[zenbiddist]

Put yourself in the mind of responder - what do you think partner is communicating?

---

Style stuff:
An unsystemic 5NT response would almost certainly have been pick-a-slam (in this context, offering playable clubs and a 3cd ♦ suit)

I was the "perp" in this auction, hitting my partner with some undiscussed. Still, I am interested in how people think.

One more question - if you decide to bid something other than 6♦ next, what do your bids between 6♥-7♣ mean?

Thanks for your thoughts

[nige1]

zenbiddist writes "Put yourself in the mind of responder - what do you think partner is communicating?
Style stuff: An unsystemic 5NT response would almost certainly have
been pick-a-slam (in this context, offering playable clubs and a 3cd
♦ suit)
I was the "perp" in this auction, hitting my partner with some undiscussed.
Still, I am interested in how people think.
One more question - if you decide to bid something other than 6♦
next, what do your bids between 6♥-7♣ mean?
Thanks for your thoughts"

Over responder's 4N, I guess
- 6♣ = NAT. might show good ♣s and suggest an alternative contract.
- 5N = ART. might show 3 ♠ s and 4♦ s offering responder a choice of pointed-suit slams.

Over 6♣s I guess:
- Pass = NAT
- 6♦ = NAT. S/O.
- 6♥ = Extra values. Pick a (grand)-slam.
- 6♠ = NAT. S/O, suggesting that 4♦ wasn't genuine
- 6N = NAT. S/O.
- 7♣ = NAT. S/O.

---

[nullve]

zenbiddist, on 2016-December-13, 00:47, said:

Put yourself in the mind of responder - what do you think partner is communicating?

Partner has just contradicted himself, so it could be anything.

[helene_t]

Agree with nullve.

Btw, 4♥ is probably better played as a positive noice in spades. With preference for diamonds we have enough room below 5♦. What about:

4♥: positive, spades.
4♠: bad news. Soft values, might be just Hx in spades.
4N: To play. 2-3 or 2-2 in pointed suits, typically Jx or worse in spades and/or a source of tricks in the form of a good 5-card rounded suit.
5♣: diamonds, even number of keycards
5♦: diamonds, odd number of keycards.

Or maybe sacrifice the natural 4NT bid to give more room for the hands that agree diamonds.

[broze]

If my pard made this bid undiscussed I'd be fairly sure that one of us had forgotten the system.

However I think I have made agreements about this sequence in the past. The 6♣ bid usually shows a void and an odd number of keys but where the bidder cannot have a void the bid shows an odd number of keys and at least AKQx in the suit.

[Cyberyeti]

Something like AK, Ax(x), AKxx, AKJx(x) where the key card is Q♣ which you're probably not going to be able to ask for ?

[zenbiddist]

nige1, on 2016-December-13, 01:41, said:

zenbiddist writes "Put yourself in the mind of responder - what do you think partner is communicating?
Style stuff: An unsystemic 5NT response would almost certainly have
been pick-a-slam (in this context, offering playable clubs and a 3cd
♦ suit)
I was the "perp" in this auction, hitting my partner with some undiscussed.
Still, I am interested in how people think.
One more question - if you decide to bid something other than 6♦
next, what do your bids between 6♥-7♣ mean?
Thanks for your thoughts"

Over responder's 4N, I guess
- 6♣ = NAT. might show good ♣s and suggest an alternative contract.
- 5N = ART. might show 3 ♠ s and 4♦ s offering responder a choice of pointed-suit slams.

Over 6♣s I guess:
- Pass = NAT
- 6♦ = NAT. S/O.
- 6♥ = Extra values. Pick a (grand)-slam.
- 6♠ = NAT. S/O, suggesting that 4♦ wasn't genuine
- 6N = NAT. S/O.
- 7♣ = NAT. S/O.

---

That all sounds very reasonable. When I gave it to one of Australia's top players, he guessed the same thing, which got me doubting my original choice.
I was hoping partner might realise my bidding problem, that my correct keycard response was passable, which I didn't want to risk: (AK, AKQ, Qxx, KQJxx or similar bids 5S, but so does a hand with 5 keycards)
I was hoping that if partner made that deduction, and was on the same wavelength about 5NT being my pick-a-slam bid with good clubs (2=3=3=5 or similar), he might interpret 6♣ as showing 5 keys, the queen and something in clubs.... Silly

[OleBerg]

4 aces (of 5), the ♦Q and a source of tricks that cannot normally be unearthed by partners asking. Responder should bid 7♦ at the slightest excuse. (If he has an ace.)

