[Laird]

Hello All

How would good players bid this hand?

North Bidding( n/s vul )
s AKT83 W N E S
h AQ 2nt p 4c
d AK6 p 4nt p 5s
c J32 p 6s p 6nt
p p p p

South Possible understanding of bids
s 76
h J97 Acol based system
d j9 2nt - 20/22
c AKQT74 4c -Positive jump -seen as
some kind of cue bid by Ptn
4nt - rkc
5s - assumed clubs as suit
so...ie 2keys + q
6s -No idea whats going on
6nt- hope he has entry for
clubs.
Acol just about as good as EHAA

John

[pbleighton]

"How would good players bid this hand?"

No idea.

I would jump to 6 clubs after a 2NT opener, and get a bottom score.

[inquiry]

Hi John,

While "everyone" plays 3C as stayman over 2NT, the most common meaning of 4C over 2NT is "GERBER". One often see things like "Gerber over NT only" written on convention cards. So I suspect 4C asked for ACES, and 4NT showed 3 ACES. While for some players, 4C is "always gerber" most of the world agrees that 1NT-4C or 2NT-4C is Gerber.

I see why north raised to 6S, it seems to him that his partner a) asked for aces, and then perhaps tried to "signoff" in spades (not realizing that his partner took 4NT for ACE-asking in response to the 4C ace-asking). But with AKTxx in spades, what else could north do but bid the slam? Besides, it is hard to stay out of slam after gerber or blackwood with only one ace missing.

There are other ways to show this responder hand.... for instance, Kokish transfer to 3H followed by a puppet 3S bid then a bid of 4C. Some also use 3S as a minor suit slam try, others as minor suit stayman.

How would I bid this hand? I think I would bid very similiarly to your action just blast 6NT over 2NT, through Gerber... my auction....

2N-4C
4N-6N
Pass

But it would even be acceptible just to bid 6NT over 2NT. You will not be happy when partner's 20+HCP includes only 1 ace, however. Yo could also do a lot of relaying with 2N-3D-3H-3S-3N-4C showing it, how are you going to find out if slam is making? 31 hcp (minimum) and likely 32, with a running 6 card minor. Make sure you are not off two aces, and bid the slam. Works for me.

[Rado]

May propose how this board will be bid at Varna, Bulgaria:
2NT................-......3Sp (CL transfer, FG)
4Cl(fit+good)..-......4NT (RKCB)
5Di(0 or 3).....-.......5Sp (grandslam try)
6NT(too much good).......- .......7Cl

When played from the strong hand the grand is more than 61% (Sp 3-3, or QJ, or H finesse with trumps 2-2) + some more for squeeze when trumps 3-1 and Sp 4-2.

Of course after 4NT might be different continuations, depending on 0314 responses or different grand slam tries, which also must lead to 7Cl.
Note that it's crucial the Cl contract to be played by strong hand.

Just for matchpoints simple 2NT-6NT also works :-)
regards, Rado

[Cave_Draco]

I agree with Ben, except for <While "everyone" plays 3C as stayman over 2NT>. Baron is also common, at least in the UK.

I would just bid 6NT. If you go via Gerber & have an Ace missing? Odds still favour 6NT!

[the hog]

North
s AKT83
h AQ
d AK6
c J32

South
s 76
h J97
d j9
c AKQT74

2NT 3C*
3S 4C*
4D* 4NT*
5C* 5D*
5NT 6D
6NT* 7C

3C = puppet stayman, 3S = 5S
4C = slam try in C, 4D = accept and cue
4NT = rkcb, 5C = 0/3
5D = K ask, 5N = 2
6D = S ask ( longest opener's suit - 6NT is safe contract)
6NT = K of S (6H = no extras, 6S = Q)

Played by wrong side unfortunately, but I like my chances.

[poquito]

North
s AKT83
h AQ
d AK6
c J32

South
s 76
h J97
d j9
c AKQT74

2C* 3C*
3S 4C*
4NT* 5S*
5NT* 6C*
6NT*

2C = Stong opening hand
3C = Postive response w/Clubs
4C = Good club suit, no interest in NT
4NT = rkcb, 5S = 2 controls + QC - i.e., AKQ Clubs
5NT = K ask,
6C = No other K
6NT = to play from the correct side