[dake50]

They may or may not be. Why are you so sure they aren't? Maybe this is a completely standard auction (or do you know that your team-mates never bid 6NT with less than 34hcp?)
*** Flip your argument. Are your teammates in slam missing SAK - 2 quick tricks?? Some teams are that weak, mine isn't.

[FrancesHinden]

dake50, on 2013-September-22, 07:40, said:

They may or may not be. Why are you so sure they aren't? Maybe this is a completely standard auction (or do you know that your team-mates never bid 6NT with less than 34hcp?)
*** Flip your argument. Are your teammates in slam missing SAK - 2 quick tricks?? Some teams are that weak, mine isn't.

Really? You have a balanced 13-count, partner opens 2NT, what do you bid?
People tend not to lead away from an A or K against the auction 2NT-6NT, so it makes 50% of the time + 3/4 of the 25% of the time the AK are in the non-leader's hand (unless they play double as asking for a spade lead. Even then it still makes 50% of the time)

Even if they work out they are off an ace and a king, slam is likely to be cold or at worse on a finesse if they have a combined 33-count and the A/K are in different suits.

[gordontd]

dake50, on 2013-September-22, 07:40, said:

Are your teammates in slam missing SAK - 2 quick tricks?? Some teams are that weak, mine isn't.

You must have truly remarkable team-mates, and have done well to get them to play with you.

[PhilG007]

PhilG007, on 2013-September-18, 14:46, said:

If you double, where can the opponents run to? Answer Nowhere
Double,then lead out your two top spades and kill the slam in its cradle...

Why didn't North check on Aces instead of acting like a bull in a china
shop and barge on to slam???

[ArtK78]

PhilG007, on 2013-September-23, 14:53, said:

Why didn't North check on Aces instead of acting like a bull in a china
shop and barge on to slam???

So he finds out that the partnership is missing an ace.

So what? Should he ask for kings now?

In the meantime, he is giving his LHO a chance to double for the lead of the suit in response to the ace asking bid. Or to not double, suggesting that the lead of another suit might be a good idea.

[lamford]

PhilG007, on 2013-September-23, 14:53, said:

Why didn't North check on Aces instead of acting like a bull in a china shop and barge on to slam???

I am sure your teammates would have bid sliding Gerber and would have been able to stop in 5NT. But not everyone has as good teammates as you.

[barmar]

PhilG007, on 2013-September-23, 14:53, said:

Why didn't North check on Aces instead of acting like a bull in a china
shop and barge on to slam???

That's not your problem. Just be happy they did and take your plus.

Did you see Robson's video? It showed a hand where he recommended blasting to 6NT, and then was able to run to 7♣, which was successful because it put your partner on lead and he didn't guess right, and then you got squeezed. I realize this is an unlikely parlay, but why risk it?

Have you forgotten that it's BAM scoring? It doesn't matter how much you beat them by, just that you do better than at the other table. If your teammates avoid the slam, you're winning the board.

[lamford]

barmar, on 2013-September-23, 15:45, said:

Have you forgotten that it's BAM scoring? It doesn't matter how much you beat them by, just that you do better than at the other table. If your teammates avoid the slam, you're winning the board.

The fact that it is BAM makes it more beneficial to double. The two most likely scores in the other room are surely +100 and +200. If this poll is anything to go by, they will be split 50-50. If they are in 6NT and there is no unlikely or no successful runout, if you double you will win the board half the time and tie it half the time, and if you don't double you will lose it half the time and tie it half the time.

[Endymion77]

> If your teammates avoid the slam, you're winning the board.

As it was already pointed out, it's far from certain that my teammates would avoid the slam, 2NT - 6NT sounds like a rather standard auction to me. And even in the unlikely case that they do run successfully to 7m, it's far from the disaster it would be at IMPs - just one board lost.

[jogs]

Endymion77, on 2013-September-24, 01:26, said:

> If your teammates avoid the slam, you're winning the board.

As it was already pointed out, it's far from certain that my teammates would avoid the slam, 2NT - 6NT sounds like a rather standard auction to me. And even in the unlikely case that they do run successfully to 7m, it's far from the disaster it would be at IMPs - just one board lost.

Maybe it is time partnerships start bidding slams based on
controls rather than HCP.

[aguahombre]

I got a good chuckle the other day.

2C-2D
2N-3C
3D-6N followed by p p (X).

I ran to 7C on AKX AKX XX AKJXXX, blissfully remembering the Stayman bid, but forgetting I was the first to bid clubs.

7CX down two was infinitely better than 6NTX down six (and a push with 6N undoubled). Had we been vulnerable, the Double would have cost them the board at BAM for 500 vs. 600

[mycroft]

You're off an ace and a king and that's it. More often than not, you're making 6NT - unless they're in the same suit. And they're led.

You're off 7 high. More often than not, you're making 6NT - unless they're AK same suit. And they're led.

Not always, by any stretch of the imagination. But 33-35 high has been the standard for two balanced hands for a long time, because it works.

Finding out what controls are missing means that you miss the "unmakeable" slams - but you're +660 against many +1440s that *could be*, but *weren't*, set.