[flytoox]

Both Vul. IMP

you hold:
S: TX
H: QTX
D: QT9X
C: ATXX

W N E S
-- 1D P 1N
P 2H P 3D
P 3S P 4C
P 5D P ?

What is pd doing? is he looking for any particular information?


Hongjun

[Free]

No, he should have enough now, since you bid 4♣... I don't know how you guys bid controls. He shouldn't have a ♥ control, so pass and play 5♦=

[luis]

I think that pd has xx or xxx in spades and he was checking if he has to play 3NT or 5d in this hand.

Example:
xx
AKxx
AKJxx
Kx

To me 3s asks for a stopper to play 3NT. If he was looking for slam he should have started with a 3h bid over 3d to see if we have a spade control.

[inquiry]

I will take the 2♥ bid as a reverse. In theory here, he should have longer diamonds than ♥ and a very good hand. I like to play lebehnshol over the reverse, so 3♦ with your hand is good. Your hand is very nice in support of ♦. two slow honors in both your partner's red suits, nice ♦ fit and ACE of a side suit.

Over 3♠, it is a little curious. Partner could have bid a forcing 3♥ to give you a chance to cue-bid in ♠. Maybe he is lookig for 3NT. If so, you have the required club suit. But I think this is a cue-bid looking for slam. You should most definetly cooperate, so 4 ♣ is a great bid.

After 4♣, the one thing 5D can't be is I am bigger than a minimum for my previous bidding you are GF'ed. So your partners jump here could mean (dependig upon his line of thinking)

1) Weak hand for past bidding
2) I need great trump support for slam
3) I have a club void and you club cue-bid is wasted...

Without specific knowledge of partners intention, I will bid the slam on general principles and fit (QT, QT in reds worth weight in gold), doubleton spade should be working.. This hand is worth essential 25 zar points now on this auction, so I am bidding one mor for the road.

BTW, I would think the lack of 4D to give you a chance to cue bid a major control suggest option #2 above.

Ben

[pclayton]

We're in a force through 4♦ once you trot out 3♦ instead of 2N. The 4♣ call means you aren't stopping below game.

5♦ is interesting. To paraphrase my favorite magazine, to partner, 4♣ was a big 'turn-off'. I'm thinking partner holds something like:

♠ xxx
♥ AKJx
♦ AKJxxx
♣ void

Pard is patterning out with 3♠, signifying shortness in the 4th suit. With any kind of spade control, pard needs to take control. If pard happens to be 2461, even key card is safe in case you also have the A♠ but this was bypassed too.

I'm a ZAR convert myself, but I see some real duplication here (assuming I'm calling out pard's hand correctly); the 10♦ and the A♣.

Even with Luis' example hand, pard can try 5♣ as a last gasp.

[flytoox]

Free, on Jul 7 2004, 03:50 PM, said:

No, he should have enough now, since you bid 4♣... I don't know how you guys bid controls. He shouldn't have a ♥ control, so pass and play 5♦=

This is unlikely. Can you imagine pd reverse 2h without honour card in the suit?

[flytoox]

luis, on Jul 7 2004, 03:50 PM, said:

I think that pd has xx or xxx in spades and he was checking if he has to play 3NT or 5d in this hand.

Example:
xx
AKxx
AKJxx
Kx

To me 3s asks for a stopper to play 3NT. If he was looking for slam he should have started with a 3h bid over 3d to see if we have a spade control.

With this hand, pd perhaps can cue 4H? or 5C?

3S is undiscussed, so I took it as cue, at least stopper, the logic is if pd has no spade stopper, then after 3D, he should bid 4C showing c card.(it is impossible he has neither s nor c honour card)

[bergen]

agree with Luis. lack Spade control.