[Hanoi5]

I'm not ssure about vulnerability but you get:

♠KJx
♥AJxxxxx
♦A
♣AK

Your partner OPENS 1♥.

[Free]

Depends on our system... probably 2NT followed by controls (hoping for a ♠ control) and RKC

[mohitz]

Keycard ask. If partner shows 2 keycards, i will blast 7.

If partner shows 1 keycard, I will sign-off in 6. It is possible that partner might have the Ace Spade and we are cold for 7 without the King of trumps, but the odds are so low and I can't think of a convincing way to clear this ambiguity.

[gnasher]

Has the modern obsession with keycard-asks really gone so far that people think this hand can't be bid sensibly?

I bid 2NT, which will tell me if partner has short spades. Then I initiate a cue-bidding sequence. Then:
- If partner denies a spade shortage and then cue-bids spades, I'll know it's the ace, and I'll bid 7♠ (7NT at matchpoints).
- If he's shown spade shortage and then cue-bids spades, I'll know it's probably a void, and I'll bid 7♠.
- If he denies a spade shortage and doesn't cue-bid spade, I'll bid 6NT.
- If he shows a spade shortage and doesn't cue-bid spades, I'll bid 6♠.

[Simplicity]

gnasher, on Nov 24 2009, 05:08 AM, said:

Has the modern obsession with keycard-asks really gone so far that people think this hand can't be bid sensibly?

I bid 2NT, which will tell me if partner has short spades.  Then I initiate a cue-bidding sequence.  Then:
- If partner denies a spade shortage and then cue-bids spades, I'll know it's the ace, and I'll bid 7♠ (7NT at matchpoints).
- If he's shown spade shortage and then cue-bids spades, I'll know it's probably a void, and I'll bid 7♠.
- If he denies a spade shortage and doesn't cue-bid spade, I'll bid 6NT.
- If he shows a spade shortage and doesn't cue-bid spades, I'll bid 6♠.

At the risk of trolling i think you might want to consinder playing in your 12 card fit rather than your 3-0

Otherwise totally agree

[Codo]

Obvious 2 NT. And following Andys plan. Okay maybe I would choose a different suit at the end, but who knows...

[helene_t]

Keycard ask is ok, although if p shows one keycard we want to be in 7 if it's the ♠A which we will need to assume it isn't. If p has the ace of spades I bid 7. Can probably get rid of my spade loser on his ♣Q or ♦K, or some lower minor honor that can be ruffed high. Otherwise the finesse has to be on, or p needs to have ♠Q.

2NT sounds cool but there might be a 4NT or 5♦ call on my left so I ask for keycards while I still can.

[ONEferBRID]

gnasher, on Nov 24 2009, 05:08 AM, said:

Has the modern obsession with keycard-asks really gone so far that people think this hand can't be bid sensibly?

I bid 2NT, which will tell me if partner has short spades.  Then I initiate a cue-bidding sequence.  Then:
- If partner denies a spade shortage and then cue-bids spades, I'll know it's the ace, and I'll bid 7♠ (7NT at matchpoints).
- If he's shown spade shortage and then cue-bids spades, I'll know it's probably a void, and I'll bid 7♠.
- If he denies a spade shortage and doesn't cue-bid spade, I'll bid 6NT.
- If he shows a spade shortage and doesn't cue-bid spades, I'll bid 6♠.

I think Andy has the right idea.... with his 6NT senario.
It would be a bummer to go down in 6♥ after an opening ♠ lead with the A Q over the K J.

[Hanoi5]

1♥-2NT
4♥ (minimum, no sing or void)

Now what?

[P_Marlowe]

4NT should get the job done.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[P_Marlowe]

Hanoi5, on Nov 24 2009, 08:02 AM, said:

1♥-2NT
4♥ (minimum, no sing or void)

Now what?

4NT, what else?.

The slower route is ok, you right sided a NT contract, which you would
also have done with 4NT.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[phil_20686]

Hanoi5, on Nov 24 2009, 08:02 AM, said:

1♥-2NT
4♥ (minimum, no sing or void)

Now what?

i dont think many of us actually play that 4♥ is minimum. Its to wasteful. Probably more common is 3c to show any min with shortage asks over the top.

[gnasher]

Hanoi5, on Nov 24 2009, 02:02 PM, said:

1♥-2NT
4♥ (minimum, no sing or void)

Now what?

5♣. If he signs off in 5♥, I bid 6♣, showing ♦A, ♣AK and no ♠A. If he has ♠A but is still embarrassed about opening, he can bid 6♦ as last-train.

If he cue-bids 5♦ over 5♣, he'll be promising spade control, since I ostensibly denied one. That must, of course, be the ace.

By the way, I think that using 4♥ to show a minimum without a shortage is quite a poor idea. Why use up two whole levels of bidding to show your most common hand type?

[gnasher]

P_Marlowe, on Nov 24 2009, 02:06 PM, said:

4NT, what else?.

Anything else. How does it help you to learn that partner has one key card?

[billw55]

gnasher, on Nov 24 2009, 08:13 AM, said:

P_Marlowe, on Nov 24 2009, 02:06 PM, said:

4NT, what else?.

Anything else. How does it help you to learn that partner has one key card?

True dat. Not every day the trump K is wasted value, but here it is.

So yeah, just 2NT then start cuebidding. The A♠ is the only thing he can have to cue, he other does or doesn't, so we should get an easy choice between 6 and 7.

[P_Marlowe]

gnasher, on Nov 24 2009, 08:13 AM, said:

P_Marlowe, on Nov 24 2009, 02:06 PM, said:

4NT, what else?.

Anything else. How does it help you to learn that partner has one key card?

That is fine, I will give up.

Chances are that if p has only one 1KC, this 1KC is the king of hearts,
if he has the Ace of spade, that is life.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Hanoi5]

1♥-2NT
4♥-5♣
5♥-6♦!!!
???

With:

♠Ax
♥QTxxx
♦Kxx
♣QJx

[ONEferBRID]

Let's assume Opener has a minimum ( most likely ) and NO shortness.
We all hate the plain vanilla Jac2NT reply of 4H.
But even if you play one of the Scandinavian 2NT systems where 3C! = minimum, may or may not have shortness ( 3D! asks), how do you get a ♠ cue BELOW game level? You can't.
So I think we are stuck with an eventual key card ask, and Andy's final 6NT if Opener only shows 1 key card.

If you know of a way to get a ♠ cue from Opener ( w/no shortness) below 4♥, please let me know.

[pooltuna]

Hanoi5, on Nov 24 2009, 03:58 AM, said:

I'm not ssure about vulnerability but you get:

♠KJx
♥AJxxxxx
♦A
♣AK

Your partner OPENS 1♥.

well my gut reaction is just to RKC and suffer in 6♥ when he only has 1

[gwnn]

There are two solutions:

• bid 2NT and follow up like gnasher
  
• bid 2♣, attempting to set up an RKC situation for clubs. then you know about the club king, it is in your hand.

Warning! Don't bid 1♠!! CHO will correct 7♥ to spades!!