[Impact]

Straightforward as all prime with the exception of HJ and shape limitations/range shown already.

Add one Oz to the multilateral international force...4C.

regards

[benlessard]

4♣ what else ?

I just dont understand what is the problem ? any bid other then 4♣ deserve 0pts IMO

[FrancesHinden]

Well, I thought this hand was interesting not least as a matter of partnership philosophy. You don't have to be playing our methods to get to a similar position: you show a fairly specific hand (12-14 balanced, uncertain that NT is going to be best, 4+ clubs, 4 hearts, doubleton spade) and partner shows a fairly specific type of slam try (6-card suit, but not a strong single-suiter and not a spade slam try with an outside singleton).

Mikeh put this well: "This depends on style: that is, partner's degree of aggression after 4C. If I am expected to coperate with even mild interest, then that seems to be what I have. If I am to cooperate only with significant (medium or better) interest, I bid 4S".

If you haven't discussed this type of style question with your partner, it's worth doing. It's another version of the invite heavy/accept light or invite light/accept heavy debate.

There's also a question of evaluation - the replies here vary from "doesn't look like a good hand for slam" to "don't understand the problem any other bid than 4C deserves 0 pts"

I thought this was tough at the table. Bad features of the hand: the DQ is probably useless, there aren't any heart pips, you have no ruffing value. Good feature of the hand: two key cards for spades. You've already shown positive interest in playing a suit contract when you bid 3C (rather than 2/3 NT), so partner probably already expects a spade honour. You could be much better (K10 K10xx xx AK10xx is close to a slam force now); you could also be worse.

Anyway, I thought that in the context of the auction so far - in particular having bid 3C over 2S - that I didn't really have anything much extra and signed off. As it happens, even if you move with 4C over 3S you will probably give up a round later; after 4C - 4D - 4S partner will probably feel he has done enough if we can't move again - and I don't think we can.

Partner has

AJ8xxx
A10
Ax
KJx

and as you can see, slam is not great, particularly on a heart lead, but is certainly playable. As it happens spades play for no loser and the board was flat in 680.

[jdonn]

I think this hand demonstrates my point about 4♣. Playing it as promising a good suit allows you to bid 6♣ when responder has this hand and it is right, in fact with what I feel 4♣ "should" mean, responder could just bid 6♣ over 4♣. But of course I am proven in the minority given the comments.

That isn't my reasoning for what the bids mean to me (it's more so partner can evaluate say Qx or xx) but seeing responder's hand reminded me of it.

[kenrexford]

jdonn, on Aug 22 2007, 10:31 AM, said:

I think this hand demonstrates my point about 4♣. Playing it as promising a good suit allows you to bid 6♣ when responder has this hand and it is right, in fact with what I feel 4♣ "should" mean, responder could just bid 6♣ over 4♣. But of course I am proven in the minority given the comments.

That isn't my reasoning for what the bids mean to me (it's more so partner can evaluate say Qx or xx) but seeing responder's hand reminded me of it.

Ditto that.

As it is, a heart lead converts this slam to really bad. You need both finesses to work, and a 3-2 split.

Change the clubs to the AQxxx, and get rid of the heart Jack, and some would open this 1NT (I would). Some would not, though. For those who would not, 6♣ is now much better, as you only need a 3-2 spade split (or a stiff spade Queen, or the stiff spade with only two clubs).