[FrancesHinden]

Scoring: IMP

1NT P 2NT(1) P
3♦(2) P 3♥(3) P
?

---

1NT is 15-17, denies a 5-card major, may have a 6-card minor, will only be 5422 if exactly 2=2=4=5 not strong enough to reverse. Nice 14 and 17 counts often upgraded, mouldly 18s very rarely downgraded.

(1) Diamonds
(2) Either the A or the K and at least 3-card support
(3) Natural FG. Either a slam try, or just looking for the best game. May not be that distributional if looking for a slam - 2452 is possible if it looks possible that we may want to play in diamonds but clearly many 2452s will just look for a 4-4 heart fit and bid 3NT without mentioning diamonds.

So, you have already shown the diamond fit. Do you bid 3NT, nominally to play, or do you bid 3S showing values in spades and doubt about strain? Or do you find something else to bid?

[Apollo81]

Definitely 3♠, slam has play if all pard has is xxx AQxx AQxxx x

[han]

7NT was tempting but I'll settle for 3S right now. If partner has club shortness then I have good cards. If partner has spade shortness then I don't.

[mikeh]

I was happy to see the explanation of 3♥: I play 4 suit transfers with a couple of people, not in serious partnerships, and I have been trying to get them to play this way... the common NA approach appears to be to use 3major as shortness after a minor transfer.

Anyway, to the problem: I think 3♠ is reasonably clear. Yes, 3N is not silly. But this is rapidly becoming a very good hand.. near maximum, the ♦J may be helpful in many ways, the heart K.

Contrast this to KQxx xxx KJx AKx... the bidding would be the same to this point, and this is what 3N looks like, to me.

I appreciate that my 3♠ can cause problems for partner at his next call, and that (if we have a play for slam) it may turn out that 4♣ by me would have dissuaded a club lead while 3♠ induces it.... but this hand is too good, in context, to make a regressive call.

[andy_h]

3S

[jdonn]

I like to play it to show shortness, but here I think 3♠ is clear.

[655321]

3♠, 'showing spade values and doubt about strain' seems perfect for this hand.

[Cascade]

3♠ I don't have the type of club stopper with which I want to insist on 3NT.

[nige1]

FrancesHinden, on Mar 28 2008, 09:44 AM, said:

Scoring: IMP

1NT P 2NT(1) P
3♦(2) P 3♥(3) P
?

---

1NT is 15-17, denies a 5-card major, may have a 6-card minor, will only be 5422 if exactly 2=2=4=5 not strong enough to reverse.  Nice 14 and 17 counts often upgraded, mouldly 18s very rarely downgraded.

(1) Diamonds
(2) Either the A or the K and at least 3-card support
(3) Natural FG. Either a slam try, or just looking for the best game. May not be that distributional if looking for a slam - 2452 is possible if it looks possible that we may want to play in diamonds but clearly many 2452s will just look for a 4-4 heart fit and bid 3NT without mentioning diamonds.

So, you have already shown the diamond fit. Do you bid 3NT, nominally to play, or do you bid 3S showing values in spades and doubt about strain?  Or do you find something else to bid?

IMO 3♠ = 10, 3N = 7, 7N = 11
Frances tells us that 3♠ shows where your values are and expresses doubt about strain and level My only qualm is that partner may not expect such a dull shape

[skjaeran]

Clear 3♠ IMO.

[FrancesHinden]

Apollo81, on Mar 28 2008, 03:52 PM, said:

Definitely 3♠, slam has play if all pard has is xxx AQxx AQxxx x

This is a very odd hand to use as an example. Something like this opposite was exactly what persuaded me to bid 3NT, because opposite that 5D is in jeopardy and 3NT has 9 top tricks.

I was also concerned that partner would get too enthusiastic if I bid 3S. But on reflection 3S is right, because it's pretty much only on that sample hand that 3NT is obviously better.

Anyway, forget the poll, now you have a play problem. 3NT isn't much of one, but 5D is...

---

Over your 3S bid, you will now bid to 5D.
LHO leads the Queen of clubs, and RHO encourages.
You win with the ace, ruff a club, draw trumps in two rounds (LHO has the singleton and discards a club), ruff a club and play a spade to the 10 and LHO's Jack
(do you agree?)

LHO exits with the jack of hearts.

Plan the rest of the play

[Apollo81]

FrancesHinden, on Mar 31 2008, 04:46 AM, said:

Apollo81, on Mar 28 2008, 03:52 PM, said:

xxx AQxx AQxxx x

This is a very odd hand to use as an example. Something like this opposite was exactly what persuaded me to bid 3NT, because opposite that 5D is in jeopardy and 3NT has 9 top tricks.

I didnt say you want to be in slam, I just said it had play. Youd never get to slam if partner had that, youd get to either 4s or 5d, anyway throw in the sJ instead of a low spade and slam's now nearly cold

[Fluffy]

About the play, playing ♠K you win when LHO has ♥A, playing ♠10 you wim when RHO has spade Jack, since playing low spade with the ace is not automatic I Agree with the initial play.

There are 2 lines now, one is that LHO was endplayed, wich requires him to have exactly 3 spades with ♠AJ, and also ♥AJ.

The other is to win ♥K and ruff a spade hoping for someone to have a doubleton ace in a major.

I think the second line is a bit better than the first. just ruff a spade and duck a heart around.

Now I think of it I wish I didn't play trumps that quick, now I could have the entries to ruff the sapdes and maybe endplay someone with doubleton ♥10, althou this requires a spade finese, not sure if this is worth the risk of a singleton heart.

[FrancesHinden]

Jlall, on Mar 31 2008, 10:00 PM, said:

I would have played a spade to the king against competent opps since I think ducking the ace is normal.

Really?

You mean you wouldn't have bid 3NT on

KQJx
J10x
KJx
Axx

?

you might argue that RHO would only duck if he were looking at the ace of spades and no heart honour, but that doesn't necessarily help you now

[Fluffy]

But why is playing the king better than playing the 10? if the 10 forces the ace you are home.

[FrancesHinden]

I meant 3S when I said 3NT above.

I did imply originally that it may not be obvious that the 10 was the right play, but I think we disagree about how 'auto' it is to duck with the SA here. I think many players will rise: if you had something like K109x in spades then there is little point in playing the 10 because one spade trick is useless - it's a discard for the 4th heart which you can ruff - but making a spade trick without losing the ace isn't.

[dburn]

FrancesHinden, on Mar 31 2008, 03:46 AM, said:

Anyway, forget the poll, now you have a play problem. 3NT isn't much of one, but 5D is...

Dealer: ????? Vul: ???? Scoring: Unknown

♠ x ♥ Qxxx ♦ AQ10xxxx ♣ x ♠ KQ10x ♥ Kxx ♦ KJx ♣ Axx

Over your 3S bid, you will now bid to 5D.
LHO leads the Queen of clubs, and RHO encourages.
You win with the ace, ruff a club, draw trumps in two rounds (LHO has the singleton and discards a club), ruff a club and play a spade to the 10 and LHO's Jack
(do you agree?)

Probably not, but more data required. What did West discard on the second round of diamonds, and what did it mean? If, for example, West discouraged in hearts, then East should not play ♠A on the first round of the suit whatever his hand. In such a case, it seems better to play East for ♠A, or for ♠J to fall in three rounds, or for West to have ♥A.