[dake50]

Slam fails 45%.
Slam on 55%.
I'll try slam.

[gszes]

 cherdano, on 2013-June-02, 17:02, said:

How about KQxx x AKxx Kxxx?

certainly is within reason for x over 4h and this is the kind of hand
why we play bridge rather than chess so we can blame the
fickle finger of fate for giving us the "wrong Q" ))))) life is like that
and i can always fall back on that old saying -1 is good bridge:(
preempts work keep doing them.

[gszes]

 Fluffy, on 2013-June-04, 05:40, said:

You will have a funny time explaining partner that 5/6♦ was meant to rightside the contract if he happens to have a little offshape KQxx Axx Kx KQxx (even club slam goes down played from this side)


call me crazy, but I have some aversion of playing 5-2 fit at the 5-6 level missing HJ109xx on the suit. The only question on this deal is to bid 4 or 5NT, and I think 4NT now stands out since we could have a forcing pass available next to avoid decisions.

while i agree that bidding 5/6of either minor to "rightside" is wrong, since anytime the H k needs protection
the opps can probably ruff it away anyway, I would expect more to make a case for 6n rather than considering
a mere 4n where we have nothing but a pure guess on what to do if p merely bids 5c or 5d. p could have
a heart void and loathe to move beyond the 5 level. It seems to me our hand is just plain too strong opposite
any reasonable x from p to settle for a 4n bid vs 5n.

[nigel_k]

The full hand:

---

I'm not sure this proves anything. I had the pleasure of putting down dummy in 5♣ and watching them start with three rounds of hearts. 6♣ or 6NT makes from my side. Partner's double may be questionable but I thought it was ok.

[dake50]

I'm not sure this proves anything. I had the pleasure of putting down dummy in 5♣ and watching them start with three rounds of hearts. 6♣ or 6NT makes from my side. Partner's double may be questionable but I thought it was ok.

*** About as bad spade honors opposite SA single as I could imagine.
Still over 4Nt, 5H = you pick the slam gets 6C (although I try 6Nt).

[benlessard]

Is it surprising that

opener has 7H ? (IMO at these colours opener is more likely to have 7 than 8.)

partner has a doubleton H ? (IMO he is more likely to have a a void/stiff H than a doubleton/tripleton and extras values but not by much) .

rightsiding is important on this hand ? (its not likely but it shouldnt surprise you, my guess is about 20-25%)

That we can make 6 ? (not at all)

That we may have a slow loser in a minor & losing the A of H ? (not at all)

That 1 minor play better than the other ? (not at all)

That we make 6 only in the right denomination ? (not unlikely)

That we make 6 rightsided and in the right denomination ? ( its unlikely but imo there is nothing unusual about this hand its the combination of normal events that is tough to anticipate and calculate and make bridge a great game.)

Great problem.

[Thiros]

Don't know if it's just me, but I would rather overcall 4♠ than double with the West hand. Of course, that doesn't make our problem as East any easier to figure out, it might even make it harder. It sure doesn't make it any easier to get to the best slam from the right side. If we bid 4NT in response to 4♠, is that Blackwood, minors, scrambling, or (gasp) natural? Maybe it's best for West to double after all, but it looks to me like 4♠ is the most likely to be the best contract, looking at the West hand alone...