[effervesce]

3♣ for me. Just too big a chance partner may have a decent hand for slam purposes. If p responds 2♥, It's closer-partner may still have the perfect hand, but you can't really play in 4NT, so 3NT will usually be the best spot. So i'll bid 3NT after 2♥.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

I guess, I would go with 3NT.

Depending on the field there may be a cause
for 3C, you may win the board due to your
better than average partnership agreements.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[hotShot]

In a weak field i bid 3NT. Getting an overtrick more than the field will be good enough for a top.

In a stronger field I can't gain much with the field action, because everybody plays well. So I might want to explore if 6/7♣ or 6/7NT are makable.

[andy_h]

Hmm I suppose blasting may have its merits but I would always bid 3C with this hand as my hand seems soo good. I guess I'm not used to blasting 3NT with these kind of hands in MPs as I always end up taking the science route..

[kenrexford]

3NT is hopeless bridge, IMO.

Partner's 2♦ call means that he has about 2.5 in each major and about 4 in each minor now.

Give partner an interesting 12-count like ♠Kx ♥xxx ♦Axxx ♣KQxx, and I want to be in a fairly sound 6♣ slam. Put the remaining 2-4 points wherever you want.

[Apollo81]

Definitely 3♣. Plenty of room to stop in NT after that. There are a lot of hands partner could have where slam is cold or nearly so.

[whereagles]

3NT.

Balanced hand opposite balanced hand = play in NT. Exceptions are FAR too rare to justify messing up an easy auction. Would bid 3♣ with a singleton, of course.

[gwnn]

I started writing "we need to ideal a hand from pard for slam" and wanted to give a hand but then I realized there were too many hands, so basically I think 3♣ is best (thanks for showing the hand!). Of course sometimes we'll stop in 5 when 3NT was down, which is another plus. I think partner liking clubs and we going past a making 3NT is practically impossible - the only danger is they make a better lead, but i'm not that worried, pard has all the tenaces.

[pclayton]

Definitely 3♣ over 2♦. When 5♣ or 6♣ might both be better than 3N, I think its worth investigating. With my red suits, 3N vs slam aren't the only options here.

The only way 3♣ is wrong is when RHO was thinking about leading one, and thats just too remote a possibility. The other drawback is when pard gets horny over 3♣, but I have over half the controls, so I can't be too upset about that.

Over 2♥ this is a much tougher decision. It would probably depend how we are running.

[cherdano]

Strange, I had a very similar hand recently, except I am pretty sure it was Kxxx Ax Kx Axxxx. Would this change anyone's opinion?

[mikeh]

This would be a good hand for a simulation, since partner's hand is well-limited, altho we'd need to exercise some judgment in determining the extent to which partner will cooperate.

I love Aces and Kings when the hand offers some slam possibilities, and I like the shape as well. I cannot see not making a try here. Far too many 15 counts make slam good. Many 14 counts as well, but partner will rarely be cooperating with 14 counts when we have all these Aces and Kings.

Anyone who thinks this is (remotely) a 15 count hand doesn't deserve to be dealt so many controls

Edit: if partner had bid 2♥, I am not quite as happy, and I would prefer other methods, since playing either a relay stayman or 2-way stayman, I could easily find out his shape (and relay allows me to find where his high card are as well), but the hand is still good enough to make a try.

[han]

Arend's right, it was indeed Kxxx Ax Ax Kxxxx. I would bid stayman followed by 3NT just like he did at the table.

[jdonn]

When I saw this hand it was quite instructive for me. I am now convinced 3NT is very very very lazy bridge, but I admit I might not have thought so before.

[NickRW]

mikeh, on Jul 30 2008, 04:18 PM, said:

This would be a good hand for a simulation...

Well, a run of 100 hands where pard has 14-16, no 4cM and bal and rho has no hand with most of the missing hcp and good distribution (i.e. no likely overcall) shows 3N making 99% and 6C 64% (remembering that DD analysis slightly favours declarer at high levels) - so looks like worth investigating with a 3C bid if the field is at all reasonable.

Nick

[NickRW]

Jlall, on Jul 30 2008, 10:27 PM, said:

Sorry one of our aces changed into a king, thoughts now?

Well, assuming your methods aren't going to have partner going past 3N without a pretty good reason, then 3C is probably still worth a shot - but obviously this is a good deal more marginal now.

[crazy4hoop]

I guess I like 3♣ regardless of which red suit partner bids. I think the hand is too control-rich to bid only 3NT over 2♦ and and won't feel like I've accurately described this hand should partner pass 3NT after bidding 2♥. I understand we won't lose out on the 4-4 spade fit in this second case and may even get to 6♠ but if partner doesn't have spades, he takes a ton of tricks in 3NT while we miss a slam.

[nige1]

Jlall, on Jul 30 2008, 01:15 AM, said:

playing MP, partner opens 1N 14-16. You hold Kxxx Ax Kx Axxxx and bid 2C, and partner bids 2D. You can bid 3C natural and forcing, or just bid 3N. Which is it? Would your answer be different had partner bid 2H?

In both cases, IMO 3C = 10, 3N = 9.

[Apollo81]

Jlall, on Jul 30 2008, 06:27 PM, said:

Sorry one of our aces changed into a king, thoughts now?

doesnt change my opinion, makes it less obvious