[Coelacanth]

Scoring: IMP

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My partner and I struggled to come up with a good auction for these hands. We ended up in a good spot (6NT), but I think that was more by luck than anything.

Assuming the South hand opens 1♣, can anyone suggest a rational auction to 6NT

( a ) playing whatever gadgets you prefer?
( b ) playing a fairly vanilla Standard American?

Double-dummy, 7NT is on, as East has ♣Kxx and ♥Qx. We picked up a few imps for 6NT= opposite 6C +1 at the other table.

[kfay]

Coelacanth, on May 17 2010, 02:27 PM, said:

Assuming the South hand opens 1♣, can anyone suggest a rational auction to 6NT

No, because 6NT is not a good spot.

Your opponents did great to get to 6♣. If South opens you'll have a hard time not getting there. An auction might go:

1♣-1♠
2♣-2♦
2♥-2♠
3♣-4♣
4♥-4N
5♣-6♣

Not sure how I feel about 4♣... but it does let us bid clubs at every level up to 6!

[gnasher]

kfay, on May 17 2010, 08:37 PM, said:

Coelacanth, on May 17 2010, 02:27 PM, said:

Assuming the South hand opens 1♣, can anyone suggest a rational auction to 6NT

No, because 6NT is not a good spot.

I have rational auctions to bad contracts all the time.

[Cyberyeti]

Correct, 6C is best, 6S is better than 6N (similar chance to make, but goes less off if you don't).

1C-2S (single suited big or opening hand 5+S 4+C)
3C-3S (single suited)
4H-4N (A/K/single/void - RKC)
5D-5H (1/4 - Q?)
6S (yes, nothing else)

is the auction we'd probably produce at the table.

[Coelacanth]

kfay, on May 17 2010, 02:37 PM, said:

No, because 6NT is not a good spot.

Hey, this is a great point. I guess my thoughts were clouded by the knowledge that both the key missing cards are favorably placed.

6NT requires no diamond lead OR finding the ♥Q OR ♣K onside (and knowing which of the latter two to play for). Seems like playing 6 rounds of spades should give you some count information to help you find the ♥Q; I know it did for me.

6NT in the south might be preferable, as West may prefer to lead what looks like a "safe" ♥ from ♥xxxx rather than a ♦. I don't recall the exact diamond spots but he might have had something like ♦Qxx or ♦KJxx. If the opponents have only bid the black suits (other than control bids) the lead problem might be difficult.

On our auction, in which ♥ were bid and raised naturally and ♦ were never mentioned, we were always getting a ♦ lead.

[wyman]

kfay, on May 17 2010, 02:37 PM, said:

Coelacanth, on May 17 2010, 02:27 PM, said:

Assuming the South hand opens 1♣, can anyone suggest a rational auction to 6NT

No, because 6NT is not a good spot.

Your opponents did great to get to 6♣. If South opens you'll have a hard time not getting there. An auction might go:

1♣-1♠
2♣-2♦
2♥-2♠
3♣-4♣
4♥-4N
5♣-6♣

This is exactly the auction I would expect to have. Of course, I'm often playing with Kevin...

[jjbrr]

lol 6NT at imps

[Fluffy]

I think I'd use the same sequence as kfay, at least up to 4♣ assuming that 2♠ is forcing.