[Winstonm]

Scoring: IMP

p-p-2NT-p-?

Do you try for slam or follow the adage "game before slam"? Is there a way to intelligently try for slam?

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[whereagles]

7 losers opposite a likely 6 covers. Just transfer and follow up with 6♥.

If pard decided to open 2NT on a 2236... well, tough luck.. lol

[pbleighton]

This is VERY close. No room, great shape, but no aces, and pd likely has wasted values in clubs.

One possibility is to bid 3H, then after pd's 3S bid 4H, and hope pd understands 5-5. If he gets excited, he can go on.

An alternate auction is Stayman, then
If pd bids 3D, bid 3H, assuming you don't play Garbage Stayman after 2NT, or 4H, if you do. This will likely lead to a 4M game.
If pd bids 3M, cue 5C.

I wouldn't blame a partner for trying anything reasonable with this hand.

Peter

[awm]

Transfer to hearts (3♦) then bid 3♠ should show 5-5 in the majors and game forcing. With 5-4 in the majors smolen is available.

If partner bids 3NT at this point, I'd pass. Otherwise partner will pick a major and I can try cuebidding 5♣. In fact, partner might super-accept the transfer to hearts with the right hand (via a cuebid) or cuebid over 3♠ on the way to game. Either of these gives even more space to cue to the right spot.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

Transfer to hearts and bid spade, this should show
5-5, ... assuming 5-4 goes through stayman.

On the way you may discover, if partner likes your
shape and is controll rich

Marlowe

[Mr. Dodgy]

Stayman for me, then splinter ♣s (could be viewed as exclusion, I suppose), if partner has a 4cM I like my chances of 12 tricks quite a lot, and might even just bid it straight out. 3N is OK otherwise.

[Codo]

With my std. PD I would bid 4 Diamond to show 5/5 majors. And I wouldb bid 5 Club after he choose a Major to show my mild interest and my void.With stronger hands, I had Xfered Hearts and rebid Spades.

With a pickup pd, I would bid 3 ♦ / 3 ♠ to show GF 55. I would never pass any 3 NT here with my void, because I would be more afraid of pd missunderstanding 3 ♠ then to open 2 NT with 2236 or 2245.

[joshs]

Well I play, x-fer to hearts and then bid 3S as 5-5 slam try. (Opener bids 4C to agree hearts and 4D to agree spades with slam interest, and 4M directly if he doesn't like his hand that much). Typically, 4m shows a 4 card fit, or a 3 card fit but very good values (Kxx AQx AKxx Axx or better yet AKx AQx Axxx Axx). If partner bids 4m, I expect to make slam and might even have a grand if I am facing 4 trumps and a control max with no minor suit wastage. If partner bids 4M its marginal whether you should bid on. If he bids 3N, I will probably pass.

[Fluffy]

awm, on Feb 18 2006, 06:32 PM, said:

Transfer to hearts (3♦) then bid 3♠ should show 5-5 in the majors and game forcing. With 5-4 in the majors smolen is available.

If partner bids 3NT at this point, I'd pass. Otherwise partner will pick a major and I can try cuebidding 5♣. In fact, partner might super-accept the transfer to hearts with the right hand (via a cuebid) or cuebid over 3♠ on the way to game. Either of these gives even more space to cue to the right spot.

Its had to bid 3♠ when partner has bid 3NT to answer my transfer .

I would just transfer to ♠, partner will show support with 3♠ then I can splinter in ♣s, or bid 3Nt, then I can sing off in 4♥. Slam is a bit better in ♠ than ♥ and I am directyl giving up on 6♥.