[OSH]

North
♠Axx
♥-
♦AQxxxx
♣Axxx

South
♠Qxx
♥AKxxx
♦Kxx
♣Kx

None vul. Decl. South
1H (5+, maximum 15 HCP)-P-2D(forcing manche)-3C
3D-P-?
What is your evaluation of the hand (from North's point of view)?
Do you agree with the bid of 3D?
What do you bid now?

[Flame]

What was the 3c bid ?

[inquiry]

North has a great hand for this auction, He starts with 36 Zar points, and once diamond fit is found, he gets 3 more distributional points for 39, and I believe 2 more for ♦AQ for 41. His partner starts with 31 Zar points and gains one for the ♦ honor. This comes to a whooping 73 ZAR points which suggest grand slam. But north at least knows small slam should be bid 41+26 = 67 which is minimum for grand slam.

I can't imagine anyway to stay out of small slam, the problem will be to avoid the grand. Despite the high ZAR count, grand slam has no real chance (barring a ♠ lead from the king): Given the ♣ overcall, you will not be able to ruff two clubs in dummy (east rates to have six, if not seven ♣ plus the ♠K).

Ben

[OSH]

Flame, on May 10 2004, 08:11 AM, said:

What was the 3c bid ?

Sorry, maybe it wasn't clear.
3C FROM EAST, natural, 10+HCP (?!), 5+ clubs.
The bid is:
S-W-N-E
1H-p-2d-3c
3d-p-?

[Flame]

3d seem like a good idea and with north hand it really help.
From north point of view now, he can see that small slam will have good chances, about grand slam he need partners hcp to be in the rights plances, meaning no wasted in heart, if you have a way to check that its good but if not then go for the 6d because partner rates to have wasted honors in hearts, 6m when it makes is usually a good contract (especialy in not too good tournaments)
anyway norse should bid 4c now.

[Fluffy]

I don´t like to raise with only 3 cards a 2/1 (and even less a 1/1),so I think double would show better the hand than 3♦ (if it is not penalty of course!).

Otherwise pass can be as good, leavind 3♦ for 4 card fit.

Noth has a movement to make, lucky him he has not ♣109 so not tempted to bid 3NT . 4♣ seems the best aproach, but 3♠ may be as good (partner now can hardly have 4 cards).

[mishovnbg]

If 2♦ is 5+ cards, then 3♦, if not, then dbl (Garozzo 2/3 double).

Evaluation of hand in example depend of values in ♥ in p hand, so you must try to discover it.

It is accepted between good players to not cue bid shortness in p suit first round. But you can do it second round. Example:

1♥ - (P) - 2♦ - (3♣)
3♠{stopper for NT or cue for slam} - (p) - 3NT - (p)
4♥: cue bid ♥ singleton/void in p suit, becuase was skipped previous round ( also show that 3♠ was cue bid for slam).

Misho