[straube]

New partnership. Partner opens 2N (20-21) and I have

ATxxx KJ98x xx x

I chose 3H, then 5H. Partner corrected to 5S with

Kx Qx AQxxx AKQx

Was I unlucky or did I bid too much?

[kenrexford]

SOmewhat unlucky in a practical auction. But, that's the common refrain for those who end up at the Binsky Level.

[Pict]

You bid too much.

[Rodney26]

straube, on Feb 18 2010, 04:12 PM, said:

New partnership. Partner opens 2N (20-21) and I have

ATxxx KJ98x xx x

I chose 3H, then 5H. Partner corrected to 5S with

Kx Qx AQxxx AKQx

Was I unlucky or did I bid too much?

Pretty unlucky, especially catching a 2-2 major suit holding opposite. Maybe it's best to bid Stayman and only make a slam try if partner has a 4 card major simply because you can control that auction, but there are plenty of hands where a 5-3 fit could produce a laydown slam.

Wonder if anyone has the agreement to transfer to hearts first and then bid spades with a 5/5 over 2NT. The space consumption might be worth more than the ability to show a 4-6-x-x or 5-6-x-x hand, which can't come up much.

[ONEferBRID]

Quote

Wonder if anyone has the agreement to transfer to hearts first and then bid spades with a 5/5 over 2NT. The space consumption might be worth more than the ability to show a 4-6-x-x or 5-6-x-x hand, which can't come up much.

You need to work out proir sequences for 4/5, 5/4, 5/5, 4/6 and 6/4 ... rather than try to compose them on-the-fly .

Also, it makes a difference if you play Puppet or not.

One simple was for a 5/5 might be:
2NT - 3H! ( simple transfer )
3S - 4D! ( Texas transfer )
4H/4S - ??
This way Opener selects his best Major and if you are deemed strong enough,
you could go 4NT ( RKC ) or make a 5-level cuebid.... or a 5-of-trump bid.
Here, Opener's unlikely 2-2 in the Majors is unlucky.

[kenrexford]

Actually, the idea for handling 5-5 slam tries via transfer then 3♠ makes a ton of sense.

2NT-p-3♦-P-

At this juncture, Responder gets to hear possible super-acceptances for hearts. If not...

3♥-P-3♠-P-

Here, again, Responder gets to hear about possible super-acceptances with four spades or with three hearts (4♣ power flag of hearts, 4♦ power flag of spades). If not...

3NT-p-4♠-P-

At this point, Responder gets to show the 5-5 holding, but the auction can stop in theory at 4♠, which is a bonus. As Opener already denied three hearts, he assuredly has a fit for spades, unless he is 2-2 in the majors, with which he will pass IF the partnership undertsnads that this sequence shows a slammish 5-5.

[jdonn]

A bit unlucky if you haven't agreed a way to show this hand. One of partner's diamonds = ten of hearts one time!

[straube]

I think if I had to do it over again, I'd choose the 3D transfer and 3S rebid. I might miss a 3-card spade fit but I won't have to risk the 5-level. We had a 5-1 split, too

[whereagles]

Unlucky. Statistically, a classic 2NT opening has 6 cover cards and you have 7 losers. Hence, 12 tricks are rightly expectable.