[jallerton]

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Matchpoints, playing standard methods.

1. What do you consider to be a typical hand for partner's actions on this auction?
2. What call do you make now?

[wanoff]

1. Invitational for tops and the ♠J will plug a gap.
Say KQ109xx x Qxx Qxx

2. 6♠

[kenberg]

I ask myself how this differs from his bidding 5S directly over 3D and the answer is that I don't know. Nonetheless, I don't think I am supposed to worry about my spades. I think we are taking seven spade tricks and my five tops, so my only concern is whether we might belong in 7S or 6/7 NT. Maybe 6C will get us to the right spot. At least it makes him the goat if we choose wrong.

[SteveMoe]

The two questions in play by responder are: What's the quality of your spade holding, and Do you have control of the club suit. Without discussion and agreement it's easy to get this one wrong. In the situation I would surmise that bidding spades 3 times asks about clubs, and not spades. So 6♠ it is.

[fromageGB]

I think it depends on what, in standard methods, 4NT would be in place of 5♠. If this is ace asking in spades, then with 3 top spades he might have done that. 5♠ is therefore a hand not that good. But is AKQxxxx,xx,xx,xx good enough to ask opposite a random 17 count. Not really, so he could be like this. Is the addition of a Q or two ace-asking material? Yes. So I will not worry about 7♠/NT, and accept the invitation with 6♠. I am expecting a loser in a major.

[wank]

it's just a natural invitation to 6s. nothing more complicated. in this case you have an easy acceptance.

i'm expecting something like akt9xxx x xx qxx

[rmnka447]

I'm bidding 6 ♠. Partner has shown ♠ length and invited slam. You have a ♠ honor, all the outside 1st round control, and 5+ cover cards. Since there's no way to know if there's a ♠ loser or not, 6 ♠ seems right.

If partner thinks 7 should be bid with your hand then maybe you both can discuss how to get there afterward. For now, just choose the good versus perfect result.

[Tramticket]

If 6S is making, then 6NT is surely making too?

[jallerton]

fromageGB, on 2016-January-02, 07:42, said:

I think it depends on what, in standard methods, 4NT would be in place of 5♠. If this is ace asking in spades, then with 3 top spades he might have done that. 5♠ is therefore a hand not that good. But is AKQxxxx,xx,xx,xx good enough to ask opposite a random 17 count. Not really, so he could be like this. Is the addition of a Q or two ace-asking material? Yes. So I will not worry about 7♠/NT, and accept the invitation with 6♠. I am expecting a loser in a major.

In standard methods, unless specifically agreed otherwise, raising a natural 3NT to 4NT is natural and invitational.

Tramticket, on 2016-January-02, 11:01, said:

If 6S is making, then 6NT is surely making too?

Is it? What example hands for Responder did you have in mind?

[nige1]

jallerton, on 2016-January-01, 11:16, said:

Matchpoints, playing standard methods.
1. What do you consider to be a typical hand for partner's actions on this auction?
2. What call do you make now?

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Kenberg asks "what's the difference between this auction and bidding 5♠ directly over 3♦?". I don't know either. But I agree with Steve Moe that partner is unlikely to be worried about ♠s after the actual auction. He might even be asking for keys. Whatever he has shown, your hand is slam-suitable. I rank

• 6♣ = Canny grand slam try. Partner probably has ♠ A K Q
• 7♠ = Swashbuckling..
• 6♠ = Sloppy.
• Pass = Pathetic

[monikrazy]

7N. Going to assume partner is bidding correctly and not giving us a torture bid for no good reason.

Partner seems heavily favored to have AKxxxx(x)(x) type hands
With a hand like KQTxxx(x) he had 3 chances to bid 4S. Even if we are slightly optimistic on our evaluation, a grand still shouldn't require more than a finesse.


Also somewhat important to our decision is what

3N - >5N would mean. If we have a clear understanding that that bid is forcing to slam and invite to grand only then do I consider not bidding directly to the 7 level.

[nige1]

7♠ is safer than 7N on some layouts. For example partner has ♠ A K Q x x x x ♥ x ♦ x x ♣ J x x