[shyams]

Cross-IMPs
Opps will pass. (Could they double the final contract? Not sure)
White vs Red

---

[ggwhiz]

Looks pretty straightforward if playing 2 over 1

1♠ - 2♣
2♠ - 3♠ (at least a bit stronger than 4♠)
4♥ - rkc followed by 6♠ after the response

If they double the 4♥ cuebid (pretty dumb move by the opening leader) we could reconsider (ie. chicken out) but they still need the K♠ offside or 4th onside.

[The_Badger]

Apologies for saying this so crudely, but if you're not in a slam of 6♣ or preferably 6♠ (or even 6NT) on these cards you should consider giving up bridge.

Long suits plus controls and intermediates equals slam. Be positive. There's a 4 to 1 (probably slightly less giving the bidding) chance the opponents will find the only lead that might defeat the contract - a ♥. Otherwise it is a very good slam.

[Kaitlyn S]

ggwhiz, on 2017-July-05, 13:31, said:

Looks pretty straightforward if playing 2 over 1

1♠ - 2♣
2♠ - 3♠ (at least a bit stronger than 4♠)
4♥ - rkc followed by 6♠ after the response

Doesn't 3S show three cards in 2/1?

[Winstonm]

I must need to give up bridge as I don't find this hand simple at all - but it is a good illustration of how certain methods work better on some hands (just not all hands)

For those whose major suit rebid guarantees 6, this hand is easier as J10 becomes good enough for a raise. For those of us who have higher standards for a 2NT rebid - we are forced to rebid 2S on a wider variety of hands so a 6-card suit is not guaranteed.

For us, the auction 1S-2C-2S brings up a second question: is 3C still game forcing (it's not universal). Some can bid 3 forcing clubs and others get to bid 2N. A lot of bidding but not much clarity so far.

At this point there isn't much opener can do but bid 3S - or over 2N maybe 4S to show some life.

I wouldn't be surprised or particularly disappointed if I didn't reach 6 on these cards. Without partner being able to cooperate in a slam try, I don't see either hand as powerful enough to justify a unilateral push to a 12 trick contract.

[msjennifer]

Tha small slam in spades is a 50 per cent on a natural heart lead.If one is hoping that the SK is with RHO then if it is so why not bid the grand?

[nekthen]

My take in acol style

1S 2c
2S 4d
4H 4N
5S 6S

opps have a choice of red suit leads or maybe even a trump.

Notes
2S is a 6 card suit (if my response had been 2d this is not so clear)

If West is sitting there with KQH and KS, well bridge can be cruel

[Cyberyeti]

msjennifer, on 2017-July-06, 01:26, said:

Tha small slam in spades is a 50 per cent on a natural heart lead.If one is hoping that the SK is with RHO then if it is so why not bid the grand?

No it isn't, ♠Kxxx onside alongside a stiff club you can't pick up for example, 6♣/6N are better although if 6N goes off it can go a lot off.

You don't want to be in 7 for various reasons, one being if K♠ is wrong and they lead a diamond or trump.

Our auction would be of no use to anybody else (starting 1♠-2♣(nat not GF)-2N(GF not necessarily balanced)) and I'm actually not sure where we'd finish

[Tramticket]

nekthen, on 2017-July-06, 03:11, said:

My take in acol style

1S 2c
2S 4d
4H 4N
5S 6S

opps have a choice of red suit leads or maybe even a trump.

Notes
2S is a 6 card suit (if my response had been 2d this is not so clear)

If West is sitting there with KQH and KS, well bridge can be cruel

A few comments:
"2S is a 6 card suit" - if you are happy to open 1NT with a five-card major i agree (Not universal).

I don't understand the need to jump to 4♦. What do you think this is promising? Surely 3♦ is forcing? If you are going to jump to the four level, I think 4♣ is more descriptive.

[Tramticket]

"If West is sitting there with KQH and KS, well bridge can be cruel"

Surely you are off any time that west has the K♠ and a sensible heart lead. Plus other chances of failure as highlighted by Cyberyeti.

