Bidding a Spade Slam

Question

Hi Bernard, A couple of weeks ago at Buckland, I picked up the South hand, and I am wondering how you bid the slam. I was playing with a new partner and the bidding went 2D-3D-4S-pass, which was not great. I suggest maybe: 2D 2H 3D=forcing to game, 3H=negative, 3S or 4D =establishes the suit, 4D=cue bid with King/singleton/void 5C 5H 5C=cue bid, 5H=cue bid 6S Not easy, and not much chance of getting that right at a club like Buckland. What do you think? Using by own Acol A5 bidding system, it is much easier: 2C 2D 3S 4C 3S establishes the suit, 4C=6+ pts & no Aces 4NT then asks for Kings Not a minor suit slam, but at least it is Slam May.

Bernard's Answer

After the 2D opener, North is very powerful and should be thinking of slam anyway – with 9HCP and two 5-card suits I have sympathy with giving a positive response, which makes life a little more difficult, but the key is that is partner is showing a game forcing hand and you have such a strong hand, then North should surely be bidding on to slam anyway. If it starts 2D-2H then 2S is the right bid – it sets the suit. But I think 2D – 3D is more reasonable – I think with the positive response, South could take control and ask for keycards now – if partner has KQ10xx in diamonds then there are 13 tricks. Partner will show one key card – the DK – note that for the positive response, North must have another high card or two, so I would invite the Grand Slam with a further enquiry depending on the system played. Of course at the end of the hand you will move any diamond contract back to spades. How good is the Grand Slam? It is pretty good – you need diamonds to come in: 3-3, queen falling or less likely a 0-6 break allowing a ruffing finesse (as in the actual layout), or you can fall back on the club finesse – I think it is better than 75%.