[Echognome]

Scoring: IMP

1♣ - 1♥;
2♣ - 2♦*;
3♦ - 3♥;
3NT - ?

---

*ART, Forcing --> 3♥ forcing

For this problem, you do not play jump shifts over partner's 1m openings.

You pick up this monster and are pleasantly surprised to hear partner open the bidding. You are a couple of bids in and may or may not agree with your earlier calls. But here you are.

What now?

[Fluffy]

4♣ sounds nat to me, so I'll try 4♦ rather, and bid good old blacky next

[pooltuna]

I am going to assume partner has the k♦ for his 3NT call and then play 5,6,or 7♥ based on partner showing 0,1,or 2 aces

[aguahombre]

pooltuna, on Sep 7 2010, 11:30 AM, said:

I am going to assume partner has the k♦ for his 3NT call and then play 5,6,or 7♥ based on partner showing 0,1,or 2 aces

I would assume a spade stopper, and hold my breath while I try 4D. Now it is opener's ball. Maybe she will know that the black bullets and the diamond king are the keys.

[gwnn]

pooltuna, on Sep 7 2010, 05:30 PM, said:

I am going to assume partner has the k♦ for his 3NT call and then play 5,6,or 7♥ based on partner showing 0,1,or 2 aces

well how do you ask about the # of aces? Just curious..

[pooltuna]

gwnn, on Sep 7 2010, 12:36 PM, said:

pooltuna, on Sep 7 2010, 05:30 PM, said:

I am going to assume partner has the k♦ for his 3NT call and then play 5,6,or 7♥ based on partner showing 0,1,or 2 aces

well how do you ask about the # of aces? Just curious..

4♣ is Gerber, right?

[hrothgar]

The opponent's have a 9 card spade fit and we haven't heard nary a peep? Looks like partner is sitting on Spade honors...

I start by cue bidding 4♣. I normally don't like to cue bid shortness in a suit that partner has bid naturally, however, I desperately want to know about the Club King)

If partner cues 4♦ he's marked with the Diamond King. At this point in time, I can simply ask for Aces and set the contract.

If partner rebids 4♥ life is a lot uglier. I might be able to pitch two Diamonds on partner's Black suits; however, I'm not expecting many entries to his hand to establish clubs and

AKx
x
xxx
AKxxxx

is a mighty small target.

I'd probably continue with 4♠

[jdonn]

4♣ seems clearly natural to me. If all you want to do is ask aces it's 5♣, gerber when gerber is not available woot.

[JLOGIC]

4D followed by 4N

[mikeh]

JLOGIC, on Sep 7 2010, 12:58 PM, said:

4D followed by 4N

a good plan assuming that 4N is still available to you next turn.

Maybe he should always bid 4♥ on the way lacking the spade Ace and always bid 4♠ with that card....but I'd be uncomfortable waiting to see his move.

5♣ should be gerber here.....but with an unfamiliar partner, I'd be uncomfortable waiting after that bid as well.

Since 4♦ at least offers a good chance of being able to keycard with assurance, it is my call unless confident that 5♣ will be correctly interpreted.

[Siegmund]

Looks like a serious missed opportunity to not go to 4NT over 3D, our one chance to ask for all 3 cards we cared about.

[Echognome]

Good point on 5♣. I missed it in the poll options (although other is available). Our auction was different, since we had a bidding misunderstanding, but was just trying to get a feel for how it may have gone.

[Fluffy]

Siegmund, on Sep 7 2010, 07:43 PM, said:

Looks like a serious missed opportunity to not go to 4NT over 3D, our one chance to ask for all 3 cards we cared about.

I noramlly like this ideas, however note that here there are many hands with no ♦K that produce excellent slams and grand slams

[655321]

Agree with 4♦.

[Zelandakh]

Fluffy, on Sep 7 2010, 08:11 PM, said:

Siegmund, on Sep 7 2010, 07:43 PM, said:

Looks like a serious missed opportunity to not go to 4NT over 3D, our one chance to ask for all 3 cards we cared about.

I noramlly like this ideas, however note that here there are many hands with no ♦K that produce excellent slams and grand slams

Not to mention that if partner bids 5m we are completely stuck since 5H would be a queen ask.

A system question to the Gnome. What are the differences between

1C - 1H; 2C - 4H
1C - 1H; 2C - 2D; 3D - 4H
1C - 1H; 2C - 2D; 3D - 3H; 3N - 4H

Is there space to use one of these as a picture bid with solid hearts and slam interest?

This problem seems to be about looking for something like Axx/-/Kxxx/Axxxxx while catering for KQJ/-/xxxx/KQJxxx. The only bid that seems to give us a chance of that now is 4D.

FWIW I think there's a decent case for just using bashing out 4NT (ord BW) over 1C for this hand when a strong jump shift is unavailable.