[BorislavS]

Scoring: IMP

North opens with 1NT (12-14 HCP balanced)
Easts overcalls with 2♠

---

So it's likely that we have a slam in hearts or NT (as it turned out we did) but how can we find it?

Generally it would be safe to assume that we don't have a stopper in spades as a 1NT opening doesn't require one. I did that and bid 4♥, but it turned out that my partner did have the ♠K and we ended up +2.

Other tables, not using ACOL (or weak 1NT) opened with 1♣, 2♣ and 1♦ had no oponent overcalls and played 6♥ or 6♣.

My question is, is there a way to find the slam with a weak 1NT opening?

[Fluffy]

yes, bid 3♥ instead of jumping to game, and you have all the 4 level to find out what you have and what you don't.

A good extra for the 3♥ bid is that when LHO has ♥Q10xxx and partner has ♠A you play 3NT.

In general don't assume much form opps bidding, the opponents are not on your side!

[BorislavS]

3♥ is not forcing and and my partner may pass.

Probably a double would have been my best option, but still finding the slam seems hard

[mike777]

BorislavS, on Oct 11 2010, 04:47 PM, said:

3♥ is not forcing and and my partner may pass.

Probably a double would have been my best option, but still finding the slam seems hard

hmm I have never played a wk nt where 3h is not gf.

if x for t/o is my only option....then i guess x it is.

[Fluffy]

If you and your partner play 3♥ as non forcing I recomend that you both read about lebenshol (google it).

[Cascade]

3♥ non forcing works fine.

Along with good other agreements.

Lebensohl also works fine but has some disadvantages - the opponents get two opportunities to come in when it is their hand.

Transfers also work fine.

Along with non-forcing new suits it is normal to play double and bid is strong. Assuming that you do that then you should take that route to at least give yourself a chance to invite slam.

If partner has no spade control then with this hand the five-level should still be safe. ♥Q ♦KQ and ♣A are only 11 hcp so partner is almost guaranteed those cards.

Therefore we can risk going to the five-level to explore for slam.

[Free]

BorislavS, on Oct 11 2010, 10:47 PM, said:

3♥ is not forcing and and my partner may pass.

Probably a double would have been my best option, but still finding the slam seems hard

Quote

My question is, is there a way to find the slam with a weak 1NT opening?

Yes, change your system so that 3♥ is GF, or that you play transfers at 3-level.

[gordontd]

BorislavS, on Oct 11 2010, 09:47 PM, said:

Generally it would be safe to assume that we don't have a stopper in spades as a 1NT opening doesn't require one.

This seems wrong to me. Perhaps you meant to say:

"Generally it would not be safe to assume that we have a stopper in spades as a 1NT opening doesn't require one."?

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

Did not see the overcall.

<snip>

With kind regards
Marlowe

[cloa513]

3S is an option to represent the strength of your hand. Then bid 4H over the your partner's 3NT (in this case and partner should continue past 4H), if no cover then he can bid 4C always for you to correct or raise to the correct game.

[ONEferBRID]

BorislavS, on Oct 11 2010, 03:47 PM, said:

Scoring: IMP

North opens with 1NT (12-14 HCP balanced)
Easts overcalls with 2♠

---

So it's likely that we have a slam in hearts or NT (as it turned out we did) but how can we find it?

If you don't play 3H forcing ( or transfers or some such ) , how can you ever reasonably find the best contract even if it is game only ? You must guess a lot.

Here you have enough combined points to be in the slam zone, but you need to find a fit and a high Sp honor with partner.

So I'll just have to guess that we have enough of a fit and bid 5♥ -- asking pard to bid 6♥ with either 1st or 2nd Rnd Ctrl in ♠.

[gszeszycki]

BorislavS, on Oct 11 2010, 03:47 PM, said:

Scoring: IMP

North opens with 1NT (12-14 HCP balanced)
Easts overcalls with 2♠

---

So it's likely that we have a slam in hearts or NT (as it turned out we did) but how can we find it?

Generally it would be safe to assume that we don't have a stopper in spades as a 1NT opening doesn't require one. I did that and bid 4♥, but it turned out that my partner did have the ♠K and we ended up +2.

Other tables, not using ACOL (or weak 1NT) opened with 1♣, 2♣ and 1♦ had no oponent overcalls and played 6♥ or 6♣.

