[jillybean]

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[BunnyGo]

South gets the blame. At least 80% of it, and I think all of it. (S)he has a singleton, 4 card support and AK, A. This should not be a 3NT sign off. North has (for the most part) shown the hand. Hasn't shown the heart void, but I don't think North should necessarily pull from 3NT.

[helene_t]

South knows from North's failure to raise hearts that there is at most one heart looser so North needs only ♣AK and ♦A for slam. Alternatively maybe a heart can go on the spades, or maybe ♣K can be finessed.

North's 3♣ bid doesn't show extra values (I think) but is xx-Jx-KQx-AJxxxx a 3♣ bid? I think North should have either ♣AK and/or seven clubs. And if she has seven clubs there is a good chance that she has only three cards in the majors and therefore no heart loser.

So from South's point of view 5♣ must be safe. The question is how South can explore slam. Playing 1430 helps so that you can stop in 5♣ if two keycards are missing, but if North has two keycards it is crucial if she has three or four cards in the majors. North probably won't cue shortness in partner's suit but she could cue the spade shortness.

So I think South could have done something. Make a slam try with 4♣ and if North can cue spades then ask for keycards. If you play 0314 then it is more of a gamble. South would have to punt 6♣ after hearing the spade cue.

North might also have done more than just 3♣. The hand is freaky enough to not want to play 3NT so 4♣ or 5♣ would make life easier for South. The void in partner's suit is of course reason for caution. Pulling 3NT to 4♣ may describe the hand better but I am not sure if I would torture partner with such a bid. It looks very weird first to limit your hand and then pull partner's 3NT.

Good problem. A little bit of blame to South and maybe a tiny bit to North also, but above all it is a difficult hand.

[Phil]

Both get plenty. I wouldn't dream of passing 3N with a 1=0=4=8.

How about a little love with these controls, 4 card support and a side stiff?

[jjbrr]

I would have rebid 4♣ with the N hand, over which S can just bid slam or keycard or whatever. Over 3♣, S should definitely at least splinter and he almost has enough to drive to slam himself.

[ArtK78]

Wow.

So much blame. So little time.

South has a small singleton in an unbid suit and bids 3NT? Truly odd. AK A in the majors, a singleton in the unbid minor and Qxxx in support for a suit that partner rebid freely at the 3 level. If that doesn't indicate that there may be a slam here (or, at the very least, a better game), I don't know what does.

As for North - there is an old adage in bridge: "What do you call an 8 card suit? TRUMP!" OK, there are exceptions to every rule, but passing 3NT holding 1-0-4-8 distribution is just too much. Partner made a free bid at the 2 level and then bid a game in notrump. Partner could easily have the cards needed to produce a slam and not know it. It only takes ♠A ♦AQ and 2 clubs to be virtually cold for 6♣, and if partner also has 4 diamonds or 3 clubs then 7♣ could be a claim.

If partner were looking at Axx QJxxx AQ xxx do you think he would know that there was a cold grand slam in clubs on this auction?

Really, there is a lot of blame on this one.

[the hog]

jillybean, on 2011-June-20, 16:12, said:

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South's 3NT bid is indescribably bad. Even though this post is in the B/I section, I rarely have seen such a bad bid. South has AK A, a singleton, has heard partner promise a good hand by rebidding C at the 3 level, (yes, this certainly does show a better than min hand and very good Cs) and has 4 card support as well!
As Nth I would have opened 5C and I would certainly have bid 5C over 3NT, so I don't think Nth is blameless either.

[han]

Phil, on 2011-June-20, 17:18, said:

Both get plenty. I wouldn't dream of passing 3N with a 1=0=4=8.

How about a little love with these controls, 4 card support and a side stiff?

Agree.

[jillybean]

How should South proceed over 3♣? Is 4♣ a slam try or game try in this competitive auction?

[BunnyGo]

jillybean, on 2011-June-21, 10:23, said:

How should South proceed over 3♣? Is 4♣ a slam try or game try in this competitive auction?

I like a bid of 4♦ by south as a splinter. 3♠ is better than 4♣ in that it is at least clearly forcing.

I'm not sure the exact strength of 4♣, it strikes me as weaker than the other two options, but should be a hand strong enough to bid 2♥ and then support clubs. Probably a weak slam try looking to cooperate if north can make a try on the way to 5♣.

[han]

I think it is far better to play 4C as a slam try, not a game try.

Of course bunny is right in that 4D is more descriptive.

[jillybean]

4♦ would be great, if it wasn't kickback.

I wouldn't be in this spot with my regular partner, he wouldn't bid 3N/3♣
but I am going to disucss 4♣ as a slam try here.

[Phil]

jillybean, on 2011-June-21, 16:38, said:

4♦ would be is great, if it wasn't since its kickback.

fyp

[jjbrr]

I like to bash kickback a lot, but this is pretty much the perfect use for it. You want to drive to slam opposite aces and stop in 5♣ when you're missing two.

With that said, I hope you've discussed how to answer with a useful void! For me, 5♦ would be North's response, but I can't say my partner and I haven't had this accident in a serious event.

[jillybean]

4♦ would be is great, if it wasn't since its kickback.

Phil, on 2011-June-21, 16:49, said:

fyp

lol very good.
When partner responds 4N, what is your bid? I guess you count on K♣ dropping and bid 6.

[han]

Agree, 4D is fine. So would 4NT btw, since partner never has 0.