[han]

JLOGIC, on 2011-October-31, 02:36, said:

I think you are right but it's a tough hand. The key is for your partner to basically realize you have shown a stiff diamond, and driven to the 5 level knowing you're of the ace of diamonds plus the four keycards he has, ergo your trumps are AKQ. At the time he was probably thinking "I'm minimum and have cuebid several times for partner." These auctions never seem to go as well in real life as they do on paper, which I know you know, but I still understand why you bid how you did worried about the third round of hearts. Maybe depending on your partner's level it would have been practical to bid 6 over 5H since he probably wouldn't have even cuebid again for you with the HQ being a different card even though he should.

I gave the hand to Jdonn and he passed over 5S, complaining that he had no idea why partner didn't ask for keycards. If the best partner in the world can't figure it out when he has all the time, I can't expect my partner to know what to do at the table.

Even though we didn't bid the slam, I don't feel bad about either of our bidding on this hand. I think it is a tough hand and we gave it a good try. Perhaps if we had agreements about how to show a good hand with 6 spades and 3 hearts after 1S - 2H we could have done a better job, but this is not an area where we have had a lot of discussion.

I don't think Phil's suggestion to relay with responder's hand is good. The hand is minimal and has 5 strong hearts, better to respond 2H I think. I don't really remember the relays with cherdano because I play different relays now.

Quote

Ok, one more try:

1S - 2H! ( 2/1 GF w/5+Hts )
2S - 2NT
4D! ( self-splinter: now there is no question that ♠ is 6+ cd suit and a good one at that ! )

You have masochistic tendencies.

[han]

gnasher, on 2011-October-31, 02:53, said:

Also, when opener has good enough hearts for slam he may well move himself. On South's actual hand, after 1♠-2♥;2♠-2NT;3♥-3♠;4♣-4♥;4♠, I think he should probably make another move. Although he is minimum, all of his honours are working.

I am not convinced that he should move, and I am absolutely certain that my partner would not move. Responder is minimal and has denied a diamond control. When opener signs off, responder will pass.

[phil_20686]

I have noticed that auctions after 1S-2H tend to need quite a lot more system than people generally give it, as its very cramped.

I would have bid

1S-2H
3H-3S
4C-?

3H= 3 hearts and extras 15+HCP roughly, with a minor singleton
3S= agree hearts asks for minor singleton
4C=diamond shortage with a club control

and we probably would have got there after that.

Some sympathy for the fact that agreeing the heart fit when you have six good spades and only xxx hearts is not ideal, but I can still get back to spades if partner has 3 spades, so playing a 5-3 with a shortage in the 3 hand is not normally a huge loss compared to playing a 6-2.