[pilun]

---

East showed
hearts, not spades, 11-15
balanced
3-4-2-4
8 SPs (3/2/1)
♥ - 0/4+ QPs (so AK/AQ)
♣ - y, ♠ - no

5♠ survived.

West's issue was that East could have had ♣Axxx, since that's the same 3 SPs as KQxx. Then 6♠ is basically 3-2 trumps.
This is a regular issue, usually solved by asking for kontrols. That leaves the ♠Q to be revealed. We might do

3♥ over 3♣ as a kontrol ask. Then 5 kontrols = slam, maybe even grand. Otherwise

3♥ - 3NT = 4 kontrols

Now West might take a chance on the ♣Q but still needs to find the ♠Q.
Going round the block again looking for queens in our crude DCB won't work in time. Better methods would solve this.

What we can do is bid 4♦ as a mild slam try, requiring describer to bid bad potential trump suits up the line. (See earlier post)

4♦ - 4♠ = HH hearts, no spade honour.
Pass

Or 6♠ if describer bypasses 4♠

[mike777]

Fwiw
I think a lot of different systems might end up in 5S

[pescetom]

mike777, on 2026-August-24, 08:09, said:

Fwiw
I think a lot of different systems might end up in 5S

And they might be right too

I think that with XYZ and control bidding East might envision 6S, with optimism about the Queens:

____ 1C
1S - 1N
2N - 3C
3D - 3S
4D - 4H
5D - 6S
P

3D = 5-5, slammish
4H = clubs
5D = hearts, diamonds, odd

A more pragmatic RKCB would have stopped in 5S after denial of trump Queen.

[mw64ahw]

I'd find the A♣ and Q♠ missing, but 4.5 mod. losers vs. 7.5 suggests 6♠ may have some play so I may take the leap.

Not quite sure what system you are playing though.

[pilun]

mw64ahw, on 2026-August-25, 02:38, said:

I'd find the A♣ and Q♠ missing, but 4.5 mod. losers vs. 7.5 suggests 6♠ may have some play so I may take the leap.

Not quite sure what system you are playing though.

Symmetric with 4cM openings.

[Zelandakh]

Do you have a way in your system to agree spades after 3♣ and thereby switch to a control cue + RKCB auction? This seems like the obvious solution on hands like this, if available.

[pilun]

Zelandakh, on 2026-August-29, 12:02, said:

Do you have a way in your system to agree spades after 3♣ and thereby switch to a control cue + RKCB auction? This seems like the obvious solution on hands like this, if available.

Yes, it's a bit lucky.
3♠ over 3♣ would set spades but isn't KC.
Hard to pick up the ♥K, which is needed if no ♠Q.

Spades and clubs can be set after that start, but not a red suit. A bit random.
We rarely go down that path.