[Quantumcat]

Bidding went 3♣ from opp, pass from pards, 5♣ from opp's partner. I have something like:

Scoring: MP

---

I chose to say 6♣ with the idea it must be michaels, but the others didn't think so (we were in BBO so there was constant discussion as we played). What's the right bid (I can't just pass right?).

A bit illegally, I told partner what I meant and he bid 6H, making.

Another question,

I don't remember the exact hand but I think I had 8 hearts to the KJT, AKxx of spades and 1 club, I started off with 1♥, opponent overcalls 2♣, partner says 4♣, which he's done before, and had a void each time rather than a singleton, opponent's partner says 5C. I could make six or seven depending what partner has. How can I ask him his level of support? I bid 5H which stuck and we made six .

[kenrexford]

I'm not going to comment on whether the judgment backs up the call, other than to say I would bite as well. However,

3♣-P-5♣-6♣

is not necessarily Michaels for the majors, but...

3♣-P-5♣-6♣-
P-6♦-P-6♥

definitely is "Michaels" for the majors.

Slight technicality, I suppose.

====================================

Second question.

Your hand was something like ♠AKxx ♥KJ10xxxxx ♦--- ♣x

5♥ by your hand was the worst possible bid. Passing would have been stronger. Partner's 4♣ call, by forcing game, meant that you would not defend 5♣ undoubled. So, you cannot bid 5♥ with this monster.

A nice route the slam might be to simply bid 6♥. You miss the grand, but 6♥ probably scores better than 5♥.

If you have a partnership where you can get a little sexy in your bidding, one possibility is to cuebid 5♦. If partner bids 5♥, you can now cuebid 5♠, forcing the slam and showing interest in a grand. If partner has the club void (or stiff Ace), be can bid 6♣.

If partner has too much in wasted diamond values, and only Qxx in hearts, your cuebid of his diamond suit will clue him in to be wary of the heart situation.

That is a tad esoteric, though. Simplest is the easy jump to 6♥. You might remotely make a contract that otherwise would fail if you jump. Partner is entitled to have ♠Jxxx ♥AQx ♦KQJxx ♣x, eh? Or worse? Maybe jumping to 6♥ talks LHO into trying to cash his diamond Ace first, or at trick two?

[jillybean]

Scoring: IMP

---

West North East South

 3♣    Pass  5♣    6♣
 Dbl   6♥    Dbl   Pass
 Pass  Pass  

S6 SA S4 S2
H2 C2 HQ H7
S8 HJ S3 S7
DK DA D9 D4
SK S9 D6 D2
S5 ST H4 C3


Perhaps this is the hand? You can find your hands at: http://online.bridge...hands/index.php

btw, there is nothing 'a little' illegal about telling your partner what your bid means, it is completely illegal

[the hog]

Well I would argue that 6C is definitely for the Majors. I would be interested to know what your compatriots thought. For me 5NT shows D and a Major, not that the auction you describe is what could remotely be called a common one.

Incidentally the auction posted by Jilly is interesting for the X of 6C. there was a thread a few days ago about the worst mistakes made by beginners. I believe that fatuous doubles of this ilk belong in that category. The only thing a double like this does is to give the opposition more options in the bidding.

I agree with Ken's comments on the second hand you posted.

[kenrexford]

The_Hog, on Jul 2 2007, 06:00 PM, said:

Well I would argue that 6C is definitely for the Majors. I would be interested to know what your compatriots thought. For me 5NT shows D and a Major, not that the auction you describe is what could remotely be called a common one.

This is an interesting question from a theory perspective. What is the difference between 6♣ and 5NT?

I suppose, for ease of memory sake, 6♣ should show the majors and 5NT diamonds and a major. When the opponents are bidding diamonds, instead, you must bid 5NT with clubs and a major, leaving 6♦ for both majors. This would be parallel, rather than something that changes.

However, from a purely theoretical perspective, it probably would be most effective (excluding the memory aspect of things) for 5NT to show hearts and another suit, and 6♣ to show diamonds and spades.

The easy reason for this slight change is that Advancer would respond by picking his better red suit (6♦ or 6♥), which would allow a simple correction to 6♥ when the strong hand had the majors. This way, you do not have the difficult task of picking between diamonds (which may be the second-best choice) and the majors (one of which may be a good choice and one of which may be a poor choice).

The rebuttal would be that, if Advancer prefers hearts to diamonds, but spades to hearts, then he has the same problem. Ah! But then, Advancer bids 6♣, showing this specific problem pattern -- preference for whichever suit is the higher of the two suits held by the strong hand.

That solution gets you to the best contract each time, a result that cannot be duplicated with 5NT for diamonds-and-a-major and 6♣ for the majors.

[foo]

B/I forum, Ken. B/I forum.

[kenrexford]

foo, on Jul 2 2007, 08:43 PM, said:

B/I forum, Ken. B/I forum.

Well, shucks.

[mike777]

5nt or 6c shsss...whatever the, imho, small, tiny, value in making a distinction, bid one and let partner bid her hand and figure it out.

[kenrexford]

mike777, on Jul 2 2007, 08:56 PM, said:

5nt or 6c shsss...whatever the, imho, small, tiny, value in making a distinction, bid one and let partner bid her hand and figure it out.

What you talkin bout, Willis?

I think it is most productive to spend hours of vugraph research and pages of system notes to cover the absolutely most effective way to handle two-suited slam auctions when the auction is 3♣-P-5♣, to you! Why spend this time on such drivel as whether to play 2/1 GF or SAYC?

[mike777]

kenrexford, on Jul 2 2007, 10:04 PM, said:

mike777, on Jul 2 2007, 08:56 PM, said:

5nt or 6c shsss...whatever the, imho, small, tiny, value in making a distinction, bid one and  let partner bid her hand and figure it out.

What you talkin bout, Willis?

I think it is most productive to spend hours of vugraph research and pages of system notes to cover the absolutely most effective way to handle two-suited slam auctions when the auction is 3♣-P-5♣, to you! Why spend this time on such drivel as whether to play 2/1 GF or SAYC?

Please number Six.

We do not need references to old tv shows from your youth.
You have been warned to adjust this attitude and conform.

[Quantumcat]

jilly, yup that was the hand, isn't it funny that I remembered it a little stronger than it was. Now that I think of it, I don't think partner did make the hand but could because the nine of diamonds drops and the KQ are onside, I think.. thanks everyone for your advice, I guess it is an area to discuss with my partner!!!