[Tramticket]

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Pairs. Your bid?

[The_Badger]

Awkward. The fit looks excellent. I'd content myself with RKCB 4NT bid here. It should agree ♠ on this auction. All you want to know about is the ♠AK, ♣A and unlikely but possible the ♥A. After the response you should be able to gauge the final resting place.

There are various combination of cards where a grand slam is possible, but it's likely on the bidding you have at least a ♥ loser, so I want to know whether to be in a small slam or to sign off at the five level.

There is a slight chance there may be two ♥ losers on this hand, but I'll take the risk that partner has a singleton at the most.

[bberris]

You're really sure he has a stiff heart?! People I play against would not necessarily have a 9-card fit. This would be easy if I were a passed hand with a good partner (4D).
5S should ask for first/second round heart control. Still wouldn't partner overcall with ♠AKxxx ♥x ♦xxx ♣ KQxx ?
I admit to being satisfied with 4S. Then what to do over 5H?

[nige1]

Tramticket, on 2017-September-08, 05:42, said:

Pairs. Your bid?

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I rank

• 4♥ = CUE. Good raise to 4♠.
• 4N = RKC.
• 4♠ = NAT.

[neilkaz]

nige1, on 2017-September-28, 15:19, said:

I rank

• 4♥ = CUE. Good raise to 4♠.
• 4N = RKC.
• 4♠ = NAT.

I must admit that I don't agree with you 100% that often but here I do. Lets flash the good raise signal and see what happens.

[GrahamJson]

It would be great if 4C or 4D was a cue bid in this situation but as it isn't I'd settle for 4S. Yes, I could be missing a cold slam, but I don't want to punish partner for competing on minimum values. As for 4H, without prior agreement I think that there is too much chance partner will assume it shows a control. A good point of discussion with a regular partner.

[Tramticket]

GrahamJson, on 2017-September-29, 06:55, said:

It would be great if 4C or 4D was a cue bid in this situation but as it isn't I'd settle for 4S. Yes, I could be missing a cold slam, but I don't want to punish partner for competing on minimum values. As for 4H, without prior agreement I think that there is too much chance partner will assume it shows a control. A good point of discussion with a regular partner.

Yes, I started this thread a few weeks ago, but it didn't get much traction. And the reason for asking was the point that you raised ... what does 4m mean?

I was wanting to bid 4♣ as a cue-bid. We generally play that a new minor introduced at the four-level is a cue-bid rather than natural - but that surely can't be right on the first round of bidding! I compromised by bidding 4♦, showing where my values were lying, as I was happy if my partner were to interpret it as a cue-bid.

The hand itself was not very interesting. At some point, one of you will use RKCB and find out that you are missing two aces. You will stop in 5♠ making exactly.

[nige1]

Tramticket, on 2017-September-29, 07:28, said:

Yes, I started this thread a few weeks ago, but it didn't get much traction. And the reason for asking was the point that you raised ... what does 4m mean? I was wanting to bid 4♣ as a cue-bid. We generally play that a new minor introduced at the four-level is a cue-bid rather than natural - but that surely can't be right on the first round of bidding! I compromised by bidding 4♦, showing where my values were lying, as I was happy if my partner were to interpret it as a cue-bid.The hand itself was not very interesting. At some point, one of you will use RKCB and find out that you are missing two aces. You will stop in 5♠ making exactly.

4♣ and 4♦ by you are unlikely to do any harm on this hand but I think they're needed in a natural sense, when you have a good suit, a good hand but no fit. IMO, If you've already passed, then there is a better case for using them as promising at least ♠ tolerance, especially as a competitive double is available.

[helene_t]

4♠ is plenty.

[Jinksy]

I think Robson and Segal recommend 4m here as fit-showing fwiw.

Not playing that, I would cue. We have an excellent slam opposite as little as AKxxx x xx Axxxx (although P will prob sign off with that), and P would need something really nasty for the 5 level not to be safe.