[myprac]

My link

Not sure if I messed up or GIB did. When North bids 4♠ I figure we have a play for slam if partner has a ♥ control. I assume this isn't a good hand for Blackwood because I'm okay with missing a control in ♦ but not in ♥. I start a cue bidding sequence with 5♣, GIB shows the A♦, and then I'm stuck. A bid of 5♥ would incorrectly show the ace, and any other bid besides 5♠ takes me beyond the highest level where I'm safe without knowing we have a ♥ control. So I bid 5♠ with the thought that partner will continue the bidding when holding a ♥ control because at this point that's the only thing we could be missing, and there's no reason I would have initiated a cue bidding sequence if I was going to play in 5♠ with controls in all the side suits. As you see, GIB passed and I missed an easy slam. Is there some other way I could have bid this to find out if we had a ♥ control? Should I have just taken the risk of a 6♠ bid without knowing I had a ♥ control, as some others did?

[EricK]

I don't see anything else you can do. In a sense it is risky to even look for slam because as far as you are concerned the defense could easily start ♥A, ♥K, ♥ ruff. Which is why, IMO, partner needed to do something more descriptive than 4♠.

[Fluffy]

you missed your second overtrick running ♦6!

your thoughts about cuebidding are right, however human players don't bid 4♠ with opening values, with opening values they cuebid.

[TWO4BRIDGE]

I can give you an answer to finding out about a Ht cue, which may get you there, but you need a lot for slam:

1S - ( 2S! ) - 3H![ cue in opp's known suit agreeing Sp ] - ( p )

Assuming opps silent from here on out:

4C [ cue ] - 4D [ cue ]

1)Now Opener either uses Last Train to Clarksville:
4H [ last train ] - 4NT [ RKC ]
5C [ 0/3 ] - 5D! [ sQ-ask ]
5NT [ sQ but no outside K ] - 6S

2) or after 4D, Opener bids 5-of-trump ( 5S ) asking for at least 2nd Rnd Ctrl of Hts ( the only suit we did not make a control-cue or make a natural bid ):
5S - 6S

The trouble is that unless you are on the same wavelength, partner may think you are asking for trump quality.... and pass 5S.

[myprac]

TWO4BRIDGE, on 2011-October-28, 12:24, said:

I can give you an answer to finding out about a Ht cue, which may get you there, but you need a lot for slam

I like that sequence. Elsewhere, on the GIB board, there's a thread called something like "is this too much to ask" discussing whether GIB has in its repertoire the cue bid of opponents' implied suit (the 3♥ bid) and, if not, should it be added. This is another example of GIB not making that bid when it would be handy.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

I dont have lots of experience playing with GIB.

Also I am not really good at judging the quality of contracts, but
you need the Queen of Diamonds to drop, after a club lead, which
means the slam is at best 50%.
In general it does not make a lot of sense to worry about missed 50%
slams.

Now to the auction:

GIB happens to play unassuming cue bids, so I would have expected 3H,
instead of 4S.
I would also expect, that 4S is preemptive.

With a regular p, I would prefer 3H instead of 4S, showing the fit,
setting up a FP+ seq.

With this start you may reach 6S, but see above, I am not sure, if the
slam is worthwhile to bid.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Zelandakh]

An alternative for finding out about the heart control would be to use denial cues and frivolous 3NT. In that case, after 3H showing a godo raise, Opener's 4H cue would show controls in both minors and serious slam interest. Responder can now take control and bid the slam after finding out about SAKQ and CA. However, I am with Uwe on this one; the slam is ok but not good enough to be overly worried about not bidding. Put this one down to GIB.