IMO 3NT should show running clubs. If I thought x AQx AQx KQJxxx was too strong for 3C (it is, slightly, for me), I would bid 2D (a reverse) not 3D.

with AKQTxx xxx xxx A. over 2N you could bid 3S (forcing, unlimited, 6+ spades), then probably RKC next. I play 4C (over 2N) is RKC for opener's minor and 4D is RKC for responder's major, but this obviously requires advance discussion.

If you believe partner's 4N and 5N are Blackwood (or RKC) then 5N announces possesion of all the aces (keycards if using RKC); therefore you should bid 7N. However, since pard bid on over my 4S signoff I can't really trust him to be on the same wavelength; perhaps he has a stiff spade and is ashamed of his 2N bid and is running from spades (bad ides of course).

^^ Oops, I misspoke -- meant 2D, not 3D.

On the actual auction, if 3S is forcing (there are different ways to play this) then it's the right choice by responder -- but particularly in a pickup partnership you might not be confident that it won't be passed. Probably have to try ace-asking with an unknown -- it's extremely hard find a hand that won't make at least five from responder's perspective, and I haven't find one that fails to make slam except while missing two aces. Can't find the grand that way, but it's something.

I don't agree with this -- it strongly suggests possession of all the aces/keys, but sometimes (not on this hand) looking for kings is helpful to determine whether the best slam is in a suit or notrump, when an ace is missing. It is safe to do this (as asker) when answerer is limited, because in such circumstances asker can (sometimes) tell that answerer can't have enough of a hand to go jumping to the grand over 5NT.

In a pickup partnership I would expect 3S to be forcing here. It is much more important to be able to probe for the best game or slam than to be able to stop on a dime in 3S. 3S is certainly forcing in Standard and has been since forever. A regular partnership will have some way (3C usually) to stop in 3 of responder's suit.

I agree that the spade hand here can drive to slam if not off 2 aces, but how to ask? 4N (over 2N) is quantitative. I would expect a pickup partner to interpret 4C as Gerber but from discussion above I'd have to worry that pard would think it's a splinter.

In my regular partnerships the bidding would be:
1C 1S
2N 4D (Keycard for spades)
4N 5D (4N = 2 without; 5D = specific king ask; guarantees all keycards and Q spades).

Now pard would know I must have at least AKQxxx of spades and Ace of clubs. He may be able to count 13 tricks. This is the benefit of playing that the king ask guarantees all of the keycards and trump solidity. I agree that there can be some exceptions when the asker is very strong and the responer is weak and limited (essentially asker will know from his hand that responder cannot have a hand worth bidding 7).

Time to attack this one, as I'm simply not productive this morning.

As was mentioned, many people like to play that michaels (the cuebid of opener's suit, showing a two-suiter, in this case spades and a minor) is made only with a weakish hand or a very strong one; many others stretch to use it with appropriate shape, even when the strength is intermediate. I am in the former camp, but I'll look at both auctions.

If you play "loose" michaels:

(1H) P (P) 2H (spades and a minor);
2S (plenty, if pard is weak) - 3C (the right bid to show extras -- even though your spades are excellent, partner needs to know your shape to evaluate things correctly);
4C (forcing -- going past 3NT when it's a possible contract, without looking for it, for example with a 3H bid, is a game force) - 4H (not thrilled, because you're overbidding a bit, but the quality of the spades allows you to do this);
... and now either check for aces and kings, and chance the grand (if he has all the aces, which is moderately likely from advancer's perspective, on the assumption that there will be a diamond pitch on a spade at some point, or, if you have these methods available, bid 4S to establish a double fit, and hope intervenor (the michaels bidder) can now use two-suit keycard. I'd just go with blackwood, as the odds the spades don't produce the pitch or pitches that I need is pretty low.

On the actual hand you're missing an ace, so you bid six clubs. Intervenor doesn't correct to 6S because he never learns of the secondary fit.

