[mikl_plkcc]

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I think I should have doubled in my second round of bidding, but if playing with robots, how would it respond? In the later bidding, did I describe my hand correctly?

Note that, on the all robots table, the auction died at 4NT, so I earned 12 IMP by making the small. It did double on the second round, but it raised the 3NT to 4NT, whereas I would pull the 3NT to 4♦ instead.

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And, using your method, assume that the first round of bidding is the same, would you be able to bid the grand?

I think I might go
1♣ - (/) - 1♥ - (2♠)
3♣ - (3♠) - 4♠! (strong raise in ♣) - (/)
5♣ (to play) - (/) - 5♦! (cuebid, first or second round control in ♦) - (/)
5♥! - (/) - 5NT! (grand slam force) - (/)
7♣ (2 out of AKQ) - //

[mike777]

North rebidding 3C freely and at unfavorable vul.??
Discuss.. 😊 😊 😊



Certainly makes it easy to get to seven..

[jillybean]

mike777, on 2025-February-24, 19:34, said:

North rebidding 3C freely and at unfavorable vul.??
Discuss.. 😊 😊 😊

3♣ looks like it is forced after X

[akwoo]

Getting to 7 other than in a relay system (and good luck not having it messed up by E/W bidding spades), or possibly Precision with enough asking bids (ditto), is close to impossible. You need to find out about A♥ opposite singleton at some point, and there is no good way to do it.

mike777, on 2025-February-24, 19:34, said:

North rebidding 3C freely and at unfavorable vul.??
Discuss.. 😊 😊 😊

In K/S-descendent-weak-NT 2/1 as I play it (and I think mycroft agrees with me), North has to bid 3♣ directly over 2♠, because pass shows 15-17 balanced, and the 3♣ bid is weaker than pass.

Except we wouldn't open 1♣ - this hand is too weak to open 1m in K/S (and frankly a bit marginal in standard 2/1).

[smerriman]

Out of interest, how would the play go in 7♣ on a trump lead? It doesn't seem straightforward to make though I may well be missing an obvious line.

[mw64ahw]

3 mod. losers opposite 7.5 should give you some encouragement to look for the grand.

[Cyberyeti]

smerriman, on 2025-February-24, 23:42, said:

Out of interest, how would the play go in 7♣ on a trump lead? It doesn't seem straightforward to make though I may well be missing an obvious line.

Spade ruff, A♥, heart ruff, spade ruff, heart ruff, rumble the trumps, E gets horribly squeezed, and would do even without A♠

[paulg]

I don't think it is realistic to bid the grand slam with the spade competition and it looks difficult enough without it.

Although the robots seems very happy to double on the second round, I'd be very nervous about partner passing it with a 4(32)4 distribution and a weak no trump. So my plan would be bidding 3♦ on the second round intending to pull 3NT to 4♣. But it is very difficult to bid slams when you struggle to agree a suit.

I'd be very happy to reach a sensible small slam on this hand.

[pescetom]

akwoo, on 2025-February-24, 23:12, said:

Getting to 7 other than in a relay system (and good luck not having it messed up by E/W bidding spades), or possibly Precision with enough asking bids (ditto), is close to impossible. You need to find out about A♥ opposite singleton at some point, and there is no good way to do it.

Finding out about the singleton opposite ♥A is no issue using Italian control-bidding in an unopposed auction. The problem is rather South being certain of the two black Kings instead of ♠Axxx and ♣QJTxxx: I think I would plump for the two Kings (it's not easy to pack enough HCP into the majors 4=1 without a stiff ♥H and in that case partner might well opt for NT rather than 3♣) and bid the grand, but that might well be resulting.

1♣(2+) - 1♥
1♠ - 2♦ (ART,GF)
3♣ - 4♣
4♥(CTL ♥,!♦) - 4♠(CTL ♦)
5♦(CTL ♦,♠, odd KC) - 5♥(CTL ♥)
6♣ (♣Q, !CTL ♠) - ?

I'll try it with a partner who sees only South.

[mycroft]

I'm not sure I'd feel forced to bid 3♣; while I would definitely bid 2♣ over 1♠, I might pass here. Sure, partner will expect 15-17 balanced, but I should be able to survive partner's next call, even if it's 3NT, because of the spade stopper and the solid nature of the clubs. I'll pull a double, which I don't expect (if it's penalty).

Agree on the "maybe I wouldn't open this one either", but I don't mind "overstrength preempts" in my partnership. I'd definitely pass if I were 4135 instead.

[johnu]

smerriman, on 2025-February-24, 23:42, said:

Out of interest, how would the play go in 7♣ on a trump lead? It doesn't seem straightforward to make though I may well be missing an obvious line.

I would win the club lead in North,
play ♥A and ruff a heart low
ruff a spade and ruff a heart high (if East shows out of hearts, Option A)

Quote

Option A:
If West has king fifth in hearts.
Draw trumps, lead ♦10 to ♦Q
Take heart ruffing finesse
Take the diamond finesse

ruff a spade and ruff a heart high
Draw trumps

If ♥K has fallen, that's 13 top tricks.

If ♥K has not fallen, play the remaining trumps.

If diamonds were 3-3, then that's 13 top tricks. There's a squeeze if East had king fifth of hearts and 4+ diamonds, or if West had 4+ diamonds and ♠A.