[skjaeran]

Jlall, on Sep 18 2007, 06:11 PM, said:

2C seems like the only sensible way to start bidding this hand.

I definitely agree with this. I very seldom make a natural bid in another suit instead of supporting with 4cM support. But this definitely has to be the hand for it. I'll support ♠ next, at the 5-level if need be. No 'problem' at all - partner should be in a good position.

[kenrexford]

This is the second post I've read today where a big "what if" is a grave concern.

"What if the next hand jumps to 5NT for the two unbids?"

"What if partner accidentally makes an artificial insufficient bid and must place the contract?"

"What if I actually made an insufficient artificial bid and must place the contract?"

Bunch of paranoid folks out here...

[Fluffy]

Come on!, nobody for good ol'blackwood?

[han]

No Gonzalo, it is too early. One reason is that the auction may convince me to stop at the four level, another is that I prefer to play 1M-4NT as straight blackwood, not as RKC.

[pclayton]

Hannie, on Sep 18 2007, 10:50 AM, said:

No Gonzalo, it is too early. One reason is that the auction may convince me to stop at the four level, another is that I prefer to play 1M-4NT as straight blackwood, not as RKC.

Same here. Its not a terrible bid, but I don't play it as key card.

A direct 4N doesn't seem any worse than 1♠ - 2N - 4♠ - 4N if its played as key card however.

I'll start with 2♣ and see what that gets me.

[whereagles]

If pard knows how to bid, 2♣.
If he doesn't, 4NT.

Note: if we have keys for slam, I'm following with 6♣ because if pard can't bid, he probably can't play them properly. So better play it myself

[bid_em_up]

Not that I am disagreeing with 2C here, but,

The downsides to 2♣ are that it is going to allow LHO to double and easily show his red suited hand at a low level and its unlikely to encourage partner who is likely looking at a stiff or two small clubs.

I'd really like to be able to bid 4N RKC here. Given that I can't, I slightly prefer Jacoby 2N (at least we might hear about partners stiff club, if he has one) and if we do, we stop in 4S. If we don't, now we can RKC over partners bid, and stop in 5S if necessary. Even if this goes minus, we may actually be taking a good sac undoubled with 4/5 of a red suit making the other way.

[han]

If 4NT were RKC I would still not use it, it is too likely that we are missing 3 important cards.

[Echognome]

So as most of the people here, I started with 2♣. Partner bid 2♥ and I bid 3♠ to set the suit.

Partner then bid 4♦. With this partner you play serious 3NT. Do you bid 4♥ or are you content with 4♠? Or do you do something else?

[pclayton]

Hannie, on Sep 18 2007, 12:08 PM, said:

If 4NT were RKC I would still not use it, it is too likely that we are missing 3 important cards.

Does that mean you are giving up over 4♠?

[Walddk]

Echognome, on Sep 18 2007, 10:22 PM, said:

So as most of the people here, I started with 2♣. Partner bid 2♥ and I bid 3♠ to set the suit.

Partner then bid 4♦. With this partner you play serious 3NT. Do you bid 4♥ or are you content with 4♠? Or do you do something else?

I had enough. Three keycards and trump queen needed for slam to be worth bidding. He would surely have bid 3NT with that.

Roland

[han]

So partner has no club control and we need at least ♠KQ ♥A ♦A to have a solid slam, that's a lot. I'd bid 4H though, if partner goes beyond 4S (and he certainly will with those cards) then 5♠ is very likely safe. If he signs off then we can comfortable pass.

[Walddk]

Hannie, on Sep 18 2007, 10:33 PM, said:

So partner has no club control and we need at least ♠KQ ♥A ♦A to have a solid slam, that's a lot. I'd bid 4H though, if partner goes beyond 4S (and he certainly will with those cards) then 5♠ is very likely safe. If he signs off then we can comfortable pass.

He can't have those cards, Han. He bypassed 3NT (serious). The 5-level is not necessarily safe.

