[inquiry]

BPO-007C
West North East South
(Pass) 2NT   (pass)   3♠
(Pass) 3NT   (pass)   ?

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This one is ready for discussion. I guess it is no surprise on this one that one pair stopped low, the other moved to slam. What makes is not the issue, how to evaluate the hand and proceed is.

[hrothgar]

BPO-007C: 4NT

Ah, the great slam killer strikes again... Our partnership has used
up enough bidding spade that we don't have a prayer of making an
intelligent decision. Partner has just bid 3NT and our system notes
don't even specify if our 4C rebid is forcing or not. (Logically, if
4C shows clubs, it can't be forcing. You clearly want the opening
lead coming into the 2NT bidder. Ergo, if I want to make a forcing
bid that shows clubs, I should bid ANYTHING but 4C. For example, we
could play that 4C is forcing with long Diamonds and 4D is forcing
with long Clubs)

With two Aces and a 7 card suit opposite a 2NT opener, the only thing
that you care about is cover cards in clubs. If you have 0-1 losers
in clubs, you want to be in 6C. If you have 2 losers in clubs, you
want to be in 5C. Sadly, I don't know how to proceed.(Our 3S gimmick
isn't documents in the BBO Advanced Notes. Nor are follow-ups
described in the FD card. I also couldn't find the treatment
documented Kearse or Lindkvist) I am going to proceed under the
assumption that 4NT is a transfer to 5C (and 5C would be a transfer to
5D). I'll raise 5C to 6. (Slam makes a very large percentage of the time. I admit that I'm making a blind guess, but playing 5♣ or 3N is way too much of a position)

I wish I had some way to make a more intelligent decision...

[pclayton]

I checked the BBO notes on this. 3♠ is a puppet to 3N for "minor suit hands". I assume it is a single suited slam try. I also assume 4 of a major is 2 suited in the minor with shortness. Continuations are undiscussed.

I play that 4♣ and 4♦ are 'flip-flop'; slam try in the other minor. If Opener bids the next highest suit, it is RKC. A new suit is a cue; 4N is a minimum with no fit.

Apparently we bid 3♠ with the presumption that we would continue with 4♣ over 3N.

So I guess I don't understand the problem.............

[HeartA]

pclayton, on Jan 26 2006, 11:47 AM, said:

Apparently we bid 3♠ with the presumption that we would continue with 4♣ over 3N.

So I guess I don't understand the problem.............

I voted for 4C anyway.

[Walddk]

You are not alone Phil. This is what it says in our system notes:

2NT = 20-21 HCP
Stayman, Jacoby, Texas, Smolen, Gerber
3♠-->3N for minor suit hands

I don't think this is an adequate description when the continuation after 3NT is not outlined. It doesn't even stipulate if opener is allowed to break the transfer. Consequently, I suggest 100 points for any bid thereafter.

Roland

[Gerben42]

Agree. Anyway I voted for 4♣, I suited slam try in ♣.

[Blofeld]

4♣.

This one seemed to be a case of 'guess the system bid'.

[whereagles]

7 losers opposite an expected 6-cover card opening = 12 tricks on average. I'll just bid 6♣. After all, I'll be playing it

[luke warm]

i voted 6♣ ... still wearing the same glasses... cant bid 4♣ which is, after all, gerbersohl

[Free]

4♣, the system agreed clearly states this was what we always were planning to bid...

[han]

Edit: no useful info, sorry.

[Walddk]

Hannie, on Jan 26 2006, 08:53 PM, said:

I didn't check the system, and I don't remember what I bid :-(.

Thanks for the useful info. What else do you not remember?

Roland

[P_Marlowe]

Pass.

Marlowe

[Double !]

FWIW, I opted for 4 clubs/ 3NT, assuming that this is forcing to at least 4NT.

I have no idea what are the commonly agreed-upon follow bids after this point, but making some move toward a possible 6C contract holding 4 controls and a stiff seems reasonable to me (which definitely must mean that it's wrong).

If the opps inquire about any bids after this point, I guess I will have to whip out the old "no agreement" response one more time.
OK, Who's the wise guy who decided t torment us with these hands? lolol--I love the challenge.

DHL

[Echognome]

4♣ was my system guess.

[Dwingo]

BBO Advanced states that 3♠ is a Puppet to 3NT for further (slam) tries in minor single suiter or minor two suiters. So this appears to be a straightforward system bid of 4♣, unless it is intended as a trick question.

[FrancesHinden]

I looked in the BBO system notes in this forum, and they say

"After 3♠ forcing 3N, 4♣ = Single suited Clubs, 4♦ = Single suited Diamonds, 4♥/♠ = shortness with 5-5 in minors"

So 4♣ is the defined system bid on the hand, so I bid 4♣. I struggled slightly to work out what the problem was on this round of the auction.

[helene_t]

I thought 3NT was negative so I passed. Didn't check the system notes, though. Wow, this time my comment was just as useful as Han's, I'm improving I guess :-)

[Winstonm]

I voted for 5C in an attempt to get the message across that I wanted to make a slam try but couldn't due to my lousy trumps.

Winston

[cherdano]

FrancesHinden, on Jan 27 2006, 12:21 PM, said:

I looked in the BBO system notes in this forum, and they say

"After 3♠ forcing 3N, 4♣ = Single suited Clubs, 4♦ = Single suited Diamonds, 4♥/♠ = shortness with 5-5 in minors"

So 4♣ is the defined system bid on the hand, so I bid 4♣. I struggled slightly to work out what the problem was on this round of the auction.

I think you deserve full marks for your efforts.