[akwoo]

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IMPs - 6 board Swiss.

What's your approach here?

[mike777]

I will start with 3C, showing extras.

[jillybean]

I will start with 3♠, I am serious about probing for slam.

[WasWinM]

I will bid 4H. I hope I can make it. I can’t remember the first time a simple raise prompted a slam bid and the opps rate to have spades and as many or more HcP than we have.

[mikeh]

I have no idea why anyone would be thinking of slam here. Ok, yes, we can construct magic hands but think about it. Why do we think partner has both minor suit aces? Really?

Even both minor aces doesn’t make slam cold, although it’s going to be very good.

My concern has nothing to do with slam. Am I the only one worried about them bidding a cold slam?

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I didn’t pay attention to the spot cards so don’t hassle me about it, lol.

Now, I’m not saying they have or could bid slam but I’d be far more worried about trying to buy the contract than I am about missing a slam.

I’m not sure about tactics here. Of course, partner could have great spades…but I think it probable that west will raise, if given a chance, and I can’t see how to deny him his chance.

So I’ll try to enlist partner’s help, at the risk of giving too much information away.

To me, 3C is a game try. It doesn’t help partner. If LHO raises spades, partner will make his decision based on a very erroneous understanding of our hand.

If we want to show clubs, we bid 4C. Now, over 4S by LHO, should that happen, partner will look at his black suits. Loaded in spades, short(ish) in clubs…pass or double. Not much in spades, club length (with or without the ace) he’ll ‘save’.

This tactic is not as well known as it should be. After a major is bid and raised, in a competitive auction, a new suit at the 4 level shows length and is intended to help partner decide should the opps bid on.

[mw64ahw]

With a simple raise in competition it's a long shot expecting partner to have the required cards. I'm more inclined to raise to 4 and then compete to 5 if need be.

[jillybean]

Let's see the full hand please

[akwoo]

I'm not sure I remembered the east west distribution (other than in spades) entirely correct, and i'm definitely unsure about most lower spots, but:

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ETA: (It was a "7 is enough" game) - I was confident by this point (4 boards into the round) that I was the best player at the table. Teammates at the other table brought back -1700 on (4H)-5D-(P)-P-(X)-AP

[jillybean]

GMTA, or FSD
Maybe this is seeing all hands but I’d like to think I would cooperate with 4C. I don’t like 3nt at all, 3S was not asking for a stopper

[mw64ahw]

After 3♠ from South, North is looking at a void in ♠ and 3N has to be mildly positive when 4♥ is available. Now it's up to South to continue with 4♣. However, I tend not to go looking for 20point slams.

[jillybean]

mw64ahw, on 2025-September-14, 23:43, said:

After 3♠ from South, North is looking at a void in ♠ and 3N has to be mildly positive when 4♥ is available. Now it's up to South to continue with 4♣. However, I tend not to go looking for 20point slams.

Anyone can bid 33 point slams. It’s these 20 hcp slams that are the most exhilarating.

[Cyberyeti]

jillybean, on 2025-September-15, 07:51, said:

Anyone can bid 33 point slams. It’s these 20 hcp slams that are the most exhilarating.

Except when they're 80% and don't make, ensures it's a complete zero and kills the exhilaration

[WasWinM]

I don’t anticipate a simple raise to cover 3 of my 4 loser hand.
Sometimes magic happens but I don’t bet on it.

[jillybean]

Cyberyeti, on 2025-September-15, 08:52, said:

Except when they're 80% and don't make, ensures it's a complete zero and kills the exhilaration

Of course, I wouldn't do this in the Camrose.

[johnu]

mw64ahw, on 2025-September-14, 23:43, said:

After 3♠ from South, North is looking at a void in ♠ and 3N has to be mildly positive when 4♥ is available.

In this particular game, I'm guessing that 3NT was intended as natural (with the "Bluhmer" stopper).

[akwoo]

3N was intended as natural. I thought about 4♣, but then partner would bid 4♦ and I would bid 4♥, and if he couldn't go on after an immediate 4♥ (after 3N) knowing I had slam interest (since I didn't just bid 4♥), I don't see how an extra round of bidding would help.

In partner's defense, it's not clear I didn't have singletons in both spades and diamonds.

[mike777]

akwoo, on 2025-September-15, 14:06, said:

3N was intended as natural. I thought about 4♣, but then partner would bid 4♦ and I would bid 4♥, and if he couldn't go on after an immediate 4♥ (after 3N) knowing I had slam interest (since I didn't just bid 4♥), I don't see how an extra round of bidding would help.

In partner's defense, it's not clear I didn't have singletons in both spades and diamonds.

Excellent hand to go over in partnerships.
How to cuebid, etc. whatever agreements, better than none.

Note, for example, how North could pass the double of 3S allowing South to redouble, promising first round control.

Now now norths ace of clubs, k of D looks golden, whatever South is up to.

You may not bid 6 but at least will be on firmer ground next time.

[mike777]

akwoo, on 2025-September-15, 14:06, said:

3N was intended as natural. I thought about 4♣, but then partner would bid 4♦ and I would bid 4♥, and if he couldn't go on after an immediate 4♥ (after 3N) knowing I had slam interest (since I didn't just bid 4♥), I don't see how an extra round of bidding would help.

In partner's defense, it's not clear I didn't have singletons in both spades and diamonds.

Excellent hand to go over in partnerships.
How to cuebid, etc. whatever agreements, better than none.

Note, for example, how North could pass the double of 3S allowing South to redouble, promising first round control.

Now norths ace of clubs, k of D looks golden, whatever South is up to.

You may not bid 6 but at least will be on firmer ground next time.

[Cyberyeti]

akwoo, on 2025-September-14, 20:59, said:

Teammates at the other table brought back -1700 on (4H)-5D-(P)-P-(X)-AP

And deserved it for the hideous hog bidding 5♦ rather than 4♠