[gwnn]

1♥-p-1♠-3♦
x-p-???

AKQTxxxx
xx
Kx
K

fav. MP

partner could be a little lighter than you'd expect (she firmly believes in takeout doubles)

[xcurt]

4♦ so that when I bid 4NT next it's the Blacke, in case we have all the aces. More likely we don't have all the aces, and we are going to be playing 6NT.

I think a direct 4NT is natural and quantitative here.

[Trinidad]

I would just bid 6NT.

I assume RHO has something like ♦AQxxxxx. That is 6 hcp. I have 15 myself, leaving 19 for partner, LHO and RHO's other cards (e.g.♦J). I think it is reasonable to assume that partner has at least 15, so it is not very likely that we are missing two aces. And with my 8 spade tricks, partner's ♥A, ♣A, my ♣K and the ♦K on a finesse, I can count to 12 tricks.

And should partner have 3 aces (when RHO is color blind) she can raise me to 7NT.

Rik

[Codo]

I don't buy the 6 NT idea. LHO is unfav. and in 4. seat. He can have two aces, even more (Partner has x,KQJxx,Jx,QJxxx, ...)
Opposite Czaba, a game try could be an overbid . ... and he warns us that his partner could be light.
So, I will go with a slam try by ace asking.

So 4♦ for now and 4 NT after the expected 4♥. if partner has the nightmare hand with 10 HCPs, I will be in 5 ♠ -1.


And I will settle for 6 ♠ when partner shows 2 KCs. Reaching a slam after interferences should be good enough, no need to be in 6 NT.

[andy_h]

4♦. If partner is a firm believer in t/o x's then I'd say she either has extras for me or if a minimum a 3514 hand or possibly 3613 - I don't think other shapes should be permissable given a minimum.

It seems like at once I need to show slam interest as well as setting spades in the mean time. I'm guessing partner will almost always bid 4♥ over our 4♦ and thus 4NT over that would be KC for hearts. Maybe that isn't such a bad plan after all, but no, if partner shows 2KC it could still just be 1 ace and the ♥K and we'd be off 2 cashing bullets.

I think I will bid 4♦ then 5♠ over partner's 4♥ - presumably that would suggest a slam interest hand with a diamond control. I trust if partner has a remotely close of a decent hand such as Jxx AQJxx x AJTx or xxx AKTxxx x Axx she would raise me - pretty much requires her having 2 bullets if she has a singleton diamond, and if she has a doubleton diamond then I can pretty much be guaranteed her of having extras and not only can she raise us to slam but in the offchance she may still search for a grand.
Not sure if I'd be able search accurately for 6NT.

[ONEferBRID]

After "asking" , you want to be in NT, not 6S.
You don't want your "perfect day" ruined by a 2nd round Diam ruff.

[Fluffy]

I don't fear diamond ruffs so much, partner made a take our double of diamonds, and we have only 2.

It is difficult to find a hand where playing in spades is superior. Something like ♠Jxx ♥AQJxx ♦Qx ♣AJx could be.

[Codo]

Why is spade superior in your example?
I would be more afraid of
Jxx, AQxxx,x,Axxx what looks like a typical min. for the opening with two aces.

here 6 NT needs a diamond lead or the heart finesse. 6 Spade is more or less laydown. (You can add some jacks here and there, won't change a lot.)

[Hanoi5]

3NT. Or maybe 4NT, I'm not sure what it would mean, but if it is taken as a quantitative bid, that's what I want to do.

[Apollo81]

If this is a penalty double then I suppose I'd bid 4♠ (although tempting to pass). If it's not, I'd bid RKC.

[Fluffy]

Codo, on Jun 25 2009, 02:02 PM, said:

Why is spade superior in your example?

Unless I made a mistake and didn't find it for second time, it goes down on a heart lead. on 6♠ you can use ♣A to get rid of your heart loser.

your example looks very minimal to me, but who knows

[xcurt]

Codo, on Jun 25 2009, 07:55 AM, said:

And I will settle for 6 ♠ when partner shows 2 KCs. Reaching a slam after interferences should be good enough, no need to be in 6 NT.

Don't agree with this. Matchpoints in good fields you need to try to scoop on hands where you have an edge.