[32519]

From a club game:

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2/17 tables bid a small slam, 0/17 tables bid the grand, all 17 tables made 13 tricks.
Suggest an auction to at least get to a small slam.

[Vampyr]

32519, on 2014-January-15, 22:52, said:

2/17 tables bid a small slam, 0/17 tables bid the grand, all 17 tables made 13 tricks.
Suggest an auction to at least get to a small slam.

Are you serious about the grand? Never want to be in grand on these cards.

[mr1303]

P 1S
2NT (max passed hand, 4 trumps, singleton somewhere) 3C (which singleton)
3H (diamonds) 4NT (RKCB)
5H (2, no Q) 6S

Easy game.

[akwoo]

7♠ should NOT be bid; it requires the spades to break 2-2 (even some 3-1 splits with singleton Q will cause problems) and is less than 50%.

As a passed hand and especially in 2nd seat (since partner doesn't open light in 4th seat), south is worth a 4♦ splinter over a 1♠ opening. At that point, North already knows 6♠ must be odds-on; South can't have a singleton diamond, 4 spades, and 10 hcp outside diamonds without making 6♠ a good contract. North might as well bid 4N RKCB, because it's possible South has both aces and the Q♠ (or a 5th spade), on which North can count 13 tricks, but North should 6♠ over the 5♥ response.

This is actually harder with West or North as dealer, because as a non-passed hand, South might consider 4♦ splinter a bit of an overbid.

[Vampyr]

akwoo, on 2014-January-15, 23:12, said:

This is actually harder with West or North as dealer, because as a non-passed hand, South might consider 4♦ splinter a bit of an overbid.

I play splinters as 3 or 4 controls, so with four the South hand is fine. I think that such a space-comsuming bid should be tightly defined in terms of controls, not HCP. You're not going to make a thin slam with eg 12 points in queens and jacks.

[the hog]

1S 4D 6S

Seriously!

[GreenMan]

In my partnership, South would open 1♥ and then support partner's spades, then *North* might splinter. RKC, 6.

[Cyberyeti]

the hog, on 2014-January-16, 00:30, said:

1S 4D 6S

Seriously!

Partner had Qxxxx, Axx, x, Axxx and you missed the laydown grand, at least blackwood first.

[Zelandakh]

As has already been pointed out indirectly, 1♠ - 4♦; 4NT - 5♥; 6♠ is just fine. Or (strong club):-

1♣ = 15+ nat/bal or 18+ any
... - 1♥ = 4+ spades, if bal or GF then 4+ hearts, GF
1♠ = relay, usually 18+
... - 1NT = 4+ hearts
2♣ = relay
... - 2♦ = bal or 3-suited
2♥ = relay
... - 2♠ = 44(23) or 44(41)
2NT = relay
... - 3♥ = 4414
3♠ = relay
... - 3NT = min
4♣ = relay
... - 4NT = 4 controls, no spade control
5NT = Q ask
... - 6♣ = no ♣Q
6♠ = NF Q ask
... - P = no ♠Q

[rhm]

The South hand, which the HCP counters underrate, is the type of hand I would open in my sleep.
After South opens I think there is no question that North-South will reach the spade slam.
Bridge is not a game of gadgets. Judgement and hand evaluation rules.

Rainer Herrmann

[Zelandakh]

rhm, on 2014-January-16, 04:43, said:

The South hand, which the HCP counters underrate, is the type of hand I would open in my sleep.

The problem is not the hcp but rather the shape.

[rhm]

Zelandakh, on 2014-January-16, 05:15, said:

The problem is not the hcp but rather the shape.

I have a singleton in a minor and both majors.
Computer simulations also do not confirm that 4441 is a bad distribution.
A priori chances for an eight card fit are 83% and for a nine card fit 34%

I like those odds.

Rainer Herrmann

[Lord Molyb]

I splinter and keycard, discovering the ♠Q is missing, and end up in 6♠.

[neilkaz]

Lord Molyb, on 2014-January-16, 06:21, said:

I splinter and keycard, discovering the ♠Q is missing, and end up in 6♠.

Yes and WTP this is a basic auction.

EDIT perhaps the problem is that some don't play splinters or some who opened don't understand how good opener's hand with Axxx is opposite a splinter.

[mycroft]

EHAA:

p-1♠
3♦-4♦ (4=4=1=4, 10-12 - slam-interest cue)
4NT-5♦ (I have all controls, this can't be bad - 0 or 3)
5♥-5♠ (Q? - no)
6♠ (can't have a slam try with zero)

Anyone who gets to 7 needing to find the trump queen *and* some non-horrible breaks can take their +2210; I'll get it back on the next 3 grands they bid.

Sure I'm cheating and pulling out a Cool Tool, but playing standard, I wouldn't hesitate to splinter on this one just like most of the above. How much more can partner need from a passed hand? Now, in third seat, when I have neither a guaranteed 9-card fit nor guaranteed more than half the high cards, this is a much more interesting question.

[humilities]

To me, a 4D splinter is a no-brainer. 4th seat, schmorth seat, I'm going to game with 4 trump to the J10, a singleton, and 2 aces.

North has an easy RKC bid over 4D splinter.

Ofc we are not bidding seven off the Q of trump.

[gszes]

p p p

1s

2c reverse drury

2d interested

4d splinter now less danger than directly over 1s why the rush?

4n rkc

5h

5n trump Q?

6s = no but p would say yes if they had 5 spades (knowing we had the AK)

p don't want to be in this grand missing trump Q 9 card suit

[the hog]

gszes, on 2014-January-16, 16:33, said:

p p p

1s

2c reverse drury

2d interested

4d splinter now less danger than directly over 1s why the rush?

4n rkc

5h

5n trump Q?

6s = no but p would say yes if they had 5 spades (knowing we had the AK)

p don't want to be in this grand missing trump Q 9 card suit

"4d splinter now less danger than directly over 1s why the rush?"
No rush, but whu futz about?

[HighLow21]

the hog, on 2014-January-16, 00:30, said:

1S 4D 6S

Seriously!

I might intersperse a blackwood of some type, but yep :-)