[Cyberyeti]

mike777, on 2025-October-04, 10:02, said:

23 hcp slams by definition are difficult to bid

It's a pretty good grand so bidding 6 should be possible.

[pescetom]

Our auction described earlier will proceed fine (with no apologies for our systemic choice of putting both 3 and 4 card raises through 2NT).
1S 2NT
3C 3NT
4C 4D
4H 4NT
5C 5D
6S P

West knows partner is Axxx xxx Axx xxx with a Queen somewhere, hopefully in clubs. It's far from sure but at least the lead will probably not hurt.

[2NT is limit raise 3+ cards.
3C checks back and 3NT shows 4333.
4NT shows even keycards. ]

[mike777]

Not a limit raise for me, Mr. Conservative

[pescetom]

mike777, on 2025-October-04, 12:44, said:

Not a limit raise for me, Mr. Conservative

Borderline at MP for me too.

[Huibertus]

jillybean, on 2025-October-04, 09:11, said:

---

This was the auction at the table, the only EW to get to 6

Can you get there on a normal auction?

You should not get there this way. Had ♦Ace been ♥Ace you'd have been the only EW to go down.

The key to this hand is West informing East he has a slam interested black two suiter according to the partnership's agreements to show such a hand. And then for East to evaluate his own hand as very good because of ♣Queen and two aces, and therefore cue ♦ Ace or ♥Ace according to which one he has in his hand. That way 6♠ can be bid and prevented appropriately.

[P_Marlowe]

jillybean, on 2025-October-04, 09:11, said:

---

This was the auction at the table, the only EW to get to 6

Can you get there on a normal auction?

1♠ :3♣
3♥:4♦
?

1♠:2nt limit +
?

First Auction: 3H? The bid is ok, if it is agreed to be a short suit trial bid.
Otherwise it is just garbage, and 4H is obv., the opening hand will bid game, if
p showes a constr. hand with spade fit.

Second Auction: Show the shortness, and the most simple way is via 4H, again, if
3H is short suit trial bid, go for it, otherwise see above.

Getting to 7S req. being able to ask for 3rd round control in clubs, I would not be
able to do it.

[pescetom]

 jillybean, on 2025-October-04, 09:11, said:

---

This was the auction at the table, the only EW to get to 6

I think the auction is hilarious. Not the first or last time we will see Ace asking used to indicate slam interest and no idea how to proceed, but Gerber (with trumps already set) followed by RKCB to ask exactly the same thing (West is looking at the Queen) is a gem

Or was West meaning long clubs and East just playing safe because unsure, now West uses UI to decide to continue?
If 4♣ really was Gerber then surely West would continue 5♣ here (not that knowing whether or not partner has a King changes much), not the even more pointless RKCB.

[jillybean]

I was North, post game, East asked me about the auction, I do not know West's thoughts here.
I doubt that 4C was intended as Gerber however many players with less experienced partnerships interpret an unexpected 4C bid as Gerber. (panic and freeze Geber)
Following 4S the only method often available is ace ask. They were the only pair to get to 6.

I'd be very happy to get to 6 but I'm not sure how I would get there.

[pescetom]

jillybean, on 2025-October-05, 08:32, said:

I was North, post game, East asked me about the auction, I do not know West's thoughts here.
I doubt that 4C was intended as Gerber however many players with less experienced partnerships interpret an unexpected 4C bid as Gerber. (panic and freeze Geber)
Following 4S the only method often available is ace ask. They were the only pair to get to 6.

I can imagine that East was in good faith responding to both Gerber and RKCB. I can also imagine he was confused by the auction
I'm less comfortable about West. If 4C was not intended as Gerber then why not pass 4S rather than "follow" it?
If there was any hint of UI I would have called the Director to have a look at the auction, and not because sore about them being the only pair to get to 6.

[P_Marlowe]

pescetom, on 2025-October-05, 12:54, said:

I'm less comfortable about West. If 4C was not intended as Gerber then why not pass 4S rather than "follow" it?
<snip>

Given that 4S denies first and second round control in the red suits.
And given that 3C was Bergen, i.e. a mixed raise, you can easily construct hands.
Or was 3C the stronger variant, aka reverse Bergen?

[jillybean]

pescetom, on 2025-October-05, 12:54, said:

I can imagine that East was in good faith responding to both Gerber and RKCB. I can also imagine he was confused by the auction
I'm less comfortable about West. If 4C was not intended as Gerber then why not pass 4S rather than "follow" it?
If there was any hint of UI I would have called the Director to have a look at the auction, and not because sore about them being the only pair to get to 6.

No UI at all.
I’m the Director here

3C was the strong version, perhaps West thought it was natural

[mw64ahw]

Playing 1♠-2N as a low information 4+, lim+ I have the following auction
1♠-2N
3♦ 13/14 BD or 13hcp otherwise - 3♠ 8.5 mod. losers
Now you know you have a low combined hcp, but potentially enough for a slam if partner has the controls so:
4♣ ctrl w. 2+♠ honours - 4♦ ctrl
4♥ void (I play as void showing not last train) - 4N even KCs
6♠
With the low hc p count I doubt I'd look for the grand, but 5♣ followed by 6♣ may set you up.