[kenrexford]

♠AK10 ♥KJx ♦KQxx ♣Q10x

"x" is a real "x" with no interesting 8's.

You open 1♦, partner bids 1♠, and you bid 2NT.

After a long tank, partner bids the obvious 4NT (obvious in the sense that you knew that he was going to bid 4NT when he tanked).

Disregarding the tank as meaning anything, what is your call?

[han]

Pass. I start with an 18-count. The honors and 10's are decent, the shape is not. I end up with an 18-count.

[jtfanclub]

What is normally played here?

I'm used to 'passable Blackwood', where for a quantitative invite, I pass if I decline, and bid Blackwood if I accept. I don't know the other methods. For example, what would 5♠ show?

[mikeh]

If you bid with this hand, and it is right, either you bought a very lucky dummy or partner is a real dummy (i.e. he has too good a hand for 4N).

You described a balanced 18-19, and you have a 3=3=4=3 indifferent minimum. If you upgrade this hand, why bother playing invitational sequences at all? The two tens do NOT make this a good 18... make the club 10 the diamond 10 and I am a tiny bit interested, but I'd still pass.

[Hanoi5]

I'd pass.

[stjk]

How about 5S? showing some good thing in S, but not enough to go 6?

[rogerclee]

Easy pass. I am generally very conservative about bidding these power slams based on HCP with no 5-baggers.

[kenrexford]

jtfanclub, on Jul 11 2008, 11:24 AM, said:

What is normally played here?

I'm used to 'passable Blackwood', where for a quantitative invite, I pass if I decline, and bid Blackwood if I accept.  I don't know the other methods.  For example, what would 5♠ show?

Undiscussed. Partner is a fairly good player (technique), but he has essentially lived in isolation from any modern bidding theory. He probably thinks along the lines of 1980 Flight B as far as bidding is concerned. (As a strange example, he does not know RKCB, let alone 1430, but does know and play that 4NT asks for ace location, 0/3-1/4-2same-2different.)

[pclayton]

I'd pass. I'm expecting a good 12- bad 14 there. Slam is probably anti-%, but playable by guessing a lot of things with all of the tenaces. Bidding 6N is swingy but could be right and I would do if I were looking to try something different than the other table.

[kenrexford]

Yeah, two people in the room passed here. I passed (playing with a friend) and my wife passed (playing with another friend). We shared bottoms as the rest of the field bid 6NT.

Partner had what I expected. ♠Qxxx ♥xx ♦Axx ♣AKJx

I do not know how the diamonds and spades split, because the defense was heart to the Ace, Queen back, claim. So, I'm fairly certain that the end contract is right. I was just surprised to be alone, with only another Rexford passing this.

[han]

Well if the heart ace-queen is onside then I bid 6NT.

[skjaeran]

Clearcut pass. 4NT is quant.

[kenrexford]

Yeah, but only Rexfords passed at the club. That has to suggest that something is wrong with passing, right?

[skjaeran]

kenrexford, on Jul 12 2008, 07:23 AM, said:

Yeah, but only Rexfords passed at the club. That has to suggest that something is wrong with passing, right?

Or something is wrong with the rest of the club? It might be weird for you, but you should consider that possibility...

[FrancesHinden]

Jlall, on Jul 12 2008, 08:01 AM, said:

kenrexford, on Jul 12 2008, 12:23 AM, said:

Yeah, but only Rexfords passed at the club.  That has to suggest that something is wrong with passing, right? 

Or other people didn't bid 4N with 4 strong clubs and 14 points after partner showed 18-19 + a 1C opener.

Or other people drove slam with Axx in partner's first suit and 14 points after partner showed 18-19.

[foo]

I agree with Frances.