[boris3161]

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This hand came up in the Partnership bidding room. We couldn't work out a realistic sequence going beyond 4♥ using acol - mostly because RKCB isn't going to help South much. Any ideas (using acol or sayc)?

[badderzboy]

1♠ - 2♥
4♣*-4♠*
4NT*-5♣*
6♥

1S - 4+ ♠ 11-19*
2H - 5+♥ 10+pts
4C - Splinter agreeing ♥
4S - Cue denying Diamond AK but extra values
4NT 3014 (have Diamond control)
5CL 3 (no void 6C with 3 and a void)
6♥ missing Ace of Diamonds ah well

Steve

[mike777]

1s=2h
3h(slam try)=4c(cue)
rkc, etc.

[goobers]

Splintering a minor to show heart agreement doesn't look like a winning action to me...

[inquiry]

goobers, on Feb 22 2007, 12:49 PM, said:

Splintering a minor to show heart agreement doesn't look like a winning action to me...

I agree... I also disagree with south using RKC etc on this hand, given the spade void and all... over 3♥, if 4♠ is clearly exclusion blackwood, you might try that, but I don't like that either without a control in diamonds. I would start cue-bidding with 4C over a 3♥ raise.

[goobers]

This is what I picture:

1♠ - 2♥
3♥ - 4♣
4♦ - 4♠
4N - 5♣
6♥

I don't know if the 4♠ cue is right, but it seems right to let partner take over the bidding, given my spade void.

[awm]

If the auction 1♠-2♥-3♥ is forcing, then this is not all that hard a hand to bid. Splintering in a stiff king is unappealing anyway, and it's not too hard for north to find a keycard/blackwood bid after south starts the cuebidding. In a strict interpretation of sayc, 3♥ is forcing because a two-over-one response promises a rebid; however as many people play standard (and ACOL as far as I know), 3♥ would be NF.

Without a forcing 3♥ call this hand becomes difficult. Much will depend on north's choice of rebids. It seems like the options are to splinter in a minor (if you play splinters that is) or to bid 4♥; it is not reasonable for north to bid keycard directly over 2♥ because south could have a fairly weak hand for a 2/1 bid (say Kx KJxxx QJxxx x) and there would be no five-level safety opposite such a hand.

If north bids 4♥, south probably should push on. Keep in mind that partner has bid game without the ace or king of trumps. Probably partner has at most two diamonds, or if partner has three diamonds there will be some values there (I suppose AKQxx QJx xxx Kx is possible if you don't open that 1NT, but that's worst case and you still have some play for 5♥). In any case south's hand is much stronger than a minimum 2/1 and you owe partner a try. If 4♠ will be interpreted as a cuebid then this is fine (north probably bids RKC over this). If 4♠ might be suggesting a contract I'd go with the safer 5♣ cue and bid slam over north's 5♦.

[paulg]

On a side note, just to say that cue bidding voids (or singletons) in partner's primary suit is not generally recommended. This is because partner will normally expect it to be a top honour and may misjudge according.

Paul

[goobers]

Yeah, I had a lot of misgivings about 4♠ cue. Maybe 4♥ is better? I don't want to try 4N, that's for sure.

[temp3600]

If 3♥ is non-forcing, North has a tricky rebid. Since I don't feel I can describe the hand well via any of 4♣, 4♦ and 4♥, I would simply use key-card and place the contract.

So 1♠ - 2♥ - 4NT - 5♣ - 6♥.

[mike777]

Guys if you are playing 3h nonforcing and who does that then you must have a system bid for this hand. My guess is if you do not then never play 3h as nonforcing.