My question is, is there a way to find the slam with a weak 1NT opening?

Slam zone possibility but no slam w/o spade control from P i would try

3s

if p bids 3n bid 4n quantitative (p might offer to play 6c or 6d (I would pass)
or 6h (with a 4 bagger------ i would pass) If p cannot bid over 4n we probably dont belong in slam anyway.

if p bids 4c or 4d bid 4h and hope it is right and forget slam.

[aguahombre]

mike777, on Oct 11 2010, 04:14 PM, said:

BorislavS, on Oct 11 2010, 04:47 PM, said:

3♥ is not forcing and and my partner may pass.

Probably a double would have been my best option, but still finding the slam seems hard

hmm I have never played a wk nt where 3h is not gf.

if x for t/o is my only option....then i guess x it is.

this, and Fluffy's, below it. Mike makes a valiant attempt to live with the OP's conditions, but 3♥ must be forcing whether 1NT is weak or strong. Alternatively playing reverse LEBEN for a forcing sequence is not a good idea when the opps might bid again.

[Cascade]

ONEferBRID, on Oct 13 2010, 12:44 AM, said:

If you don't play 3H forcing ( or transfers or some such ) , how can you ever reasonably find the best contract even if it is game only ? You must guess a lot.

I don't see how this follows.

On many auctions by starting with a double as a forcing bid you have more information not less so therefore may have to guess less.

1NT (2♠) Dbl (Pass)
3m (Pass) 3♥ - forcing

If choice of game is the primary objective then having exchanged more information it seems to me that we are better off not worse off.

[ONEferBRID]

I guess I'm still thinking Lebensohl, because a DBL is better used for penalty.

[pooltuna]

ONEferBRID, on Oct 13 2010, 01:47 AM, said:

I guess I'm still thinking Lebensohl, because a DBL is better used for penalty.

HEY!!! THIS IS BBF! DBL FOR PENALTY IS FORBIDDEN AND MUST BE TAKEOUT besides you never, ever hold 4 of the opps trumps including the AQT

[gwnn]

yes pooltuna, that was very funny a year ago when you first posted it.

[Cascade]

pooltuna, on Oct 14 2010, 02:10 AM, said:

ONEferBRID, on Oct 13 2010, 01:47 AM, said:

I guess I'm still thinking Lebensohl, because a DBL is better used for penalty.

HEY!!! THIS IS BBF! DBL FOR PENALTY IS FORBIDDEN AND MUST BE TAKEOUT besides you never, ever hold 4 of the opps trumps including the AQT

You overstate things.

In a simulation opposite a 12-14 hcp 1NT and with your RHO opponent having five spades and 11-15 hcp or perhaps a little less strength with six spades ...

1087 times out of 1000000 you had ♠AQTx.

Actually I was generous to you and counted hands where the x was the jack or king and hands where you had five or more spades.

I am sure that there are much more frequent uses for double, the most economical positive call, that would prove much more useful than a penalty double in this auction.

[Fluffy]

Cascade, on Oct 13 2010, 03:46 PM, said:

Actually I was generous to you and counted hands where the x was the jack or king and hands where you had five or more spades.

that's another way of saying you were too lazy to remove them

[pooltuna]

Cascade, on Oct 13 2010, 10:46 AM, said:

pooltuna, on Oct 14 2010, 02:10 AM, said:

ONEferBRID, on Oct 13 2010, 01:47 AM, said:

I guess I'm still thinking Lebensohl, because a DBL is better used for penalty.

HEY!!! THIS IS BBF! DBL FOR PENALTY IS FORBIDDEN AND MUST BE TAKEOUT besides you never, ever hold 4 of the opps trumps including the AQT

You overstate things.

In a simulation opposite a 12-14 hcp 1NT and with your RHO opponent having five spades and 11-15 hcp or perhaps a little less strength with six spades ...

1087 times out of 1000000 you had ♠AQTx.

Actually I was generous to you and counted hands where the x was the jack or king and hands where you had five or more spades.

I am sure that there are much more frequent uses for double, the most economical positive call, that would prove much more useful than a penalty double in this auction.

if you have no easy way to penalize the opponents you are inviting them to steal from you and they will.