[pmacfar]

Scoring: MP

In second session of continuous pairs in regional last week, I decided to open 2♣ strong. Partner bid 2♦ waiting, I bid my ♠s, and partner responds 3♥. Next I go into RKC and find out we have all 5 key cards and are missing both minor suit kings. So after the 6♣ response to 5NT, which slam do you bid?

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[luke warm]

7♥

i'll let roland calculate how bad these odds are, but it feels right

[luis]

I don't understand this. If you had all the keycards and the heart Q you play 7♥, if you are missing the hQ you play 6♥. Where's the question?
If you don't know abou the hQ then it doesn't matter since the hand is ruined.

[inquiry]

luis, on Jun 3 2005, 01:44 PM, said:

I don't understand this. If you had all the keycards and the heart Q you play 7♥, if you are missing the hQ you play 6♥. Where's the question?
If you don't know abou the hQ then it doesn't matter since the hand is ruined.

I think he is wondering should he risk 7NT: this is matchpoints after all. The problem is there is no way to know if the spades will run if you go so quickly to blackwood. Surely you have enough tricks for 7♥.

I think you should be happy with 7♥ however. Someone has a lot of minors and they did not interfere, so you had room to find out about the DIAMOND ACE, the trump queen, and the fifth heart. To risk the great 7♥ for a speculative 7NT (it will make if spades can be run), is too rich for my blood unless you need every absolute tip-top you can get right now.

Ben

[pmacfar]

luis, on Jun 3 2005, 01:44 PM, said:

I don't understand this. If you had all the keycards and the heart Q you play 7♥, if you are missing the hQ you play 6♥. Where's the question?
If you don't know abou the hQ then it doesn't matter since the hand is ruined.

Playing second negatives, I would expect partner to have the Queen of his suit. For bypassing the second negative bid means that he had some points.

As to final contract, the question is 6 vs. 7 and H's vs NT.....

NT is scary because after they get off to the minor suit lead, their king in that suit is good. In addition, the singleton and Ax doubleton in my hand.....

Thus, ♥'s look better....

[Winstonm]

This, in a nutshell, is why I hate playing matchpoints - My guess as to partner's and opponent's spade holdings is the key to a spectacular victory or a demoralizing defeat. But it is an automatic victory for those playing some relay method that could find all this out for a lousy 10 more points.

At imps, it's 7H. WTP?

WinstonM

[HeartA]

I feel the pain after responder bid 5D over 4NT (assume 03-14-2-2). 5S? afraid of pd pass; 5NT? K asking. Well, I think I would bid 7H anyway. Even if pd didn't have HQ, he might have 6 Hs, or HQ might be dropped under HAK.

[mike777]

7H

[Fluffy]

If you did want precision on the bidding you shouldn't open 2♣ .

[civill]

7♥ is better than 7NT,because of ♠J.