[FrancesHinden]

---

Form of scoring is aggregate (total points) teams of four - not even available in the hand template, but used in England very occasionally.
We were sitting NS, and the auction went:

West: 2S (weak two)
North: 3H (not strong enough for 4C, but can't pass)
East: 4S
South now thought:
- I'm worth a slam; partner could easily have a heart/diamond 2-suiter as he looks light on HCP then my diamond holding may be useful. I could just bid 6H but grand is easily possible.

South bid 5S (promising 1st round control).

West: Pass
North now thought:
I'm horribly light in HCP for my 3H bid, partner has every right to expect some more, if partner has something as huge as Ax Kxxx KQxx AKx she's going to bid a grand if I cue diamonds.

North bid 6H.

East: 6S

South now thought:
Partner cannot possibly have the AK of diamonds as he would have bid 6D. He might have been feeling a bit embarrassed about the overcall so he could still have the Ace, but even then we're likely to have a slow diamond loser.

South: Double

All pass

(At the other table the auction was
3S 4H 4S 7H P P 7S dbl
but the 7H bid was influenced at least partly by the fact they were a long way down in the match and had just gone for 1700 against a NV game)

[whereagles]

Frances, even without EW bidding, it's hard to bid this grand.

[Walddk]

Easy to bid the grand on paper, not that clearcut at the table. However, I think North should have shown his diamond control over 5♠. The 3♥ overcall was somewhat light in high cards, yes, but the playing strength is great, so he has nothing to be ashamed of.

It's a little tame to sign off in 6♥ looking at a void in a suit below trumps. I am pretty sure that you would have bid 7♥ if North had co-operated with a 6♦ cue bid.

Roland

[Chamaco]

I have a further question to add to the list.

Suppose you have agreed to play Leaping Michaels over a weak 2, e.g. 4♣ would show 2 suiter clubs + hearts.

If that was available, do you think North's hand has the required strength worth a NL Michaels call (lack of high cards might be compensated by extra shape) ?

[joker_gib]

Walddk, on Oct 6 2005, 12:38 PM, said:

Easy to bid the grand on paper, not that clearcut at the table. However, I think North should have shown his diamond control over 5♠. The 3♥ overcall was somewhat light in high cards, yes, but the playing strength is great, so he has nothing to be ashamed of.

It's a little tame to sign off in 6♥ looking at a void in a suit below trumps. I am pretty sure that you would have bid 7♥ if North had co-operated with a 6♦ cue bid.

Roland

I tend to agree with Roland.

When you overcall, you have a good reason to do it and even if you are short in HCP, you have to assume it until the end of the auction.

Btw, it is sure that this grand is not easy to bid and I fully understand the way of thinking of both N and S.

Alain

[joker_gib]

Chamaco, on Oct 6 2005, 12:48 PM, said:

I have a further question to add to the list.

Suppose you have agreed to play Leaping Michaels over a weak 2, e.g. 4♣ would show 2 suiter clubs + hearts.

If that was available, do you think North's hand has the required strength worth a NL Michaels call (lack of high cards might be compensated by extra shape) ?

I don't like Michaels on that hand. Not only because of the non existent ♣ suit but also because of the too much length difference between both suits.

Alain

[42]

Chamaco, on Oct 6 2005, 12:48 PM, said:

I have a further question to add to the list. 

Suppose you have agreed to play Leaping Michaels over a weak 2, e.g. 4♣ would show 2 suiter clubs + hearts.

If that was available, do you think North's hand has the required strength worth a NL Michaels call (lack of high cards might be compensated by extra shape) ?

Frances said:

Quote

West: 2S (weak two)
North: 3H (not strong enough for 4C, but can't pass)

[joker_gib]

I think I would have considered a 4♥ bid with N's hand

Alain

[Trpltrbl]

You have a free cuebid with the North hand.
Your lack of HCP has been made up whit your great distribution.
Show what you have or don't have.

GBB

[Fluffy]

Its pretty impossible, there is a huge double fit that nobody is aware off.

[PMetsch]

I don't like the 5♠ by south. Will partner bid 7♥ with a hand like:

x
Axxxxx
AKx
xxx

If partner bids 6♦, will south bid 7♥ not knowing about the ♦K? I think 7♥ will not be reached after a 5♠ bid.

Maybe the best approach is asking for keycards and then kings. Then south will know what to do.

[mikeh]

It's nice to claim to be able to bid every making contract, but I know that none of my partnerships have ever been able to do so.

I think it is very, very dangerous to cue a void as your first cue. Imagine South looking at Ax Kxxx KQJx AKx

[pclayton]

Chamaco, on Oct 6 2005, 02:48 AM, said:

I have a further question to add to the list. 

Suppose you have agreed to play Leaping Michaels over a weak 2, e.g. 4♣ would show 2 suiter clubs + hearts.

If that was available, do you think North's hand has the required strength worth a NL Michaels call (lack of high cards might be compensated by extra shape) ?

No I don't think its close. At a minimum, I think North needs a club card for 4♣.

Tough grand to bid.

[mike777]

Pass over 2s.

[cherdano]

I wonder what would have happened if you had just given the North hand with the problem after 5♠. I think bidding 6♦ just gets you into too many grand slams with an unavoidable club loser.

Arend

[Walddk]

cherdano, on Oct 6 2005, 06:26 PM, said:

I wonder what would have happened if you had just given the North hand with the problem after 5♠. I think bidding 6♦ just gets you into too many grand slams with an unavoidable club loser.

Arend

Can happen, but bear in mind that 6♦ denies any club control, so one would assume that partner knows what she's doing if she bids the grand now.

Roland

[mikeh]

Walddk, on Oct 6 2005, 11:32 AM, said:

cherdano, on Oct 6 2005, 06:26 PM, said:

I wonder what would have happened if you had just given the North hand with the problem after 5♠. I think bidding 6♦ just gets you into too many grand slams with an unavoidable club loser.

Arend

Can happen, but bear in mind that 6♦ denies any club control, so one would assume that partner knows what she's doing if she bids the grand now.

Roland

Roland, how do you deal with the question of the 6♦ bid showing the A?

I gave a hand for South: Ax Kxxx KQJx AKx

Surely South is going to bid a grand with that hand, or with Ax Kxxx KQxxx Ax, over 6♦?

I cannot see how South is ever supposed to 'know' that 6♦ is a void.

[cherdano]

Walddk, on Oct 6 2005, 06:32 PM, said:

cherdano, on Oct 6 2005, 06:26 PM, said:

I wonder what would have happened if you had just given the North hand with the problem after 5♠. I think bidding 6♦ just gets you into too many grand slams with an unavoidable club loser.

Arend

Can happen, but bear in mind that 6♦ denies any club control, so one would assume that partner knows what she's doing if she bids the grand now.

Roland

It certainly does not deny the queen. I don't think there would be unanimous agreement that it denies the king.

[Blofeld]

whereagles, on Oct 6 2005, 05:12 AM, said:

Frances, even without EW bidding, it's hard to bid this grand.

Without EW bidding, if I'm not going to get to this grand then I'd like to change my system.

I can't really see how to bid it on this auction, though. I prefer 6♥ to 6♦.