From: bharat@cs.uiuc.edu (R. Bharat Rao)
Subject: Re: What's your call?
Organization: University of Illinois, Dept of Computer Science
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 16:34:56 GMT

In article <C0Ep4I.20p@deshaw.com>, baseggio@deshaw.com (Franco Baseggio) writes:
|> In article <C0E41o.GpD@cs.uiuc.edu> bharat@cs.uiuc.edu (R. Bharat Rao) writes:
|> >In article <C0CsMI.DI4@deshaw.com>, baseggio@deshaw.com (Franco Baseggio) writes:
|> >|> In article <C0Cp8D.CnG@deshaw.com> I write:
|> >|> >Flt B swiss, early round, white on white.  You, south, hold
|> >|> >KT965
|> >|> >AQ5
|> >|> >A
|> >|> >KT93 [ACTUALLY AT93!!!]
|> >|> >
|> >|> >South  North
|> >|> >1S     1N
|> >|> >2C     4S
|> >|> >?
|> >|> >
|> >|> >1N was forcing, but limited to 12 HCP.  4S means that North was going
|> >|> >to make a balanced 3 piece limit raise, but liked your 2C bid.
|> 
|> [stuff deleted]
|> 
|> >Essentially I need help in both black suits.  I will raise to
|> >5S and that should convey this message pretty clearly (I cannot be
|> >open in BOTH red suits to make a slam try, and if I needed help in
|> >one red suit, I would cue the other -- ergo, my red suits must be
|> >good shape).  

|> Well, he has essentially already shown lots of black suit values.  

Yes, but there is no reason why he cannot hold the DKQ as well, or even
one of these two cards.  This essentially says, partner if all your cards
work perhaps you should move to slam..

So, partner should re-evaluate his hand in light of the bidding and see
how good his black suit values are and the presence of soft red suit values
should have him accept/decline...  This also conveys my interest in his club
suit so if he has 4 clubs.... (see below)

|> There seems to be general agreement that this hand should at least try
|> for slam (despite a previous non-forcing bid!) but no one seems to be
|> interested in 6C.  That would be the preferred slam, would it not?

Sure 6C will play better IF there is a 4-4 fit, but how do we know that!

It is not for ME to be interested in 6C but partner.  After all "he liked
my clubs" could mean a holding of QJx of AQx couldn't it?  With 4 decent
clubs IF partner was going to accept anyway, I would expect ANY decent 
partner to bid 6C and offer a choice of contracts.  Plus I think 5C by me
should show 5-5..

For example, holding AQx,xxx,xxx,KQxx (more on this hand later) partner
will definitely accept.  Partner should also DEFINITELY bid 6C and not 
6S.  A bid of 6S at IMPs would be thoughtless and would simply convey the
same information that had been conveyed earlier by the 4S bid...

You talked about "the general consensus to try for slam despite the
non-forcing bid" earlier, but consider the hand of AQx,xxx,xxx,KQxx.

You make 7C opposite this if you pick up both black suits.  6C
is close to ice cold opposite this hand with 12 of 5S, 4C, 2Aces, 2 diamond 
ruffs.  I would try for slam because I expect it to be very good WHENEVER
partner accepts (at worst on the heart finesse with some additional options).

There may be a slight chance of going down in 5S but I would like to see some
simulations if anyone has the time/ability:-)  Also, there is one situation
when partner should bid 6S even with 4 clubs.  that is when he has a side
suit stiff for QUICK ruffs.. if the stiff is in hearts then 6S is infact 
the better choice, and if it is in diamonds I will pay off to opponents
who neglected to compete withh 11 diamonds between them...

|> Franco

Nice hand

Bharat
-- 
R. Bharat Rao                         E-mail: bharat@cs.uiuc.edu
AI Group, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
405 N. Mathews, Urbana, IL 61801   (217)-333-5978 (O), 337-6498(H)
Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana