[vodkagirl]

This is a standard American auction with a random:

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Is my next bid, as west, 5N inviting 6N or do I have the option to as for aces via Gerber (4♣)?

I am taking it that 4N for Blackwood does not exist here?

Answers much anticipated!

[mr1303]

4NT here would be quantitative, inviting 6NT. 5NT would force to 6NT and invite 7.

4C I would take as natural, showing a strong 2 suited hand.

What the correct bid is, I'm not sure. I think I would pass. Partner needs to have quite a good hand opposite for 6NT.

[helene_t]

Partner has 11-17 points, but with 16-17 he might have chosen 4NT instead of 3NT. He could have x-AJxxx-AJxx-Kxx which would give you only 8 sure tricks although of course it would be very unlucky if 3NT doesn't make. However, slam is far away and 4NT could be too high. And his hand could be worse.

Assuming that he wouldn't bid a quantitative 4NT after you 3♣ bid (for example because he would be afraid that you would take it as Blackwood), about the best hand he can have is A-AQxxx-KJxx-Kxx. That would give you 12 tricks. So you could have a good slam. But the trouble is that if you invite with 4NT, he will take it as an invite to bid slam with just a bid extra, so he will raise to six with A-AJxxx-Kxxx-Kxx.

Maybe simpler: you need 33 points for 6NT. With partner's hearts as a good source of trick, 32 or maybe even 31 might do. Partner has 11-15, maybe he could have 16-17 but that requires him to have "forgotten" to bid 4NT over your 3♣ bid. Anyway, with your 15 points it is just very unlikely that you can make slam.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

I would pass.

Partner has a min opening hand, I have 15HCP, we are at best in the 30-32 range,
for all I know, we may have barely enough for game.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[the hog]

vodkagirl, on 2014-April-07, 21:48, said:

This is a standard American auction with a random:

---

Is my next bid, as west, 5N inviting 6N or do I have the option to as for aces via Gerber (4♣)?

I am taking it that 4N for Blackwood does not exist here?

Answers much anticipated!

pass. Why do you think this hand is worth a slam try?

[Cyberyeti]

the hog, on 2014-April-08, 03:08, said:

pass. Why do you think this hand is worth a slam try?

Presumably because they made 6 or 3N was the wrong spot (A, AQJxx, xxxx, Kxx for example).

[vodkagirl]

In the actual auction it went:

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I made for joint top score.

I was wondering what I would have bid over 3N and thus gave his third bid as 3N and asked what I should have bid.

The majority view seems to be pass.

The auction as bid I thought unproblematic. Maybe I am wrong in that. If so, will someone please let me know.

Many thanks to all who responded.

[helene_t]

Could you tell us what east had ?

[ahydra]

I blame West for not doubling South's 6S.

On the 3NT auction, you have at the very most 32 combined HCP with a misfit. It doesn't seem worth looking for slam. Maybe post the E hand and let's see if you were lucky or if East underbid.

On the 3S auction the West hand gets a bit better. However 4NT is still not a good idea because you could easily be off ♦AK. Spades now agreed, I'd bid 4C if you were at all interested in a slam, which I might just about look for (with my regular partner he would understand 4C-4D then 4S as being a slam try without too much enthusiasm; other people may use Serious 3NT or similar, though that may not apply here when the spade fit is not guaranteed).

ahydra

[steve2005]

Pass for sure, you've already shown a good hand. If partner was interested in slam he wouldn't just bid 3N. In your actual auction East bid 3♠ not 3N which is even weaker than 3N, why aren't you asking about auction after 3♠?


Was your 3♣ fourth suit forcing and if so was it GF or F1? If was FSF completely changes the bidding.



Agree with ahydra. Would like to see East hand to see if is lucky make or if east has underbid their hand.

[vodkagirl]

By popular demand, East's hand:

The

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The opening lead was the Q♣. The only other table to make faced a J♠ lead as did the third table to bid 6♠ who went down 1.

So: the conclusion seems to be that there is no slam investigation over 3N nor 3♠.

I took 3♠ to be a better bid for my hand and thought the actual auction sound but it now seems that it was flawed.

[helene_t]

Your 3♣ bid is fourth suit forcing so partner needs a club stopper to bid 3NT. With 3-card spade support, 3♠ is clear.

I think 4NT is a little too much but otoh 4♠ is a bid timid. I am not sure how West can show a slam invite over 3♠. With one partner I would bid 5♠ but I am aware that that isn't very scientific.

[whereagles]

I have a meta rule for this:

"If fit has been looked for and not found, raises of NT are quantitative."

E.g.

1H 1S
1NT 4NT

1C 1H
2C 2D
2NT 4NT

etc..

[Cyberyeti]

helene_t, on 2014-April-08, 15:06, said:

Your 3♣ bid is fourth suit forcing so partner needs a club stopper to bid 3NT. With 3-card spade support, 3♠ is clear.

I think 4NT is a little too much but otoh 4♠ is a bid timid. I am not sure how West can show a slam invite over 3♠. With one partner I would bid 5♠ but I am aware that that isn't very scientific.

3♠ is absolutely clear unless 4♣ would be interpreted as a splinter with 3 spades.

Over 3♠, -4♣-4♦-4♥-4N-5♥-6♠ would seem OK

[the hog]

East cannot bid 3NT with that hand. 3C is 4th suit forcing and 3NT shows a c stopper. The correct bid is 3S. Now at least you know you have a fit.

[Zelandakh]

helene_t, on 2014-April-08, 15:06, said:

I am not sure how West can show a slam invite over 3♠. With one partner I would bid 5♠ but I am aware that that isn't very scientific.

Here is a useful meta-rule for you - bidding the fourth suit at the 4 level when there is no other way of setting the suit below game is a slam try agreeing the last suit. This is effectively an unused bid by many and this usage for it comes up a lot and is generally helpful when it does.