If a hand with three keycards and trump queen isn't seriously interested in slam, he or she will have to judge better next time.

Roland

[mike777]

Echognome, on Sep 18 2007, 03:22 PM, said:

So as most of the people here, I started with 2♣.  Partner bid 2♥ and I bid 3♠ to set the suit.

Partner then bid 4♦.  With this partner you play serious 3NT.  Do you bid 4♥ or are you content with 4♠?  Or do you do something else?

Matt why not rebid 2s and set the suit?

I was taught the whole point of 2/1 is too set trumps very low to make low level slam tries.

1s=2c
2h=2s(100% slam try for me)
3d=3s
?

[Echognome]

mike777, on Sep 18 2007, 01:03 PM, said:

Echognome, on Sep 18 2007, 03:22 PM, said:

So as most of the people here, I started with 2♣.  Partner bid 2♥ and I bid 3♠ to set the suit.

Partner then bid 4♦.  With this partner you play serious 3NT.  Do you bid 4♥ or are you content with 4♠?  Or do you do something else?

Matt why not rebid 2s and set the suit?

1s=2c
2h=2s(100% slam try for me)
3d=3s
?

What pray tell do 3♠ and 4♠ mean for you?

[mike777]

Echognome, on Sep 18 2007, 04:04 PM, said:

mike777, on Sep 18 2007, 01:03 PM, said:

Echognome, on Sep 18 2007, 03:22 PM, said:

So as most of the people here, I started with 2♣.  Partner bid 2♥ and I bid 3♠ to set the suit.

Partner then bid 4♦.  With this partner you play serious 3NT.  Do you bid 4♥ or are you content with 4♠?  Or do you do something else?

Matt why not rebid 2s and set the suit?

1s=2c
2h=2s(100% slam try for me)
3d=3s
?

What pray tell do 3♠ and 4♠ mean for you?

4s would be some dead minimum hand.(rare)
3s would be some huge hand, rare, and I am probably looking for a club cue often I guess and plan to blast to rck next.

[Echognome]

mike777, on Sep 18 2007, 01:05 PM, said:

Echognome, on Sep 18 2007, 04:04 PM, said:

mike777, on Sep 18 2007, 01:03 PM, said:

Echognome, on Sep 18 2007, 03:22 PM, said:

So as most of the people here, I started with 2♣.  Partner bid 2♥ and I bid 3♠ to set the suit.

Partner then bid 4♦.  With this partner you play serious 3NT.  Do you bid 4♥ or are you content with 4♠?  Or do you do something else?

Matt why not rebid 2s and set the suit?

1s=2c
2h=2s(100% slam try for me)
3d=3s
?

What pray tell do 3♠ and 4♠ mean for you?

4s would be some dead minimum hand.(rare)
3s would be some huge hand, rare, and I am probably looking for a club cue often I guess and plan to blast to rck next.

Why do you use them so rarely? Seems that they wouldn't be the best use.

It's a whole separate argument whether 2♠ shows 3 card support, but it seems that it shouldn't necessarily agree suit. What if partner is about to show you some club support next. Can't partner be 5=4=1=3 and you 3=1=3=6?

[ArtK78]

It would be great on this hand to be playing some sort of control asking bid below the level of game, as you have a great hand for a control ask. Failing that, I bid 2♣ and then 2♠ to set the trump suit and, hopefully, start a cue bidding auction. If partner shows any signs of life I will bid RKCB. I want to attempt to determine if the 5 level is safe before using RKCB.

RKCB could be totally wrong on this hand if partner has no clubs. Otherwise, you should be able to handle everything.

As for the meaning of a jump to 3♠ after bidding 2♣, maybe that should be RKCB in spades. It certainly doesn't make much sense for it to be natural.

[skjaeran]

Jlall, on Sep 18 2007, 10:46 PM, said:

I would not bid 4H

Me neither. 4♠ is what I've got now as partner bypassed 3NT.