[mw64ahw]

Having been a couple of months since playing with this partner (5cM, KI5, 15-17 etc) I sat as East and managed to avoid a top with the expected auction not materialising.
Dealer West, MPs
Time to outbid us!

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[Cyberyeti]

1♥-1♠ easy

we can bid 4♠ on this hand showing pretty much exactly this (good hands go via a GF unbal 2N, so 4♠ is 46(21)ish minimum) and then blackwood gets you to the top in 6N

2♠for most people-3♣
3♥-4♣
4♥-4N
5♥-6♠

[jillybean]

I like the 1♥opening but it's not everyone's style.

East is likely to open 2N, which opposite a partner who initially passed, won't get you to 6.
Missing 3 Aces do you upgrade to 2♣, it's a solid 21 count.

I'm looking forward to reading more expert replies.

I'm beginning to dislike strong openings and wonder about a nebulous club

[Cyberyeti]

jillybean, on 2026-October-30, 05:43, said:

I like the 1♥opening but it's not everyone's style.

East is likely to open 2N, which opposite a partner who initially passed, won't get you to 6.
Missing 3 Aces do you upgrade to 2♣, it's a solid 21 count.

I'm looking forward to reading more expert replies.

I'm beginning to dislike strong openings and wonder about a nebulous club

If my partner opens 2N, I'm driving to slam with the W hand if I for some reason forgot to open it.

The only issue is which sequence I follow, as I may wrongside it without knowing enough to bid 6N

My rule of thumb is that 29 points and a 6 card suit is enough to bid slam if there are not 2 off the top or one and a slow trump.

[jillybean]

Cyberyeti, on 2026-October-30, 06:10, said:

If my partner opens 2N, I'm driving to slam with the W hand if I for some reason forgot to open it.

The only issue is which sequence I follow, as I may wrongside it without knowing enough to bid 6N

My rule of thumb is that 29 points and a 6 card suit is enough to bid slam if there are not 2 off the top or one and a slow trump.

Yes, I'd hope that most bbf'ers would get to the slam.

[pescetom]

 jillybean, on 2026-October-30, 05:43, said:

I like the 1♥opening but it's not everyone's style.

East is likely to open 2N, which opposite a partner who initially passed, won't get you to 6.
Missing 3 Aces do you upgrade to 2♣, it's a solid 21 count.

I can live with either 1H or 2H here, would not Pass.

But if partner did, I think we still find slam:
P 2NT
3D 3H
4H 5C
5S 6S
P

Where 4H was a secondary transfer showing 6 hearts 4 spades (5-4 would go through our ask) and 5C RKCB spades.

[mikeh]

Everybody is going to have an auction that reaches slam played by east. It’s amazing how well everyone bids after seeing all the cards

[Cyberyeti]

mikeh, on 2026-October-30, 07:24, said:

Everybody is going to have an auction that reaches slam played by east. It’s amazing how well everyone bids after seeing all the cards

After 1♥ it's trivial, after 2N not so much

[mw64ahw]

Partner surprised me by opening 1♥ not usually their style (I would have expected 2♥). I followed with an invitational Nebulous 2♣-alerted.

Opener responded 2♥, nominally 4♠, which I omitted to alert, as I was trying to decided whether they'd remembered the approach or were showing 6♥! The perils of playing involved approaches. Now 2♠ is invitational and 3♠ SI

[pescetom]

mw64ahw, on 2026-October-30, 09:32, said:

Partner surprised me by opening 1♥ not usually their style (I would have expected 2♥). I followed with an invitational Nebulous 2♣-alerted.

It's trivial with almost any agreements at this point.
Assuming 1♥ opening we would probably have bid:
1♥ - 2♣
2♠ - 3♠
3N (non-serious) - 4♣
4♥ - 4N (even)
6♠ - P

mw64ahw, on 2026-October-30, 09:32, said:

Opener responded 2♥, nominally 4♠, which I omitted to alert, as I was trying to decided whether they'd remembered the approach or were showing 6♥!

That is a deliberate infraction.