[RMB1]

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IMPs teams of four match, almost level at half-time.
2D was a deliberate upgrade to 24+ (no jacks).
When a major is agreed: -4NT-5C-5D- 5M = not trump Q, cue = K + trump Q, 5NT = trump (no K)

Can you untangle the various responses and then decide what to bid?

[kenrexford]

This is too bizarre.

First, I hate the sequence. Why am I bidding only 3♥ with primes outside and KQxx support?!?!?

Second, how is 4♣ a cue, when Responder showed two suits. Which suit am I supporting?

Third, what suit is in focus after 4NT?

If I assume that hearts is the focus, then why am I asking for the heart Queen when I have it, and why is partner showing it sometimes when he doesn't have it? Does that mean that spades is the focus? Or, does partner have 7-4? Or, did 3♥ set trumps?

If 3♥ set trumps, then 3♠ must have been a cue. If I assume that, then more of this makes sense, but I still don't know why I am asking about the trump queen when I have it or why partner is showing it.

So, my response to all three options is to ask you to pass the one-hit.

[FrancesHinden]

It's unclear on this auction which major is agreed (unless you have agreed that 4C agrees hearts and 4D agrees spades), but because we have both major suit kings and the HQ, we know what partner thinks is trumps.

So partner's 5 of either major from partner says that partner thinks that suit is trumps and he doesn't have the queen. 5NT means that he thinks spades are trumps and he does.

Mind you, the auction is insane. Partner has shown a 0-count and we are the one using Blackwood? How are we supposed to know what level is appropriate?

[Fluffy]

Agree with Frances, 5♥ looks like a missunderstanding, but if he bids 5NT 13 tricks in spades are there if he has ♥A+♠Q so bid 7♠ over 5NT, but I wouldn't take control of the hand.

On the others opponents will need to guess to lead diamonds, or partner might have an extra in a minor, I'd sttle for 6♠.

[Quantumcat]

Cueing after a responder shows two suits after a NT opening usually agrees the second suit (if you were particularly enthusiastic about the first suit, you would have cued instead of accepting the transfer).

So then 4♥ was a cue and denied the king of diamonds or a singleton, 5♣ showed 1 keycard (presumably the ace of hearts) 5♦ asked for the queen of spades, 5♥ said no (presuming you play 1st step no, 2nd step yes). Opener pretended to be interested in spades so he could find out about the spade queen.

Partner has just the ace of hearts, and a doubleton or worse diamond. The spades aren't going on any mysterious club suit (he has a maximum of two clubs), so you can count only 11 tricks (three spades, five hearts, one diamond, two clubs) and will pass.

Although if you DON'T play 1st step no 2nd step yes, and play trump suit = no, other = yes + king/other feature, perhaps he is trying to tell you he has six hearts and four spades (the extra heart being a feature). In that case, he has one club and two diamonds or no clubs and three diamonds. In both cases the extra diamonds can be discarded on your clubs and you will make 13 tricks (he has the queen of spades as well).

So, if you play 1st step no/2nd step yes, then pass, otherwise, bid 7♥ . [or 6♥ if you are very pessimistic, just in case he hasn't got the jack of spades and they break 4-1]

[RMB1]

I guess this wasn't very interesting, for all manner of reasons.

FrancesHinden, on 2011-April-22, 13:29, said:

Mind you, the auction is insane. Partner has shown a 0-count and we are the one using Blackwood? How are we supposed to know what level is appropriate?

I was confident that partner's 4♥ was a slam try with spades agreed, but I have to admit that that confidence may have been based on unauthorised information (partner's calls had been slow).

I had wanted to bid 7♠ opposite ♠Qxxx ♥Axxxx ... but I wasn't sure if this was with the odds (needing spades 3-2 and at least no initial ruff in hearts). This is the decision I thought I would have on the third auction.

I was worried about the first auction, but it did not happen. I wondered subsequently if 5♠ over 5♥ would say that I was asking about ♠Q and partner would not pass with that card (and I could still bid 7♠).

Unfortunately, what I was faced with was the second auction. Perhaps I passed too quickly: assuming we must lose a spade and a diamond.

More unfortunately, partner had ♠Qxxx ♥Axxxx ♦xxxx ♣-- and made 13 tricks. He had worried about which suit was trumps, but decided it was spades and then (in the heat of the moment) bid 5♠ to show ♠Q.