[stegenborg]

Scoring: IMP

---

This hand is from a fairly strong Norwegian team tournament.
The heart slam was only bid at 4 out of 20 tables. One table played 6NT.

Most pairs (including my partner and me) play natural systems (acol or 2/1) with 2♣ as only force.

How would you bid the slam?

Regards
Kristian

[mich-b]

Perhaps:

P - 2♣
2♦ - 2NT
3♣ - 3♥
3♠ ....
......... 6♥

3♠ = Artificial , agreeing ♥ , slam invite.
(If you dont play this, bid whatever agrees ♥s and invites slam, maybe 4♦ is cue for you?)

[jvage]

Playing Puppet Stayman and showing the South hand as a 22-24NT:
P - 2♣
2♦ - 2NT
3♣ - 3♦ (one or both majors)
3♠ (4 hearts, not 4 spades) - ?

If South bids a lazy 4♥ North should probably pass, but even with a minimum point-count the South hand seems very good for hearts. I would bid 4♣ (cue with extra). Then:
4♦ - 4♥ (this time fortunately it doesn't matter if 4♦ is cue, Last Train or a retransfer )

All ways should lead to slam. I think I prefer 5♥, but would expect 4NT from most non-experts. Depending on your agreed meaning for 4♦ 5♦ may also be an option. I have actually been in worse grand slams than this, it only seems to require decent splits in both hearts and diamonds.

John

[Fluffy]

I'd start with 1♦-1♥ but after that it looks like a leap of faith to reach slam.

[hrothgar]

Fluffy, on Sep 21 2010, 03:26 PM, said:

I'd start with 1♦-1♥ but after that it looks like a leap of faith to reach slam.

I dislike opening 2♣ with two suited hands intensely. I dislike opening 2♣ with a Diamond Heart two suiter more than any other two suiter. Consequently, I quite comfortable reversing on strong hands.

With all this said and done, this hand looks WAY too strong to consider anything other than a 2♣ opening.

Here's the rub... This hand looks way to strong for a simple 2NT rebid. This is a primed out 22 count with three Aces and a 5 card suit.

If you're going to claim that this is a balanced hand, you need to lie about your point count. I you can relay through 2♥ then do so.

2♣ - 2♦
2♥- 2♠
2N - ...

Alternatively, bite the bullet and show the Diamond suit.

[P_Marlowe]

Lets see

Pass - 2C (1)
2D (2) - 2NT (3)
3C (4) - 3H (4)
3S (5) - 3NT (6)
4D (7) - 4NT (8)
5D (8) - 6H

(1) strong
(2) Relais
(3) selling the hand as 22-23, the alternative is 3D, but it is just a
5 card suit, and there is a rebid problem
Given the 5-4 shape, with honors in the short suit, the NT rebid looks
fairly clear
AK in clubs is a downgrading factor, so you have 22/23 HCP, but not more.
(4) Stayman
(5) setting hearts as trumps, I think 4H is lazy
(6) serious / a waiting bid, asking p, to describe his hand, again 4H is lazy
(7) cue, showing a top honor in diamond, denying top honors in clubs
(8) RKCB, 1KC

The key is, that both sides need to avoid lazy bids, I am not claiming,
that I would not bid a lazy 4H instead of 3S / 3NT.
If 4H gets bid, that will end the auction.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[spotlight7]

Hi:

2C-2D-2NT-3C-3H-3S*=H slam try-3N*(serious slam try)-4D(cue)
check on key cards and bid 6H

My 2C-2D-2NT bids shows 22-24 so I would never think about forcing to game
with this hand. You have no game unless partner has some values or a magic fit.

Regards,
Robert

[hanp]

2C - 2D
2NT - 3C
3H - 3S (asks about number of hearts)
3NT (4 hearts) - 4D (hearts slam try, could be a fake cue)
!!!

Quote

Here's the rub... This hand looks way to strong for a simple 2NT rebid. This is a primed out 22 count with three Aces and a 5 card suit.

Imo it's absurd to upgrade this hand by 3 points.

[Cyberyeti]

Depends what I open, if I open 1♦ it's easy:

1♦-1♥-2N(GF unbalanced)-3♣(almost forced)-4♦(2452)-4♥-4♠(Keycard)-5♣(1/4)-5N(rolling, show me a minor suit K if you have one)-6♦(K♦)-7♥.

