[matmat]

You're playing some flavor of 2/1. Opps remain quiet and you and p construct the following auction:

1♥ - 1♠
2♣ - 3NT
4♥ - ...


What has responder shown?

What are 4♠, 5♣, 5♦ and 5♥ here? is 4N natural?

(and by "what are..." i mean, what's the most common or your preferred treatment?)

[helene_t]

I think responder could be 4243, 4252 or 4135. Maybe 5242 or 5233 but he would normally go through fsf with such a hand. His point count is about 13-14.

Normally responder will pass 4♥. He has shown his hand and opener decided that 4♥ is better. Responder should respect that.

I suppose any bid by responder now is a slam try for hearts, other than 5♣ which should show some interest in 6♣.

[Codo]

There is no bid beyond 4 Heart. You told your story and partner told his.

[jjbrr]

It would have to consist of all prime cards

[kgr]

helene_t, on Feb 2 2010, 11:39 AM, said:

....I think responder could be 4243, 4252 or 4135. ....

4252 and certainly 4135 are unlikely after the 3NT bid. Responder would have started with 2♦ / 2♣

[jdonn]

DNE, if my hand was that primed out I would definitely bid 4th suit forcing instead of 3NT. In fact I probably would have done that anyway. But if someone springs this on me then 5♣ is natural and anything else is a slam try for hearts.

[hanp]

Inquiry recently started a thread with auctions like these.

[jjbrr]

jdonn, on Feb 2 2010, 12:37 PM, said:

DNE, if my hand was that primed out I would definitely bid 4th suit forcing instead of 3NT. In fact I probably would have done that anyway. But if someone springs this on me then 5♣ is natural and anything else is a slam try for hearts.

given who OP is, I assumed they were just hogging.

just kiddinggggggggggggg MM!

[Jlall]

I think correcting to 5C is possible, trying for slam is not, partner never showed extras.

[matmat]

i guess that means 3n was wrong
AQJx
Ax
AT9x
xxx

[Jlall]

matmat, on Feb 2 2010, 01:41 PM, said:

i guess that means 3n was wrong
AQJx
Ax
AT9x
xxx

Yes 3N is wrong, you may belong in 7S opp Kxx KQJxx x AKxx (16), or in 7H opp Kx KQTxxx x AKxx (15), or in 6C opposite Kx Kxxxx x AKxxx (13!) etc etc.

If you are moving over 4H in this auction for slam, then you could get too high opposite x KJTxxx xx AQxx etc.

Basically there is no reason to jump to 3N when so many possible strains and levels are possible.

[Siegmund]

I would take all further actions by responder as slam tries for hearts (cuebid, ace-asking, 5H either diamond-asking or trump-quality-asking according to the rest of your ageements.)

IMO opener DID show extras: isn't "with a weak 6-4, bid hearts twice immediately, with a stronger 6-4, bid hearts-clubs-hearts" standard? (Or a more extreme shape with less in high cards, of course.)

What I think responder has depends some on what his other options were. matmat's posted hand doesn't look too far wrong to me - though to look for a slam now I would want one less spade face card, with a queen or jack in hearts or clubs that I am now upgrading.

[PhantomSac]

Siegmund, on Feb 2 2010, 02:40 PM, said:

IMO opener DID show extras: isn't "with a weak 6-4, bid hearts twice immediately, with a stronger 6-4, bid hearts-clubs-hearts" standard? (Or a more extreme shape with less in high cards, of course.)

This is how I was taught bridge (and I'm sure all of us were) back in the day but I don't think it really applies anymore, people just bid their second suit now either always or most of the time, depending on suit quality. We've all seen it happen where it goes 1H 1S 2H p and you're cold for 6 of a minor or something, it's just silly to have those kind of results in the name of having one sequence show extra values and one not. With partner routinely preferencing back to your major on a doubleton, there is not really any risk in showing your second suit.