that he can produce the goods in what comes to cover cards.

I'll give it a shot at 6♣.

[JLOGIC]

I would just pass

[Phil]

I passed.

Partner had KJxx AQxx AKx xx. In spite of the spade wastage, slam was pretty good. The heart hook was on, and you make 7 on a transfer squeeze.

Edit - I think my hearts were Jxx and diamonds were xx.

In retrospect, I like Gnasher's 4♠ which has to show great trump, and a spade void. If partner retreats to 4N, then you know there is some awful duplication, but with these red suit controls I think partner can drive it to 6, and it will be right sided.

[jmcw]

Pass.

No X of 2♠. Might the ops be cashing some reds vs 5♣

[Phil]

At MPs, once partner shows spade strength opposite your shortness, I think its clear to never play 5♣. 3N or 4N maybe, or 6♣, but never 5♣.

We have eight tricks(!).

[FrancesHinden]

If I'm not going to pass 3NT, shouldn't I have bid 4S last round?

If ...3S...4S is a void, and so is ....4S then one of these sequences is wasted. Either one of them is EKCB, or it means something different.
(I play the first as a void, and the second as a cue for clubs i.e. probably singleton ace)

[JLOGIC]

I play transfer to a minor then 4 of a major as natural 5-6 choice of games

[gnasher]

FrancesHinden, on 2011-September-06, 15:26, said:

If I'm not going to pass 3NT, shouldn't I have bid 4S last round?

If ...3S...4S is a void, and so is ....4S then one of these sequences is wasted. Either one of them is EKCB, or it means something different.
(I play the first as a void, and the second as a cue for clubs i.e. probably singleton ace)

The slower route allows us to exchange a lot more information: partner can tell me whether he is suitable or not, and if he's suitable we can cue-bid at the four level. On this hand I could invite slam opposite an hand that is known to be unsuitable, effectivily using the extra space to split opener's range into quarters. On another deal, we would have been able to investigate a grand slam.

A direct jump to 4♠ doesn't let us do any of that, so even if the sequence is wasted it's not much of a waste.

[jdeegan]

Pass at pairs. At IMPs I would likely bid 5♣. We have lotsa tricks but a combined total of less than 27 HCP. At 6♣ pard has to cover 4 out of 5 losers, and I have no way to find out much more on this auction. I see 6♣ as a bad bet. There is no guarantee on this hand. 3NT may go down when 6♣ makes or vice versa. I suspect that 5♣ is the percentage game, but it looks like a loser ar MPs. I can't quarrel with 5♣ even at MPs, but I see it as a shot.

Sry. I didn't see your later comment with the actual hand.

[jdeegan]

Phil, on 2011-September-05, 19:29, said:

I passed.

Partner had KJxx AQxx AKx xx. In spite of the spade wastage, slam was pretty good. The heart hook was on, and you make 7 on a transfer squeeze.

Edit - I think my hearts were Jxx and diamonds were xx.

In retrospect, I like Gnasher's 4♠ which has to show great trump, and a spade void. If partner retreats to 4N, then you know there is some awful duplication, but with these red suit controls I think partner can drive it to 6, and it will be right sided.

How many tricks did you make? How did you do on the board? Bidding is based on a limited vocabulary. It is not an exact science.

[Phil]

jdeegan, on 2011-September-07, 19:52, said:

How many tricks did you make? How did you do on the board? Bidding is based on a limited vocabulary. It is not an exact science.

Pard got a low spade lead in 3N and made 13. 520 was about average.