The only real risk is that partner has xxxx, Axxx, Kxx, xx and there aren't sufficient discards to get rid of the spades.

If I open 2♣, we bid:

2♣-2♦-2N(23-24)-3♣(5 card major enq)-3♦(no 5 card major, not 2♠/3♥)-3♥-4♣(cue agreeing ♥)-4♦(cue and values)-4♠(keycard) and again the grand may well be reached.

[Free]

2♣-2♠ (strong ; 8-10 BAL)
2NT-3♣ (pretty bal most of the time ; Puppet Stayman)
3♦-3♠ (4 card M ; 4♥ not 4♠)
4♣-4♦ (cue with ♥ fit ; cue)
...
Now opener knows about ♦K (balanced, so 2+♦, so must have ♦K to cuebid).

[dake50]

Miss 4-4H slam, miss 5-3D or 5-4D slam are possible fails to calling this bal 22.
You saw that fail 16 of 20 times in a "fairly strong Norwegian team tournament".
Do you still pick your poison --showing this hand strong bal? Hope never again?
I have a 1D(F1) to show 18+ hearts or H+m. That finds H:4-4 fit and D-top help quickly. Just grand/slam to decide.

[Cyberyeti]

dake50, on Sep 21 2010, 09:45 AM, said:

Miss 4-4H slam, miss 5-3D or 5-4D slam are possible fails to calling this bal 22.
You saw that fail 16 of 20 times in a "fairly strong Norwegian team tournament". 
Do you still pick your poison --showing this hand strong bal? Hope never again?
  I have a 1D(F1) to show 18+ hearts or H+m. That finds H:4-4 fit and D-top help quickly. Just grand/slam to decide.

Bidding these slams not too difficult if you play anything sensible over 2N.

Example:

---

Example from yesterday, we bid 2N-3♣-3♦-3♠-3N-4♣-4N-5N at which point partner had a cow flew by moment and bid 6N rather than the 6♣ that he should bid, fortunately a diamond was led and this was claimed immediately.

3♣ 5 card major enq, 3♦ no 5M, not 22/23 in majors, 4♣ 4+cards, 4N to play without 4♣, 5N pass or pick a slam still interested

[655321]

Cyberyeti, on Sep 21 2010, 08:44 AM, said:

Depends what I open, if I open 1♦ it's easy:

Not so easy this time it seems. It is customary on the forums when given both hands to bid to notice the best contract then construct an auction, however improbable, to reach it. 7♥ is a fairly abominable contract.

[Cyberyeti]

655321, on Sep 21 2010, 10:30 AM, said:

Cyberyeti, on Sep 21 2010, 08:44 AM, said:

Depends what I open, if I open 1♦ it's easy:

Not so easy this time it seems. It is customary on the forums when given both hands to bid to notice the best contract then construct an auction, however improbable, to reach it. 7♥ is a fairly abominable contract.

Abominable being slightly with the odds I think.

If diamonds and hearts behave you're cold for this.

If diamonds behave and hearts are 4-1 onside, and the third round club ruff stands up or the Q drops in 1 or 2 you're fine.

If hearts are 3-2 and one ruff establishes the diamonds, you need the queen of clubs to drop in 1, 2 or 3 rounds.

There are also plenty of possiblilities if J♥ is single and some where J♦ is.

At the point you bid the grand, partner could easily hold the J♦, J♥ or Q♣ instead of the J or be 3433 and it could be a lot better than it actually is, he could equally be 4432 and it could have no play.

[hanp]

This one is interesting:

Quote

If hearts are 3-2 and one ruff establishes the diamonds, you need the queen of clubs to drop in 1, 2 or 3 rounds.

May I ask how you play this after, say, a spade lead?

[Cyberyeti]

hanp, on Sep 21 2010, 12:16 PM, said:

This one is interesting:

Quote

If hearts are 3-2 and one ruff establishes the diamonds, you need the queen of clubs to drop in 1, 2 or 3 rounds.

May I ask how you play this after, say, a spade lead?

You are correct I think, specifically a spade lead does cause a communication blockage. Curiously given how passive most people go on opening lead against grands, the lack of spade cards might well help, I think it's very unlikely one will be led from Hxxx for example.

On a spade lead if the diamonds don't run you need the Q♣ to drop in 2, on any other lead you can have it dropping in 3.

