[mikl_plkcc]

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1NT = 15-17, no 5-card majors.

A slam should be made, losing a spade only.

[mike777]

it seems after 2c it is pretty easy

all roads lead to slam yes, and I play 14-16?

[Antrax]

1NT-2♣
2♥-3♠ (♥ are trump, slam interest)
4♣ (cue) - 4♦ (cue)
4♥ (deny ♠ control) - 4NT (RKCB ♥)
3KC - 6♥

[mcphee]

How to avoid bidding slam is more like it. Even if S splinters in !D after stayman they will continue with 4!S over the 4!H response. This strikes me as a non problem hand really.

[Cyberyeti]

Playing a weak no trump habitually I don't start with 2♣, but that doesn't stop me (applying our methods to a strong NT).

1N-2♥
2♠-3♥
4♣(cue agreeing ♥)-4♦
4♥-4♠(KC)
4N(0/3)-5♠ (interested in grand, do you have ♠K or Q, I have the other one)
6♦(no but I have K♦)-6♥

I would bid the grand opposite Kxx, AJxx, Axx, Axx.

[TWO4BRIDGE]

"Simple as pie" ...using the Baze convention over Stayman:
1NT - 2C
2H - ??
........ 3C/3D = misfit, 4s/5+minor, GF
........ 3S! = fit, splinter somewhere; 3NT! asks where
........ 4NT = misfit, Quantitative
........ 4C! = fit, RKC-Gerber
........ 4D! = fit, no shortness, slam invite

With no 2 quick losers, I think I'd have Responder choose 4C! ( RKC )... ending in 6H .

[SteveMoe]

I like Two4bridge's approach with a small twist:

1NT - 2♣
2♥ - ??
........ 3♣/3♦ = 4Major/5+minor, GF - might or might not be hearts...
........ 3♠! = fit, splinter somewhere; 3NT! asks where
........ 4NT = misfit, Quantitative - Promises other major.
........ 4♣! = fit, RKC-Gerber
........ 4♦! = fit, no shortness, slam invite
see: http://www.cincybrid...on_Steroids.pdf

So here we have:
1N-2♣
2♥ - 3♠
3N - 4♦
4N - 5♠
5N - 6♣
6♦ - 6♥
AP

Notice if North's hand is slightly different - move the ♦K to ♠:

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Now the bidding will be:
1N-2♣
2♥ - 3♠
3N - 4♦
4N - 5♠
5N - 6♠
7♥ AP

[mikl_plkcc]

Can the above methods guarantee 5-level safety beyond 4♥, and 6-level safety beyond 5♥?

Antrax, on 2012-June-28, 06:02, said:

1NT-2♣
2♥-3♠ (♥ are trump, slam interest)
4♣ (cue) - 4♦ (cue)
4♥ (deny ♠ control) - 4NT (RKCB ♥)
3KC - 6♥

4♦? How can I know whether the ♦ is first or second round control?

I will bid 7 if holding all of the first and second round controls in all suits, if only an 8-card fit is found, the trump Q is also needed.

I will bid 6 if holding all of the above but one first round control, or two second round control missing.

Can I know that whether I can bid 6♥ safely before reaching 5♥?

[Cyberyeti]

mikl_plkcc, on 2012-June-29, 03:09, said:

Can the above methods guarantee 5-level safety beyond 4♥, and 6-level safety beyond 5♥?

Mine can partner is known to have a good hand for playing hearts and the A♣. The hands that aren't safe at the 5 level would have simply have raised to 4♥ rather than cued 4♣.

It's possible you'll be bidding 6 on the spade finesse (xx, AJxx, KQJx, AQx), but I don't consider that a big issue.

[Zelandakh]

mikl_plkcc, on 2012-June-29, 03:09, said:

Can the above methods guarantee 5-level safety beyond 4♥, and 6-level safety beyond 5♥?

North has 7 controls and Axx (AKx for the original hand) in partner's splinter suit - what do you think? Seriously, reaching slam on this hand is so easy playing pretty much any methods that it is not worth posting about. The alternative hand is an attempt to at least try to make something vaguely interesting from it. Unfortunately the grand looks to be even easier than the small slam so no luck. If I wanted to make the hand more interesting I think I would remove the ♣K and ♠J from South and the ♥J from North, so Kxx/Axxx/Axx/Axx opposite AQxxx/KQxx/x/xxx.

[mikl_plkcc]

If North holds 4 small hearts:

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The first two round of bidding will still be the same, but there is no slam. How can I avoid it?

[Zelandakh]

Do you understand the difference between KQJ and Axx opposite a splinter? Do you understand the difference between Kxx/AJxx/Axx/Axx (7 controls) and Kxx/Jxxx/KQJ/AQx (4 controls) for slam purposes? Can you see that on this new hand there are 2 key cards missing whereas on the previous 2 hands all of them are held? Perhaps you need to be asking questions about hand evaluation rather than bidding methods?

[Mbodell]

1nt - 2♣
2♥ - 3♠
3nt - 4♦
4♥ - P

or

1nt - 2♣
2♥ - 3♠
3nt - 4♦
4♥ - 4♠
4nt - 5♥

for the Kxx Jxxx KQJ AQx hand.

[Antrax]

mikl_plkcc, on 2012-June-29, 03:09, said:

Can the above methods guarantee 5-level safety beyond 4♥, and 6-level safety beyond 5♥?



4♦? How can I know whether the ♦ is first or second round control?

I will bid 7 if holding all of the first and second round controls in all suits, if only an 8-card fit is found, the trump Q is also needed.

I will bid 6 if holding all of the above but one first round control, or two second round control missing.

Can I know that whether I can bid 6♥ safely before reaching 5♥?

S drives over the 4-level with their 30+ count and the knowledge they have at most one quick loser in diamonds. Not sure what 6-level safety is, but it sounds like blackwood was designed to guarantee it.

You don't know whether 4♦ is first or second, this is the Italian style. In this case, N knows that 4♦ is a singleton or void, looking at ♦AK.

In the auction I showed, when N bids 4♥, his partner knows they have ♣A to go with his ♣K and that his partner has less than a king in spades. That leaves at least 7 HCP (say N upgraded a 14-count and has ♣AQJ) to go between ♦ and ♥, with S holding 5 of the 20 between both suits. The worst N could have is something like ♥Jxxx and ♦KQJ.

[Statto]

Zelandakh, on 2012-June-29, 03:25, said:

Seriously, reaching slam on this hand is so easy playing pretty much any methods that it is not worth posting about.

This is I/A not interesting hands. That there has been interesting discussion with various methods proposed seems to negate your point