[masse24]

West Dealer

---

We do not have the tools to bid the grand...

Suggestions?

Thanks!

[BunnyGo]

FWIW I don't think any of my partnerships would find it after west opened a 15-17 NT. Maybe a strong club pair could get there.

[kayin801]

I don't want to be in grand.

[the hog]

Why do you want to be in the Grand?

[TWO4BRIDGE]

Realistically, I'd only be in 6D....

[whereagles]

What grand? Does it make on a squeeze or something..? Because I don't see it making

Realistically, I'd be lucky to get to 6!!

[masse24]

the hog, on 2011-March-14, 01:40, said:

Why do you want to be in the Grand?

Because 7♦ makes.
The ♣ suit sets up to jettison losing ♥'s.

But, my guess as well that it is not a viable grand to find.
It requires Q third (or fewer) in ♣'s, which is something like 36%.

We should be happy to be in a small slam.

Thanks for your replies all.

[P_Marlowe]

Lets see how far I come, no interference.

System is something like SAYC + common gadgets.

1NT (1) 2C (2)
2D (2) 3D (3)
3H (4) 4S (5)
6D (6)

(1) 15-17
(2) Stayman, no 4 card major
(3) at least 5-4, with no slam interest, a single some where.
(4) fit, values
(5) splinter - first reaction 5D, 2nd 4D, I think 4S is best,
the 7th card suit and the fit justify a move
(6) needs to be enough

As others have stated, you are lucky, if you reach 6D.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[TWO4BRIDGE]

Let's see how far I come "unrealistically" .
First, I decide to treat this hand as a long minor and no 4 card Major:

1NT    - 2NT! ( long diam, weak or strong )
3C!(1) - 3S! ( the strong hand, Sp cue-- could be shortness-- no Ht Ctrl )
4D!(2) - 4S! ( 1/4 )
5C!(3) - 5NT! ( dQ + cK; denies sK, so the 3S! bid must have been shortness )
6C!(4) - ??

6D = no cQ or doubleton
6NT = cQ ( NT shows feature in "asking suit")
7C = cQJ
7D = doubleton ( or stiff K in this case )

(1) = preaccept ♦ with at least honor-3rd OR honor-doubleton w/max

(2) = Minorwood; must have a ♥-Control, so no 2 quick losers in a side-suit.

(3) = ♦Q-ask because 4NT/5D = to play, and 5H! would be "kickback for Kings" in Minorwood

(4) = must be a 3rd Rnd Ctrl-ask since all the side-suit K's are accounted for.. hoping for the ♣Q reply.
EDIT: Responder also is thinking that Opener has only 2 Ht losers at most to get rid of.

[Free]

The only reason why slam makes is because ♣Q falls in the 3rd round onside (so you can't even make any mistakes). I don't want to be in this grand, I'll be happy with 6♦ thanks.

[Fluffy]

my realy system lets me to barelly know that ♥K is missing at the 5NT level, so I will happilly settle for 6♦

[mycroft]

I don't know what my strong club system would do if the opponents were silent, but I do know that the auction would start:

1C-X (majors)-2C (GF Diamonds)-3S
...

after which, 6D looks like a really good spot. If we get to 7 it will be because of the interference, and when it makes by magic, we'll apologize.

[kenrexford]

Opener: 1♣

I think a 17-count with 7 controls, an uncounted but attached 10, and a 5-card minor headed by three of the top five honors is WAY too strong for a 1NT opening. By 3 1/3 count (Klinger's thing), we have a 19-count, such that this is closer to a 2NT opening than a 1NT opening, when you also add in the trick source. Opening 1NT is sick, IMO.

Responder: 2♦

I absolutely love intermediate jump shifts and have been playing them for about 10 years now. Hands like these bolster my convictions. Also, I am not concerned about four little hearts with this SWAN. shows something roughly equivalent to a high-end weak two (8-11), but could be stronger in playing strength.

Opener: 2NT (asking bid)

Responder: 3♣ (extras with shortness)

Opener: 3♦ (where?)

Responder: 3♠ (spades)

Responder has double shortness. Show the spade shortness because that call is cheapest of the two, is below 3NT, and is not the stiff King.

Opener: 4♣ (cue request)

I also love this tool. After one side shows a preempt (or a well-defined and limited one-suiter), 4♣ asks for a cuebid. Opener is good enough for this move, because A-Q-sixth with a side stiff is not "extras."

Responder: 4♦ (two of the top three diamonds -- a cue)

Opener: 4♥ (a cue)

Responder: 5♣ (not void in spades, not all three top diamonds, but a club control)

The option to show the spade shortness helps in this position, because Opener will reasonably expect the club comntrol to be the King, an accurate assessment.

Opener now expects no spade losers, at most one heart loser, and clubs at worst on a finesse. 6♦ is a fair contract.

[Zelandakh]

First of all the West hand is clearly worth 18 and opening a 15-17 1NT is a major underbid. Playing strong/3-way club system with relays, in the unlikely event of no interference the bidding would probably go:-

1C = 15+bal, 15+ nat, or 18+ any
... - 2C = 9+, hearts and diamonds, GF
2D = 18+ any
... - 2H = 4 hearts
2S = relay
... - 3S = 1=4=7=1
4D = sign-off in 4H or various slam moves
... - 4H = willing to play 4H
4S = RKCB for diamonds
... - 4N = 1 or 4
5C = DQ?
... - 5N = DQ and CK, no major kings
6D

Sorry, this was silly - no need to ask for DQ with 10 card fit. Instead of 5C - 5N - 6D the end should be 5H - 6C - 6D, obviously.

[Cyberyeti]

We'd bid (Acol style, 4 card club, weak no trump)

1♣-1♦
1N(15-bad 19)-2♣(asking)
3♣(17-bad 19, 5♣)-3♦
4♦-4♥(asking keycards)
4N(1/4)-5♦(we sign off, partner will show side kings with 4)
6♦(4 key cards, no side K, not Q and J♣)-P

While it's possible partner has the same hand with AQ10xx clubs, he might bid 5N over 5♦ with that, certainly would with AQJxx.

[Zelandakh]

Since this is the Interesting Hands forum, and since this was a damp squib of a problem to find the grand, I suggest changing the ♦QJ in the East hand to ♦32. This now looks particularly fun for the popular style of 14-16 nt with Walsh responses...