[twcho]

Scoring: IMP

---

The bidding was:

W　N　E　S
-　  -　 -　1♠
P　2♦  2♥　P
P　3♣  P　3♦
3♥ 4♣  P　4♠
P　5♦  All P

NS is playing 2/1 GF. How can the auction be improved?

[helene_t]

Maybe South's 4♠ invites North to bid 6♦ with a heart control. And maybe North thought it was a suggestion to play 4♠ and therefore lost slam ambitions.

I am not so keen on the 4♣ bid which IMHO ought to show the ace. However, that was not the reason for the missed slam.

[mike777]

twcho, on Aug 5 2008, 07:30 AM, said:

<!-- NORTHSOUTH begin --><table border=1> <tr> <td> <table> <tr> <td>Dealer:</td> <td> SOUTH </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Vul:</td> <td> E/W </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring:</td> <td> IMP </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td> <table border='1'> <tr> <th> <table> <tr> <th class='spades'>♠</th> <td> x </td> </tr> <tr> <th class='hearts'>♥</th> <td> A </td> </tr> <tr> <th class='diamonds'>♦</th> <td> KJT9xx </td> </tr> <tr> <th class='clubs'>♣</th> <td> KJT9x </td> </tr> </table> </th> </tr> <tr> <th> <table> <tr> <th class='spades'>♠</th> <td> Axxxx </td> </tr> <tr> <th class='hearts'>♥</th> <td> xx </td> </tr> <tr> <th class='diamonds'>♦</th> <td> Qxx </td> </tr> <tr> <th class='clubs'>♣</th> <td> AQx </td> </tr> </table> </th> </tr> </table> </td> <td>  </td> </tr> </table><!-- NORTHSOUTH end -->

The bidding was:

W　N　E　S
-　  -　 -　1♠
P　2♦  2♥　P
P　3♣  P　3♦
3♥ 4♣  P　4♠
P　5♦  All P

NS is playing 2/1 GF. How can the auction be improved?

very hard hand ....but:


edit:


1s=p=2d=(2h)
3d!=(3h)=4h!=p
5d!=p=6d


3d=natural does not promise extras
4h=rkc for clubs
5d=2 with queen.

[P_Marlowe]

The auction was fine with the exception of 5D, over 4S, North should
key card, the 4S was a positive move toward slam, and denied a
heart control, what more does North need, given that he has a heart
control?

With kind regards
Marlowe

PS: 4S can certainly constructed as a suggestion to play, although
with a 6 carder South would have bid 2S over 2H, and North did deny
primary support, so 4H is clearly a cue.

[Apollo81]

I cannot blame South for not bidding over 5♦; what if North had held -- Qx AKJTxx KJT9x? Wouldn't he bid the same way?

4♠ is clearly not a suggestion to play here, as South didn't rebid spades over 2♥. I think North should figure out what's going on after that.

[h2osmom]

If south had bid 3d over the 2h bid, showing support immediately, would it have become easier to bid the hand?

[sceptic]

personally I think 4 hearts instead of 4 clubs would get you there, you are in a game force auction and can still stop in the agreed diamond suit

[helene_t]

Agree with Sceptic.

[ASkolnick]

Although 4♥ would have worked, I disagree it was necessary.

South clearly made a slam try by bidding 4♠, indicating a control, not a place to play, as mentioned 2♠ would have been bid.

North has the A♥, which is obviously what is being looked for, so North can trot out whatever slam going bid he needs to. South can't move anywhere with a doubleton heart.

[rogerclee]

This is a tough hand, and I don't think either player bid very poorly. North had a tough decision and chose to go conservative.

Give south a slightly different hand and everyone would be talking about how even the 5 level is not safe with North's hand, and that he is totally to blame for driving to a disastrous no play slam.