[kgr]

Scoring: IMP

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1C-1D!
1S-2H!
 
1C: You play 5cM and 4cD, 1C can sometimes be a douleton...not now.
1D: transfer Walsh, Promises Hearts
1S: 4 card S, forcing. No 3 card H (can hold 3 card H if strong)
2H: 6 card H with 8 to 10 HCP. Partner could have bid 2D on first round to show a 6 card Major with 4 to 7 HCP.
 
You have slem if partner holds ♥KQ and ♣K.
You have no hard agreements about this, but from the general agreements you have with your partner you expect that he will understand following bids:
- 3♦: 4th suit GF
- 3NT: to play
- 3♠: ♥-fit, cue (not sure he will take it like that, but you can bid 3♦ if strong with 5-6 in black suits and no ♥-fit)
- 4♣: ♥-fit, cue
- 4♦: ♥-fit, splinter
- 4♥: to play
==> Do you try to find slem?

[Free]

Why didn't I reverse?

[kgr]

Free, on Oct 27 2007, 11:36 AM, said:

Why didn't I reverse?

1♠ is forcing, 2♠ shows 4 card ♥ and a singleton ♠ and 12-14 or 18-19 HCP

[dicklont]

Would 3♥ be forcing? If it is forcing it would be my choice but i suppose it would be an invite. I would bid 3♦ and hope for 4♣. If partner bids 3♠ or 3NT its not our lucky day and we'll play 4♥.

[Winstonm]

Reminds me of a comment attributed to Bob Hamman - in the bidding, if there is one particular card you need me to hold, I ain't got it!

[helene_t]

I was about to answer "yes" until I realized that the question was about slam, not about game.

As for Frederick's question: I don't think this hand is good enough for 2♠ if that had been natural, but ok, 1♠ does not deny a maximum.

[han]

Agree with just bidding game, if you splinter (only way to investigate slam) then you'll get to many poor slams.

Also agree that this hand is not nearly good enough to jump to 2S (if that had been available).

[jdonn]

Jlall, on Oct 27 2007, 05:38 AM, said:

Don't even think about this slam, game is not even close to being a lock (though of course I would bid it). Even if partner has KQ of hearts and the CK you need 3-2 hearts. He could have a lot of different holdings, this is a classic example of "don't play partner for the perfect hand." Even if you are able to start some convoluted auction it may tip off the winning lead/defense against 4H, and no auction will give you 5 level safety anyways.

I was going to make almost this exact same post. The problem with something like 4♦ now is partner doesn't know the club king is much more valuable than the spade king. Just give this one up.

[kgr]

tx for the answers.
I did bid 4♥ because I didn't see a way to find out about the perfect hand. I could bid 3♠ cue and RKC after a ♣ cue, but 5♥ could be too high wthout ♥KQ.
(we play mixed cues: A ♣ cue from partner shows the ♣K or can he also cue ♣ with a singleton?)

[han]

kgr, on Oct 27 2007, 10:43 AM, said:

tx for the answers.
I did bid 4♥ because I didn't see a way to find out about the perfect hand. I could bid 3♠ cue and RKC after a ♣ cue, but 5♥ could be too high wthout ♥KQ.
(we play mixed cues: A ♣ cue from partner shows the ♣K or can he also cue ♣ with a singleton?)

3S is not a cue.

[kenrexford]

I agree with the maxim to not play partner for the perfect hand. However, I do not agree with the mis-use of that maxim to mean not to ask partner if he has the perfect hand. I especially see no reason to not ask when my calls will have directed the defense anyway. On what possible nuance will the opponents be able to capitalize?

If 3♠ is really a cue in support, then I'd bid that. Partner will bid 4♣ when it matters, showing a club card (never cue shortness in partner's suit), which is what I need. Now, I feel relatively safe at the five-level. I assume that partner will not cue without working cards in your approach, meaning three of clubs, spades, and hearts. Note that 3♠ bids around the stiff implicitly, not only because of the fit but also because you have slam interest after a simple 1♠ call. Thus, I'm checking with 4NT to see whether he has two top hearts or one with the spade King. I want two top hearts. If I get that, it is a good slam.

[pclayton]

Slam is possible, but this hand will have communications problems galore. Did my 1♠ call promise an unbalanced hand?

I'll bid 4♥ and discuss later what a 4♣ call means, as well as the difference between 4♦ and 4♥.

[jdonn]

kenrexford, on Oct 27 2007, 12:36 PM, said:

Partner will bid 4♣ when it matters, showing a club card (never cue shortness in partner's suit), which is what I need.  Now, I feel relatively safe at the five-level.

That last part is the fatal flaw in your entire argument. You may feel safe, but you're not.

Bidding 3♠ also gives the next player a chance to double for what could very well be the killing lead.

[kenrexford]

A spade lead through dummy's spades is a fairly reasonable lead anyway.

Further, I just do not get how partner's 4♣ call could create a five-level risk. I cannot have that good of a hand for my cue. Accordingly, partner must have serious interest to bid 4♣. What hand will he have to cooperate in this auction where 5 is in serious jeopardy?

[skjaeran]

kenrexford, on Oct 28 2007, 05:32 AM, said:

A spade lead through dummy's spades is a fairly reasonable lead anyway.

Further, I just do not get how partner's 4♣ call could create a five-level risk. I cannot have that good of a hand for my cue. Accordingly, partner must have serious interest to bid 4♣. What hand will he have to cooperate in this auction where 5 is in serious jeopardy?

Qx KJTxxx xxx Kx
How do you play this after ♦A and another diamond?

[kenrexford]

The same way as the other folks in 4♥. Ruff the diamond, cash the heart Ace, cross to the club King, cash the heart King (hoping for the heart to drop). If the heart Queen survives, cross to the club Ace (hopefully that survives) and play a third top club, ditching the third diamond.

This line succeeds (at the 5-level) when the heart Queen is stiff or doubleton. If succeeds when the heart Queen is third, with 2+ clubs. It survives against Qxxx of hearts in front of the KJ10 also, when that person has at least three clubs.

Hopefully partner will not cue 4♣ with the spade Queen as his third key value. But, then I'll just play it well.

[skjaeran]

Yeah Ken, I know how we'd all play.
It was a rhetoric question, but an example to show that you might not have 5-leves sequrity.

[kenrexford]

Well, yeah. But, partner should not cooperate with that hand.

Think this one through a bit. Partner has limited his hand to 8-10 opposite a 1♣...1♠ Opener. This is not a slam auction unless we are running a "Show me yours and I'll show you mine" game. This must mean, in other words, a club-heart run with the pointeds controlled.

So, Responder needs critical cards. This should be missing club and heart cards. Nothing else works.

Opener must be supplying the diamond stiff, to have any justification for this auction. The 3♠ cue merely confirms that Opener has that Ace. If Responder wants to suggest slam with the same hand but the spade King, we might be a tad high. I think the only real acceptance hand is the perfect hand.