[barsikb]

East:

---

Dealer is West. None Vul.

Bidding: 1♦(W) - 2♥(N)- 2♠(E)-3♣(s)-3♠(W)-4♣(N)-?

I wouldn't mind if you tell me that somethimg must be wrong with this bidding but still need to know if bidding did go like this, what East should do next? Just game? Or...?

[louisg]

 barsikb, on 2013-July-28, 08:56, said:

East:

---

Dealer is West. None Vul.

Bidding: 1♦(W) - 2♥(N)- 2♠(E)-3♣(s)-3♠(W)-4♣(N)-?

I wouldn't mind if you tell me that somethimg must be wrong with this bidding but still need to know if bidding did go like this, what East should do next? Just game? Or...?

I will assume that West's 3S bid is nonforcing, since I think that would be the common treatment. Even so, slam is possible for EW opposite a hand like Kxx Axx KQxxx xx. I would bid 4D, which must be a slam try showing help in diamonds since spades have been agreed. If opener now cooperates with a 4H bid then East can continue with either 4NT or 5C.

[Fluffy]

louisg has it right, but the hand is too borderline to commit to slam itself, after 4♦-4♥ you have to avoid 4NT at all cost, 4NT doesn't invite any more, it forces to slam whenever 2 aces aren't missing, his could mean a slam missing ♦KQ and an ace!

after 4♥ then we have 2 reasonable options: 4♠ and 5♣, I would go for 4♠ since the hand is just a marginal invite to slam and really needs to find the nuts opposite.

[louisg]

In all fairness, this may depend on the partnership's rules for cuebidding. This may be too detailed for the N/B forum, but in my partnerships 4H would not only promise heart control (presumably the Ace since the King would be of little value after the overcall), but also a hand interested in cooperating. I'd be hard pressed to imagine such a hand that didn't include at least the ♦King or QJ.

[Fluffy]

I totally agree with you, but note that missing just one of ♦K/♦Q (and the jack can be in the picture) makes slam poor. We need more than above average hand in front (assuming 3♠ is nf)