[frank0]

I found this hand from a personal blog. This hand was played in an event for high school students in Taiwan.

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NS has 30HCP total and balance vs. balance but 6NT can be claimed at trick 1 on any opening lead. However I don't see any reasonable way to bid it based on all of the bidding system I know.

Any opinion? Is this slam nearly impossible to bid regredless of bidding system?

[cloa513]

frank0, on 2011-December-27, 21:36, said:

I found this hand from a personal blog. This hand was played in an event for high school students in Taiwan.

---

NS has 30HCP total and balance vs. balance but 6NT can be claimed at trick 1 on any opening lead. However I don't see any reasonable way to bid it based on all of the bidding system I know.

Any opinion? Is this slam nearly impossible to bid regredless of bidding system?

You have to upgrade North's hand for starters- its worth 15 HCP with the good 5 card club suit.
With South's hand- full of control, he has got to be thinking slam.
Maybe start:
1NT,2♣,2♦,2♠(game force),3♣(5 clubs),3♦(I am thinking slam)....
With a game forcing stayman 2♦ as used in some precision, slam is easy. Relay systems wouldn't have a problem either.

Its a hand evaluation failure rather than system failure.

[Cyberyeti]

cloa513, on 2011-December-27, 23:33, said:

Its a hand evaluation failure rather than system failure.

It is a hand evaluation issue, but the problem really is that you have to bid as if you hold 16 points rather than 15. Upgrading 14->15 is obvious to do, but should you upgrade all the way to 16 ?

You can also run into system issues upgrading out of a weak no trump where you show 3 hearts rather than 5 clubs initially, and don't get a second chance as partner bangs a quantitative 4N on the table.

[Rossoneri]

One other point: If South only had 3 hearts, there would only be 11 top tricks instead of 12.

[P_Marlowe]

Given that you need everything - even the ten and nine of clubs,
the answer is yes.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Flameous]

I couldn't do it without relays.

It's one thing to upgrade from 14 to 15 but upgrading to 16 is something I wouldn't really ever do. Not to mention that south hand is actually pretty crappy for quantitative with his 4333 shape. I think I wouldn't even bid a quant opposite 14-16NT with that.
To show how it can "easily" be done with relays:

1♣ - 1♦ (Nat or 14-19 bal/ Transfer walsh)
1♥ - 1♠ (14-16 bal or 3♥ / Nat or GF relay)
1NT - 2♣ (14-16 bal without 4♠ / relay)
2♦ - 2♥ (5♣ / relay for rel points, not interested about doubleton)
2♠ - 2NT (8 AKQ pts / relay)
3♦ - 3♥ (0/2 Kings and 0/2 of top 3 in clubs /relay)
4♣ - 4♦ (1/3 in hearts and spades, 0/2 in ♦ / relay)
4NT - 6NT (♣J and ♥J / just what I needed)

Just a note that if north's other J was in spades, I'd end up in 5NT, nice to have those T9 of clubs so there's no risks

[han]

I might open 1NT with the north hand and still miss slam. Good fit.

[TWO4BRIDGE]

frank0, on 2011-December-27, 21:36, said:

I don't see any reasonable way to bid it [ slam ] based on all of the bidding systems I know.

Any opinion? Is this slam nearly impossible to bid regredless of bidding system?

I have this one in my files... from a friend in the Netherlands ....

1NT - 2S! ( GF, Distribution-Ask ) where 1NT does NOT contain a 5 card Major.
??
.. 3C! = 4 cards + another 4 card higher; 3D! asks for 2nd suit
.. 3D! = 4 cards + 4 card Major; 3H! asks for 2nd suit
.. 3H! = 4/4 Majors
.. 3S! = 5 cards Clubs
.. 3NT! = 5 cards Diam

So, after:
1NT - 2S!
3S! - 4C! ( Minorwood )
4NT ( 4th step = 2 + ♣Q ) - 6C/6NT

[cherdano]

I think I would bid
1N 2♣
2♦ 4N
P
4N isn't so clear as it may easily miss a good slam opposite, say, ♦Qxxxx but I don't see a good way to investigate.

[Fluffy]

I think I would play in 3NT after the same bidding as the school kids.

[the hog]

Child's play playing WOR. Impossible otherwise.

[Zelandakh]

1C = 15+ nat/bal or 18+ any
... - 2D = 4-5 hearts, 0-3 spades, bal or 3-suited with short spades
2N = 15-17 bal
... - 4C = quantitative raise with 3433 shape
4S = 5 clubs
... - 4N = RKCB
5S = 2 with CQ
... - 6C

would be a possibility although the 4NT bid is not at all a certainty to be made.