[nekthen]

zenbiddist, on 2016-December-13, 08:48, said:

I was hoping partner might realise my bidding problem, that my correct keycard response was passable, which I didn't want to risk: (AK, AKQ, Qxx, KQJxx or similar bids 5S, but so does a hand with 5 keycards
I was hoping that if partner made that deduction, and was on the same wavelength about 5NT being my pick-a-slam bid with good clubs (2=3=3=5 or similar), he might interpret 6♣ as showing 5 keys, the queen and something in clubs.... Silly

If my partner chooses to bid 4N with the possibility that I could have all five keycards and is missing the Q♦ then he better have enough points to preclude that hand or he will be looking for a new partner. He must have at least 8+ hcp and therefore the most he can be missing is 9 hcp. So trust your partner and make the correct bid. If 6N is not on after you bid 5♠, then get a new partner!

If you actually hold AK AKQ Qxx KQJxx and your partner is missing 3 key cards, then his hand is QJxxx, Jx, Jxxx, xx! and seriously he has no business bidding 4♦ let alone 4NT.

[msjennifer]

zenbiddist, on 2016-December-13, 00:47, said:

Put yourself in the mind of responder - what do you think partner is communicating?

---

Style stuff:
An unsystemic 5NT response would almost certainly have been pick-a-slam (in this context, offering playable clubs and a 3cd ♦ suit)

I was the "perp" in this auction, hitting my partner with some undiscussed. Still, I am interested in how people think.

One more question - if you decide to bid something other than 6♦ next, what do your bids between 6♥-7♣ mean?

Thanks for your thoughts

The bid is an extraordinary bid.If Diamonds is the agreed suit,I have a feeling,it could be a "Modified Josephine" asking the responder to bid 7D if he has the DQ.

[miamijd]

zenbiddist, on 2016-December-13, 08:48, said:

That all sounds very reasonable. When I gave it to one of Australia's top players, he guessed the same thing, which got me doubting my original choice.
I was hoping partner might realise my bidding problem, that my correct keycard response was passable, which I didn't want to risk: (AK, AKQ, Qxx, KQJxx or similar bids 5S, but so does a hand with 5 keycards)
I was hoping that if partner made that deduction, and was on the same wavelength about 5NT being my pick-a-slam bid with good clubs (2=3=3=5 or similar), he might interpret 6♣ as showing 5 keys, the queen and something in clubs.... Silly

If your partner really thinks that 5S on this auction shows 2 keys and not 5, you need a new partner. You aren't bidding 4H with two keys unless you are insane.

Cheers,
mike

[GrahamJson]

Unless you have a clear agreement a non systematic response to 4NT is just torturing partner. I'm afraid that if you have to ask others what your own bids mean then you have gone wrong somewhere.

[Caitlynne]

I either think very little of this auction or I am incredibly impressed by the finely honed bidding by the partnership.

Clearly, 2D is waiting, not negative else this is impossible.

2C-2D
2N-3H
3S-4D

The standard meaning of this auction is that responder has slam oriented values opposite a big balanced hand in whatever range has been shown by the 2NT bidder (effectively a 2NT opening bid). Responder has also shown 5+ spades and 4+ diamonds and the auction is FORCING to 4NT (which, if opener bids it now, is natural and non-forcing).

2C-2D
2N-3H
3S-4D
4H

The bid of 4H agrees diamonds - unequivocally inasmuch as opener can take a preference to 4S without fear of being passed since the auction if forcing to 4NT.

2C-2D
2N-3H
3S-4D
4H-4N

This too is a natural bid and is NOT forcing. It most certainly is not Key Card or anything like that. 4NT shows general values and suggests a 5-4 pattern.

Hence, 6C is a superfit of some kind and is a try for a grand slam in diamonds (not likely NT when responder offered to play at 4NT). I think it guarantees good diamonds, at least 3 aces, and long and powerful clubs. (Assuming 2NT showed 22 to 23 HCP) I would not be surprised if opener were off-shape with a hand like:

Kx,
Ax
KQJx
AKQTx

[GrahamJson]

Caitlynne, on 2016-December-15, 13:57, said:

I either think very little of this auction or I am incredibly impressed by the finely honed bidding by the partnership.

Clearly, 2D is waiting, not negative else this is impossible.

Etc etc

Your comments are all very well but do not correspond to the given explanation for the various bids, which presumably correspond to the partnership agreement, good or bad. For example, the 2NT rebid is described as game forcing, (a treatment that I have never seen before) which presumably means 25+, hence the 2D response could easily be negative, e.g <8, whilst still having enough to venture beyond 3NT.

[SteveMoe]

Suggestion to play suspect 2=(32/3)=5/6