[Phil]

♠AJTxx ♥A987 ♦ 9xx ♣K

1N - 2♣
2♦ - 3♥
3♠ - ?

3♥ is Smolen obviously.

Now what?

[rduran1216]

Phil, on 2011-April-14, 09:35, said:

♠AJTxx ♥A987 ♦ 9xx ♣K

1N - 2♣
2♦ - 3♥
3♠ - ?

3♥ is Smolen obviously.

Now what?

4S.

if this is some magic hand where partner holds

KQx xx Axx AQJxx

then so be it.

[JLOGIC]

Maybe this is some magic hand where partner holds xxx Qx AQJ AQJTx and we should play 3N instead of 4S. I can't tell which it is!

[ArtK78]

If the issue is whether to bid 3NT or 4♠, I would choose 4♠ since my offsuit values are controls.

If the issue is whether to look for slam, I vote no.

[aguahombre]

JLOGIC, on 2011-April-14, 12:28, said:

Maybe this is some magic hand where partner holds xxx Qx AQJ AQJTx and we should play 3N instead of 4S. I can't tell which it is!

I would applaud pard for masterminding 3NT herself with that one but not object if she didn't.

With the responding hand I hold, I think it best to not complicate things and just bid 4S. She won't think 3NT is an offer to play anyway after I went thru the Smolen sequence and found a spade fit --and like the others, I choose not to look for a magic slam.

[gnasher]

It would be nice to be able to reach slam opposite KQx Kx Axxx Axxx or Kxx Kx Axxx AQxx. If we put the queen in the wrong place, making it Kxx Kx AQxx Axxx, slam is still decent. These are magical to the extent that partner has good controls and a doubleton heart, but those are features that he knows are important.

Is opener expected to cue-bid over 3♥ when he's that suitable?