[mck4711]

all vul, IMP, no agreements with p except 5maj (at least it is mentioned in both profiles)

AQ9xx
xxx
Ax
AJx

p - 1S - p - 2H
p - 2S* - p - 4S

* ok, 2H usually shows 5+H, so I could have considered another bid than 2S
IMO, 2S actually is a (very) defensive bid. in red I could expect p to have at least 10 HCP, so we are in the range of full game
any suggestions?

but my real Q: what do you expect p to have? do you try slam?

[Cyberyeti]

mck4711, on 2011-July-28, 02:30, said:

all vul, IMP, no agreements with p except 5maj (at least it is mentioned in both profiles)

AQ9xx
xxx
Ax
AJx

p - 1S - p - 2H
p - 2S* - p - 4S

* ok, 2H usually shows 5+H, so I could have considered another bid than 2S
IMO, 2S actually is a (very) defensive bid. in red I could expect p to have at least 10 HCP, so we are in the range of full game
any suggestions?

but my real Q: what do you expect p to have? do you try slam?

Anything from Kxx, KQJ10x, xxxx, x to KJx, AKxxx, Qxx, xx. I wouldn't expect a decent opening hand, 3 spades and a singleton or 4m might be bid.

Not clear, was 2♠ FG ? If not I wouldn't have bid it, if so, 4♠ is a bad hand.

No slam try for me.

[whereagles]

I'm in a bit of a guess now. If pard has

Kxx
AKxxx
Kxx
xx

and they get the lead right, I'm going down. But if he has

Kxx
AKQxx
xxx
xx

slam is cold. I think there's a good chance slam makes so I'd just RKCB now.

[Cyberyeti]

whereagles, on 2011-July-28, 05:02, said:

I'm in a bit of a guess now. If pard has

Kxx
AKxxx
Kxx
xx

and they get the lead right, I'm going down. But if he has

Kxx
AKQxx
xxx
xx

slam is cold. I think there's a good chance slam makes so I'd just RKCB now.

Cold as in around 50%, I don't fancy your chances if either major is 4-1 (although stiff J or 10 of spades the right side will do).

[Free]

It's impossible to make an accurate decision in a guessing game. I'll just pass and hope we're not in a 5-2 fit. Even if partner shows light slam interest, slam probably wouldn't make (we lack a ♥ honor, we lack a 9th trump,...).

[mck4711]

OK, here is part 2: whereagles was quite close with his H- and S-guess, but just close 7S are ironclad.

P had KJxxx, AKQxx, x, xx (or was it KJxxx, AKQxx, xx, x - I dont remember)

First I am to be blamed, I could have found something better than 2S, or maybe I should have tried.
On the other side I think that p's hand is too strong for 2H - 4S, considering his offense strength much too strong. Even if you lack any agreements with p re fit-raise, eg 2NT Jacoby, there is still a splinter or you just ask for aces.
What would you have bid after 1S with p's hand?

[Cyberyeti]

1♠-3♥ would be my preference.

Failing that, with a solidish heart suit I'd probably conceal it as:

a) I don't need help from partner there
b) xx/xxx is not a bad holding

and either splinter or go via 2N. In my style, the immediate splinter is a void, singletons go via 2N, but we have the fit bid available in this case.

This is a slightly tricky hand, as if partner has Axxx opposite your minor suit doubleton and ♥xx, you're going to need a 3-3 heart break to get enough discards, and determining this distribution may be awkward.

[Zelandakh]

The hand is too strong for a normal splinter. In my own methods 1S - 2NT shows a mini-splinter raise or an "in-between" splinter raise so I can deal with these hands that way. Yeti's SJS 3H response looks somewhat canonical in traditional methods, getting 2 of the 3 main aspects of the hand over in one bid, with the 3rd coming on the rebid. If the auction starts 1S - 3H - 4H - 4S, would 4NT now be 6KCB? That would be great on this hand as North can find out about ♠Kxxxx and ♥AKQxx. I think I would be too worried about 4H being passed to bid it as North though.