[the_dude]

Club game (matchpoints) you are NV opps are VUL

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You play pretty basic 2/1. Partner's double is 3cd support and says nothing about his values - he would tend to make this double regardless of other holdings.

How optimistic/pessimistic are you?

Side question - Can you bid 5♣ as a "second try", would it be clear that spades is trump and not clubs?

[billw55]

First thought: I'll take a shot at six. Vulnerable ops both bidding diamonds give me hope of minimal wasted values with partner.

Second thought: I am getting tapped from trick one, so I will probably need trumps 3-2, which brings the slam under 70% by itself. So maybe I should cool my jets.

[Codo]

It may help our descission if we would know what 4 spades show- minimum for sure- But does it deny a heart control for you or not?
For me it does, so I need something like QJx, xx, xxx,AQJxx to make slam... QJx,QJx,xxx,AQJx would be nice too...

Unluckily, I have no way to find out whether partner holds one of the good heart holdings, so I need to guess now...

IF partner did not deny a heart control, I would give it one more try for sure.

[ahydra]

I think it's worth one more try but no more, but would bid 5D. 5D feels clearer (showing the void) than 5H, and I know 5C is just going to get passed out

We look to be having about 23+ of the 30-point deck. If partner has no wasted diamond values, then great; if he has say ♠Qxx ♥xxx ♦KJx ♣AQxx then we're nowhere near a making slam.

ahydra

[Cyberyeti]

billw55, on 2013-June-06, 06:45, said:

First thought: I'll take a shot at six. Vulnerable ops both bidding diamonds give me hope of minimal wasted values with partner.

Second thought: I am getting tapped from trick one, so I will probably need trumps 3-2, which brings the slam under 70% by itself. So maybe I should cool my jets.

Not necessarily, QJx, x, xxx, AQJxxx is cold for 13 with spades 4-1.

Is 4♥ a mandatory cue/last train/cue only if good over 4♦ for you ?

How would you bid KJ10xx, AKQ, void, Qxxxx ? that will tell you if 5♣ is natural or a cue.

Also note that you might want to play in clubs.

QJx, xxx, Qx, AQJ10x might make 7♣ but only 5♠

Quote

We look to be having about 23+ of the 30-point deck. If partner has no wasted diamond values, then great; if he has say ♠Qxx ♥xxx ♦KJx ♣AQxx then we're nowhere near a making slam.

A♦ lead and a 3-3 club break will make 6♣, add the J♣ and it's not silly as any diamond lead gives you good chances.

[ArtK78]

Hard to believe that slam doesn't have play.

I am not sure that 5♣ is not natural on this auction, so i am not willing to take that chance. I bid 5♥. We may have a grand here.

As I bid 5♥ looking for a grand, I did not vote for 5♥ in the poll, since that call was still trying for a small slam.

Having said that, as this is a club game and bidding and making 6♠ is likely to be a good score, perhaps that is the way to go. I would have to know my club players better to make that judgment.

[Winstonm]

Without knowing partner's propensities it is impossible to answer. If partner is prone to open this: xxx, Qxx, Kxx, AQxx, at this vulnerability, then 1 slam try is enough. If the partnership tends toward a little sounder openings, I would venture 5S as a general try.

[MrAce]

5♥. GIB convention card "help suit slam try"

[PhilKing]

Since it's clear that 4♦ did not put us on firm ground, perhaps it was not the right bid. Had we bid 3♥, showing, of all things, a hand with spades and hearts, we could have a sensible auction. A later diamond cue might even lead to an intelligent conclusion - we could even belong in hearts.

[benlessard]

the way I play 4D show a void, therefore a 4S reply should show a minimum hand and a wasted D card. So I im going to need both M to break to have a decent slam.

Without those agreement I would bid 3H.

[32519]

the_dude, on 2013-June-06, 06:03, said:

You play pretty basic 2/1. Partner's double is 3cd support and says nothing about his values - he would tend to make this double regardless of other holdings.

How optimistic/pessimistic are you?

Side question - Can you bid 5♣ as a "second try", would it be clear that spades is trump and not clubs?

Any chance North has a 3424 distribution? Never having shown the ♥ suit, any chance of having missed a 5/4 ♥ fit?

[rhm]

the_dude, on 2013-June-06, 06:03, said:

Club game (matchpoints) you are NV opps are VUL

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You play pretty basic 2/1. Partner's double is 3cd support and says nothing about his values - he would tend to make this double regardless of other holdings.

How optimistic/pessimistic are you?

Side question - Can you bid 5♣ as a "second try", would it be clear that spades is trump and not clubs?

South butchered the hand already. After North support double North most likely hand is a balanced weak notrump
What stops North from having 3♠=4♥=3♦=3♣ such as ♠xxx ♥KQxx ♦Kxx ♣Axx.
Suppressing a 5 card major on good hands is rarely a good idea. Strain selection comes before control bidding.
South should have bid 3♥. The diamond control bid can wait.
Even if North does not have four hearts, bidding hearts first and then control bidding diamonds will tell partner what you are looking for.
For example if partner bids 3NT over 3♥, you might still bid 4♦ next but would not want to bypass 4♠ yourself.
If North does not bid 3NT over 3♥, for example 4♣, you would have reason to be optimistic.

Rainer Herrmann