[ArtK78]

2NT - transfer to diamonds
3C - no diamond fit
3NT - mild slam try

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Second question: Assume you get to 6♦ by North and get a spade lead. Plan the play.

[jjbrr]

partner made a slam try and i have 4 aces, including AT in partner's 6- or 7-card suit?

[Zelandakh]

Third question: How could the North hand be any better for slam on this auction...

[billw55]

jjbrr, on 2011-October-03, 07:40, said:

partner made a slam try and i have 4 aces, including AT in partner's 6- or 7-card suit?

Agree. What more could north possibly have to move forward? Perhaps north did not know/forgot that 3NT is a slam try.

On the other hand, was south being a little pushy to make the try to begin with?

[whereagles]

Now for the play: take spade, ruff a heart high. If hearts broke, that's 13 tricks I think (it's almost 1 a.m. here.. bear with me). If not, two rounds of trumps, then

If all follow, you ruff another heart high for 12 tricks.
If someone discards on 2nd trump, go back to hand with club, pull trumps and finesse in clubs.

Probably better if you duck 1st spade, as some squeeze possibilities might develop (instead of the club finesse).

[kenrexford]

I would rather open the North hand 2NT than 1NT, so I find it hard to possibly let North off the hook for this bidding disaster.

I mean, Wow!?!?

Using Klinger's analysis, 8 times 3.33 = 26.67; 26.67-17 = 9.33 = add 3 = 20 HCP. Plus, a five-card trick source headed by a tenace and another working 10 and decent body otherwise. Much closer to 2NT than 1NT. Clearly good enough for 1♥...2NT.

So, you downgrade ridiculously and partner, with no Aces, makes a slam move. You have all Aces and a trick source, and decline?!?!?

Weird.

Play.

Duck seems appealing. Presumably another spade hits, so win that. Diamond Ace (reds COULD be 1-1). If all follow, heart, heart, ruff heart high. if hearts 4-2, diamond to 10. If diamonds 4-1, club to hand to pull trumps, playing all of them. Now:

If LHO had the four hearts and the club Queen, he will be in a heart-club show-up squeeze, which might allow me to drop Qx to the right. Or, RHO will be in a spade-club squeeze because LHO cannot save the spade guard. Either way, the club Queen is dropping under the King.

If RHO had the four hearts, this gets a tad complicated.

If LHO has the club Queen, he will be squeezed into a show-up if RHO started with only two spades. If RHO started with three or more spades, then LHO can pitch a spade, forcing RHO to guard spades and forcing a guess. If RHO has the club Queen, LHO must guard spades. The play of the cards by the opponents might give me clues as to what is going on, or someone might make a mistake and create a pseudo-squeeze.

[Cascade]

jjbrr, on 2011-October-03, 07:40, said:

partner made a slam try and i have 4 aces, including AT in partner's 6- or 7-card suit?

Unless explicitly agreed I do not see why responder is not allowed to bid this way with a five-card diamond suit.

[Cascade]

In these situations were we have missed a slam it is my belief that it is almost always the player that is control rich who should have taken further action.

On this bidding north can easily imagine a subminimum that could make a grand slam - ♠ xx ♥ KQx ♦ KQxxxx ♣ xx

[mikestar13]

Cascade, on 2011-October-03, 18:37, said:

In these situations were we have missed a slam it is my belief that it is almost always the player that is control rich who should have taken further action.

On this bidding north can easily imagine a subminimum that could make a grand slam - ♠ xx ♥ KQx ♦ KQxxxx ♣ xx

Exactly. If a perfect (sub)minimum makes a grand lay-down, then when the heck can North not even try for 6?

[MrAce]

kenrexford, on 2011-October-03, 18:16, said:

Play.


If LHO had the four hearts and the club Queen, he will be in a heart-club show-up squeeze, which might allow me to drop Qx to the right. Or, RHO will be in a spade-club squeeze because LHO cannot save the spade guard. Either way, the club Queen is dropping under the King.

Ken, if LHO has 4♥ (assuming ♦ 4-1 too or no problem), then u would see this on the 3rd round of ♥ play. Go to dummy with ♦ T and ruff 4th ♥ safely and clear trumps, no need for squeeze and all. If you start the way u suggested then after ♠A

-♦A (if all follows)
- 2x♥ and ruff a ♥ high (and see who has 4♥), if LHO holds 4 of them then..
-♦ to T (and see 4-1 ♦ break) regardless of who has 4 of them then...
-Ruff 4th ♥ small since u cant be overruffed
-Clear trumps and claim 12 tricks.

If RHO has 4♥, when u go to dummy with ♦ T, if 3-2 u have a claim, if 4-1 and RHO has also 4♦ u still have a claim.

[jschafer]

I wouldn't open 1NT and wouldn't value the South hand worth a slam try over 1NT. When South makes a slam try I think North should make a move given that he has denied nice ♦ support with 3♣. Both North and South deserve some blame for their bidding but only North for missing the slam. My 2/1 auction would have been something like:

1♥-2♦
2NT-3NT
4NT-6♦