[fourdad]

1♠-2♣-3♠-4NT---etc.....

6♠

How is this hard?
If you think 3S is an over bid, please consider adjusting the manor in which you count the stength of a hand to include length as well as distribution and HCP.

[nekthen]

Tramticket, on 2017-July-06, 03:33, said:

A few comments:
"2S is a 6 card suit" - if you are happy to open 1NT with a five-card major i agree (Not universal).

I don't understand the need to jump to 4♦. What do you think this is promising? Surely 3♦ is forcing? If you are going to jump to the four level, I think 4♣ is more descriptive.

Yes I am happy to open 1N with a weak NT and 5 card major, with a 15 count i would rebid 2N

3D can get us into looking for 3N and 4C is descriptive of my club suit but not my spades. I think 4♦ says "I am interested in slam in spades and I have the A♦"

[nekthen]

I do not see that a heart lead is natural. N has shown the A♦ and S A♥

If West has

S Kxx
H Qxx
D Qxxx
C xxx

He may well figure that he can get it down if he can set up a 2nd trick, but he has no reason to prefer hearts to diamonds

If we are really lucky he may decide to hope that one of the qs will come in if he makes a passive black suit lead

[Tramticket]

fourdad, on 2017-July-06, 04:07, said:

1♠-2♣-3♠-4NT---etc.....

6♠

How is this hard?
If you think 3S is an over bid, please consider adjusting the manor in which you count the stength of a hand to include length as well as distribution and HCP.

I used to make these sort of jumps, but I play that this jump sets the trump suit and would prefer to have a better quality spade suit to do this. Do you really want to play this spade suit opposite a small singleton? In a slam?

[Tramticket]

nekthen, on 2017-July-06, 04:30, said:

I do not see that a heart lead is natural. N has shown the A♦ and S A♥

If West has

S Kxx
H Qxx
D Qxxx
C xxx

He may well figure that he can get it down if he can set up a 2nd trick, but he has no reason to prefer hearts to diamonds

I agree that a heart lead will not always an automatic choice. But I find that good defenders do often find the right lead. Even on your example hand, west might reason that East did not make a lead directing double of 4♦.

[MrAce]

shyams, on 2017-July-05, 13:05, said:

Cross-IMPs
Opps will pass. (Could they double the final contract? Not sure)
White vs Red

---

These are very problematic hands for 2/1 if there is no firm agreements. Here is another one posted in BW today, similar mess.

http://bridgewinners...d-2-sltplpkfjf/

[ggwhiz]

Kaitlyn S, on 2017-July-05, 18:57, said:

Doesn't 3S show three cards in 2/1?

Not that I know of or ever played. With the entire 2 level plus a club raise available the 2♠ bid absolutely guarantees a 6 card suit unlike an auction of 1♠ - 2♥ - 2♠.

[GrahamJson]

It seems to me that this is a hand where it is easiest enough to blast into slam but much more difficult to bid it with confidence. In addition, if you were to have an accurate auction it would probably highlight a hear lead, making six a marginal contract.

One possible auction, playing Acol but could be ok in other systems, might be 1S-2C-2S-3D-3H-3S-4D-5C-6S, but either could easily sign off in 4S at some stage.

[shyams]

I posted this because I thought the best contract to reach at x-IMPs would be 7♣, even if it means risking a double when things are badly placed.

[Kaitlyn S]

fourdad, on 2017-July-06, 04:07, said:

1♠-2♣-3♠-4NT---etc.....

6♠

How is this hard?
If you think 3S is an over bid, please consider adjusting the manor in which you count the stength of a hand to include length as well as distribution and HCP.

I agree with Tramticket - I believe that expert standard has this 3S bid showing better spades, i.e. you would be willing to play 6S opposite a singleton with sufficient strength, and th 1S-2C-2S is forcing even not playing 2/1 GF.

That being said, many of my students would get to 6S exactly the way you describe. Side note: Quite clever to have responder bidding Blackwood instead of opener to avoid a double of a 5H response