[junyi_zhu]

stegenborg, on Sep 21 2010, 10:27 AM, said:

Scoring: IMP

---

This hand is from a fairly strong Norwegian team tournament.
The heart slam was only bid at 4 out of 20 tables. One table played 6NT.

Most pairs (including my partner and me) play natural systems (acol or 2/1) with 2♣ as only force.

How would you bid the slam?

Regards
Kristian

2C 2D
2H(may have 4 if holding a longer m) 3D(4+ card H, extra value)
3S(cue) 4D(cue, showing extra value in the range, serious slam interest)
4S(RKC) 4N(1 or 4)
6C(CK) 6D(DK)
6H( I have pretty much shown my hand) pass (nothing much to show).

[mike777]

stegenborg, on Sep 21 2010, 05:27 AM, said:

<!-- NORTHSOUTH begin --><table border=1> <tr> <td> <table> <tr> <td>Dealer:</td> <td> North </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Vul:</td> <td> N/S </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Scoring:</td> <td> IMP </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td> <table border='1'> <tr> <th> <table> <tr> <th class='spades'>♠</th> <td> 732 </td> </tr> <tr> <th class='hearts'>♥</th> <td> AT73 </td> </tr> <tr> <th class='diamonds'>♦</th> <td> K8 </td> </tr> <tr> <th class='clubs'>♣</th> <td> J942 </td> </tr> </table> </th> </tr> <tr> <th> <table> <tr> <th class='spades'>♠</th> <td> A4 </td> </tr> <tr> <th class='hearts'>♥</th> <td> KQ82 </td> </tr> <tr> <th class='diamonds'>♦</th> <td> AQT32 </td> </tr> <tr> <th class='clubs'>♣</th> <td> AK </td> </tr> </table> </th> </tr> </table> </td> <td>  </td> </tr> </table><!-- NORTHSOUTH end -->

This hand is from a fairly strong Norwegian team tournament.
The heart slam was only bid at 4 out of 20 tables. One table played 6NT.

Most pairs (including my partner and me) play natural systems (acol or 2/1) with 2♣ as only force.

How would you bid the slam?

Regards
Kristian

maybe?


p=2c=2d
3h=4s
5c=5d
6c=6d
6h

2d=random a or k..gf
3h=5+d and 4h. 3 loser hand or better
4s=rkc in h
5c=1-4
5d=q ask
6c= shows qh and KC deny KD and KS.
6d shows KD/grand try.

[PrinceNep]

mich-b, on Sep 21 2010, 05:43 AM, said:

Perhaps:

P - 2♣
2♦ - 2NT
3♣ - 3♥
3♠ ....
......... 6♥

3♠ = Artificial , agreeing ♥ , slam invite.
(If you dont play this, bid whatever agrees ♥s and invites slam, maybe 4♦ is cue for you?)

I like Mich-b's bidding, except over 3♠ I think South should bid 4♣ and then North 4♦. Now South can Keycard and realistically stop in 6♥ ... bidding 7♥ on state of the match (Jxx in one suit and 3-2 in another happens sometimes, right?).

[Zelandakh]

stegenborg, on Sep 21 2010, 10:27 AM, said:

Dealer: North Vul: N/S Scoring: IMP

♠ 732 ♥ AT73 ♦ K8 ♣ J942 ♠ A4 ♥ KQ82 ♦ AQT32 ♣ AK

This hand is from a fairly strong Norwegian team tournament.
The heart slam was only bid at 4 out of 20 tables. One table played 6NT.

Most pairs (including my partner and me) play natural systems (acol or 2/1) with 2♣ as only force.

How would you bid the slam?

Regards
Kristian

1C(1) - 1D(2)
1H(3) - 1S(4)
2N(5) - 3C(6)
3D(7) - 3S(.8.)
4C(9) - 4D(A)
4H(.B.) - 4S(.C.)
4N(D) - 6H(E)

1. 15+ bal/nat, or 18+ any
2. 0-8 any
3. 18-20 any, or 23+ bal
4. relay
5. 23-24 bal
6. puppet Stayman
7. 3-4 spades and/or 4 hearts
8. 4 hearts
9. 4 hearts, would accept a slam try
A. puppet to 4H
B. forced
C. RKCB
D. 1 or 4
E. not enough general strength to make a grand likely

For 'natural' system just come in at Note 5 after 2C-2D-2NT.