[eagles123]

can someone suggest a more sensible way to bid it please:

Matchpoints

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We found the slam but it was a bit of a blast on my part I felt there was a more sensible bid I could make than 4 spades but I wasn't sure what, I was reluctant to X and then bid spades in case it went all pass after that.

Also say LHO hadn't bid 5H would P still have a raise in spades/some kind of bid?

In the actual situation I just kinda thought it was so unlikely P didn't have a stop in Diamonds when he was raising spades missing the top 6 cards

finally say you are LHO this is your hand

53
A97653
A84
875

do you do anything over 6S and what do you bid over 4S

Thanks,

Eagles

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[iviehoff]

The slam only makes because your partner has just the right cards for you, and it is very hard to find out such perfect fits in normal circumstances without having to deal with opponents willing to pre-empt to the 5 level. You were lucky.

Double is terribly overused and leads to very difficult judgments, especially when, as here, the opps will bid something like 4H immediately and leave you with even less space for expression.

[eagles123]

iviehoff, on 2013-November-12, 06:32, said:

The slam only makes because your partner has just the right cards for you, and it is very hard to find out such perfect fits in normal circumstances without having to deal with opponents willing to pre-empt to the 5 level. You were lucky.

Double is terribly overused and leads to very difficult judgments, especially when, as here, the opps will bid something like 4H immediately and leave you with even less space for expression.

absolutely accept that I was lucky, hence i made this topic! My question is how to bid it better?

Eagles

[iviehoff]

eagles123, on 2013-November-12, 06:37, said:

absolutely accept that I was lucky, hence i made this topic! My question is how to bid it better?

I think you'll find there were no bad bids apart possibly from the rather lucky decision to raise 5S to 6.

If you don't know what 3S means over a 2H opening, agree a meaning, then when the right hand comes up it will be useful. Who can say whether you should assign a meaning that would be useful for this hand, or for another hand.

[mycroft]

I would expect that 3♠, not 4, shows this hand - a solid suit that can make game opposite a useful something. But as iviehoff says, you need an agreement about it.

But good opponents will bid 5♥, not 4, when it's clear that you're going to get to game and it's going to make; so your partner will end up with no more space than in your auction.

There's a lot of things to say after 5♥, and only 3 (well, assuming they can't force to slam) ways to say them. You're going to be on a guess a lot. That's why they bid 5♥.

[monikrazy]

Think 4S is too weak of a bid for such a strong hand. Double puts partner in a tough spot if E still jumps to 5H but it should still be our chance of finding a slam.

Other methods would require more partnership agreements, for instance - cue-bidding 4H.



We can make a slam try when partner does anything but pass the likely 4H.

[RSClyde]

Perhaps the right auction is for south to bid 6♠. 4♠ showed a huge hand. It may be true that 3♠ is the right bid (seems kind of close), but since south bid only 5♠ opposite the stronger action, bidding that instead won't help you get to slam.
As far as the question about not getting the 5♥ raise, if you can't RKC with the south hand after partner bids 4♠ all by himself, you need to give up the game. Once they bid 5H and that's out, I don't know, the stiff heart feels duplicated. I wouldn't quarrel with 5 or 6. I hate bidding a slam off two cashing aces. But would you have bid 4♠ with a stiff heart and one less diamond? Maybe not.

[Lovera]

2 ♥ is weak opening, 5♥ early sacrifice in case of slam by opponents. There is (i use so when w/w) adeguate support in spade and is probably that diamond suit is covered. Than be not timid.(Lovera)