[han]

If partner has 2 useful aces then we probably make slam. Just bidding 6 seems too much of a gamble so I'd bid 5H, presumably this is a slam try in spades.

[mike777]

Pass

[jtfanclub]

Jlall, on Aug 13 2007, 04:11 PM, said:

IMP red/white.

You hold KJxxxx KJTxxx --- x. 2D p p you bid 3D p 4S 5D ?

It is a random club game swiss so dont read too much into RHO's bidding.

Well, partner passed 2 diamonds the first time, and then jumped in spades. It seems like that should make his range pretty narrow.

I think both 5 hearts and a pass-and-pull to 5 spades might be interpreted as showing the appropriate ace. I have no clue what passing and pulling to five hearts means, and I'm afraid to find out.

I would think that bid of 5 spades by me would show...
1. Extra length in spades, and
2. No interest in playing at 5 diamonds doubled (ie. no defense).

That looks like what I have. So I'll bid it. I'm sure I'll end up being wrong...

[han]

I don't think that passing 2D followed by a jump to 4S gives partner a narrow range. Partner doesn't need more than a fitting 8-count for the jump to 4S imo (AQxxx Qx xxxx xx?), while the pass of 2D could be on a balanced 14-count.

I think partner will never bid over 5S so you won't have to worry about what it means.

I believe that pass followed by pulling to 5H shows a better hand than a direct 5H.

Ignoring the forcing pass for a moment would make 5H the only slam try. In that case it it wouldn't say much about hearts. Here we presumably also have the pass followed by 5S available so 5H does focus on hearts. That suits me fine as a little help in hearts is appreciated.

[pclayton]

Agree with 5♥, as long as pard won't misconstrue it. FP is 2nd choice, 5♠ is third choice.

[mike777]

pclayton, on Aug 13 2007, 05:06 PM, said:

Agree with 5♥, as long as pard won't misconstrue it. FP is 2nd choice, 5♠ is third choice.

I think that is the issue. Is 5H clearly showing spades and hearts and this type of hand?

[skjaeran]

I'd probably have overcalled 4♦ at the table, but having bid only 3 looks good now. I'll go on with 5♥ now.

[han]

mike777, on Aug 13 2007, 05:08 PM, said:

pclayton, on Aug 13 2007, 05:06 PM, said:

Agree with 5♥, as long as pard won't misconstrue it. FP is 2nd choice, 5♠ is third choice.

I think that is the issue. Is 5H clearly showing spades and hearts and this type of hand?

That is a good point Mike, though partner's jump to 4S suggests (s)he hinks it shows the majors. If you are not sure then you'd better not risk it. Same goes for the forcing pass unfortunately, defending 5D undoubled is probably not a good idea.

[Echognome]

skaeran, on Aug 13 2007, 02:13 PM, said:

I'd probably have overcalled 4♦ at the table, but having bid only 3 looks good now. I'll go on with 5♥ now.

I like this point. Although it would have been good to discuss this with partner. What would a 4♣ bid have shown? How could we show ♣ and a major here?

[pclayton]

Echognome, on Aug 13 2007, 02:20 PM, said:

skaeran, on Aug 13 2007, 02:13 PM, said:

I'd probably have overcalled 4♦ at the table, but having bid only 3 looks good now. I'll go on with 5♥ now.

I like this point. Although it would have been good to discuss this with partner. What would a 4♣ bid have shown? How could we show ♣ and a major here?

4♣ probably.

[kenrexford]

4♠ showed a good player.

However, partner did not make a slam move himself. If he has the right hand for a slam to make, I'd assume that he could have recognized this also.

As I play, for what it is worth, 4♣ by partner would have been a power raise to 4♥ (and 4♦ by me LTTC), and 4♦ would have been a power raise to 4♠ (and 4♥ by me LTTC).

Whatever the parameters for 3♦ instead of 4♦, and for flags instead of fast arrival, partner won't have the hand I need for slam when he suggests a stop at 4♠.

I really have an ominous feeling here, but I'm doubling. I think that's the right call with no first-round controls other than the diamond void, especially if flags are used.

[Foxx]

3♦ showed the majors, no question. That means spades have been set as trumps.

A hand such as ♠AQx ♥Qx ♦xxxx ♣Axxx is an easy slam. A 5♥ bid by me now should convey the right signal ---- "Help Me".

[jdonn]

I do not agree at all with the 5♥ bids regardless of how many people do it, to me they are totally misdescriptive. This should really be a spot where that bid shows the ace I think, and partner will like a singleton heart. I don't think partner will play us for anything like this if we bid 5♥, nor will he know exactly what we want in the minors for slam (which ace for example.) I would simply bid 5♠, we could have slam but it would take a perfect sort of hand from partner since he passed over 2♦. I'm happy to buy the hand, and I would rather not complicate the auction or show more strength than I have.

[FrancesHinden]

Personally, 3D would have asked for a diamond stop..... but I assume from partner's 4S bid that 3D showed the majors.

I don't get all these slam tries.

Couldn't we equally have a hand more like

AQxxx
AKxxxx
-
Kx

?

What we actually have is a hand that is way short of what partner would expect in high cards. Fair enough, we have some extra length to make it worth bidding, but if we've got a slam on partner would have told us so last round (AQx Qx xxxx Axxx ? that's a slam try last round - nearly a slam drive last round - not a 4S bid)

I bid 5S because I don't want to defend 5D.

[benlessard]

This is 100% forcing pass auction so there is 3 way to show a good hand.

5♥
pass and pull to 5♠
pass and pull to 5♥

We play that pass and pull is stronger so for me pass and pull in the new suit should be the strongest bid.

Considering a 4♦ bids showing both majors is possible i think my hand has extras.


So I pass and pull to 5♠. But a direct 5♥ is ok too.
My hand is too good for a direct 5♠ and not good enough for a pass and pull to 5♥.

As for 5♥ showing the ace i think its pointless. Partner with a stiff heart shouldnt get too excited he would prefer to have ♥Qx♥. So for me 5♥ or pass and pull to ♥ doesnt show the ♥A♥