[Apollo81]

KJTxxx
---
x
AQTxxx

You open 1♠ and partner, who is beginner level, raises to 6♠. You don't play any slam exploration tool with this partner other than Blackwood. If this partner had bid 5♠, that would be invitational to 6.

But wait! You discover that one of your spades is actually a club.

KJTxx
---
x
AQTxxxx

Do you or don't you? You are playing a 12-board KO against a B/I team (you are the only non B/I player involved in the match), and this is the first board.

[brianshark]

I don't. You could be off a cashing ace. You could lose a ruff. There could be an unlucky split somewhere. You might only have 12 tricks on a mega cross ruff. It's not worth the risk so I'm playing safe.

[jdonn]

Bidding the grand is suicidal strategy on the first board against B/I team, even though I think it probably makes more often than not.

[P_Marlowe]

Pass.

Why should I start gambling, if my partnerships
rates to be the best, assuming my partner is avg.
compared to the other 6 players?

With kind regards
Marlowe

[effervesce]

Will the other table be in 6? If no, then bidding 7 is silly. If they could be, then I'm bidding 7. If we're off an ace, they could try to cash the wrong one.

[SoTired]

pass. partner has a crazy hand, lots of spades and a void, because every B/I knows blackwood. Other table may not even bid 6.
Assume not vul
Opps only bid 4S:
6S opps in 4S = +11
7S opps in 4S = +14 We gain 3 IMPS for bidding 7... Wheeeeee
7S-1 opps in 4S = -11
Opps find 6S:
6S opps in 6S = push
7S opps in 6S = +11
7S-1 opps in 6S = -14

So your gain is way less than your risk. Plus, you may give the B/I opps their only chance to beat you in this short match.

No question - Pass.

[FrancesHinden]

Pass. Even if we aren't off an ace, there's a fair chance partner has a club void and we haven't actually made 7 yet.

Everything else aside, it's really not very good for partnership confidence to bid 7 and go off here, and as the good player with a b/i partner it is worth trying to maintain partner's equilibrium.

(In a more equal partnership you do what you think is right and partner understands, but that's a little different)

[y66]

Pass. I think pard skipped Blackwood because she's void in clubs. I like FH's partnership confidence argument for making a conservative decision here. Would not have thought of that.

[Lobowolf]

If we're playing that 5♠ is a general invitation to 6♠, I'm not buying that partner is sophisticated enough to know that he shouldn't use Blackwood with a void. That advice is more relevant for people who have alternatives to Blackwood for slam exploration. I'd guess that partner simply counted points (including distribution) and figured he thought we could make 6. That evaluation may or may not include a club void. He could have good strength in the red suits, Axx(x) of trump, and a club stiff, or an honor, or just about anything. I have no guarantee that partner even has the ♠Q, and I want no part of a grand without it, especially on the conditions. Partner's inexperience is his excuse for bidding 6; I don't have one for bidding 7. There's a lot partner didn't know about my hand to bid 6, but he was only risking the game bonus; I nowhere near convinced that I know enough about his to risk the game and the small slam bonus. Agree about the risk/reward, too. The worst-case-scenario for bidding (goes down, and they're in 6, making) is not only worse than the worst-case-scenario for passing (makes an uptrick, and they're in 7), it's more likely. It's too early for me to think about being brilliant or creative, especially since I'm not inclined to draw too many inferences from his bids or plays. Passsssssssssssssssss