If you play "strict" michaels:

(1H) P (P) 1S (really heavy for it, but you expect the auction to stay open);
2NT (natural, and a perfect description) - 3C (natural);
4C? (probably reasonable, because if intervenor has a real two-suiter you will probably be best in clubs or spades rather than notrump) - 4H;
4S? (figuring your hand was only worth one try, and 5D is too expensive) - 5C (one more try, as you've underbid to this point);
6C (what more can partner want?)

Much tougher auction this way, and the partnership could definitely miss game.

If you elect to start with 2S:

(1H) P (P) 2S (right on strength, wrong on shape);
3C (forcing, as advancer has denied holding good-enough clubs to be signing off here when intervenor has shown no interest in such a contract; no number of notrump works, as 3NT, which is correct on strength, is wrong with the doubleton ten of spades, which means that 4S could be right) - 4C (excited as heck);
4D - whatever ace-asking mechanism you have, ending at 6C.

If you're thinking that intervenor should be forcing the partnership into spades when he has learned of the big club fit and spade tolerance, the answer is that that would be appropriate at the game level, but not usually the slam level. If it were really easy to get to slam then it would be very important to be in the highest-scoring one, but with an opponent having opened you're happy to get to any slam, and you choose the one that rates to be safest.


-------------------

Totally other thing: I need to play. I haven't played a club or tournament game in three years, but it's time. Myrmidon, I think you said you're in Houston? We could try playing some MTWTh.

Assuming 3S is forcing (and it would be for me, with most partners, but I have played with so many pickup partners that I have learned never to assume partner will be on the same wavelength with any auction that hasn't been specifically discussed*), I would start with it, as establishing the trump suit should simplify the auction later (though it won't in this case). Over 3S, opener would probably bid 4C, after which responder could keycard (having to guess about the strength of the clubs, but being on pretty safe ground with an eventual 7NT bid) or try 5C, which lets opener bid to what should be the same resting place.


* I have played with pickup partners in the Blue Ribbon Pairs (advancing to the second day, then getting destroyed), the Reisinger (absolutely pummeled), two national swisses (advancing once to the second day), a flight A swiss at the nationals (first in X, fourth in A, for my first really exciting finish at a nationals), a national open pairs (three really strong sessions before we had a bit of a meltdown), and countless pair games (including my first outright win of a regional pair game, in this case a six-section regional event). I've also had plenty of other pickup-partnership disasters, some with awful partners and some with very skilled ones. In my "career" I've played with hundreds of partners (not counting online stuff). And what I've learned more clearly than anything else is that assuming you know what partner is thinking is usually a bad idea.

fair enough, and it gets the right side to declare 3nt presuming the spades are the problem on the deal. Also kinda prefer a doubleton spade for 3nt here simply when partner has a spade-oriented hand and pulls.

**** the ****ing **** that pointed me towards Bridge. I can't enjoy poker anymore and I make no money and put in zero hours.

God, I love Bridge.

r/w, mps

LHO deals and opens a weak 2S

A Q
A K 7
5 3 2
A 9 7 4 3

Is doubling correct when it passes around to me?

I think I'd prefer 2N here; especially if you play transfers after the 2N overcall. If pard has 5 hearts, it should play from your side (and if he has 4 it probably shouldn't play in hearts). Also, 2N gets your strength/pattern right. If you double, you're not strong enough to bid again.

I don't think the hand is strong enough to double and rebid 3N.

I think 1C 1S/3N should warn partner ==not== to pull to spades; i.e, it should show a trick-oriiented hand - solid clubs (usually 7) and fast stoppers outside. Something like x AJx Kx AKQJxxx. Otherwise you have no bid for this type of hand (it's too strong for a 3C rebid). If you are more balanced and think the hand is too strong to rebid 2N (which shows 18-19) then open it 2N.

This is a textbook 2NT bid.

Ok, MPs, r/r

LHO deals and opens 1

My partner bids 3, preemptively. This should show 7 clubs, and because of vulnerability, it should be a pretty sound suit.

RHO thinks for a little then passes.

A T 8 4
9 8 3
A K Q T 9
K

5 is the standard bid for my hand, right?

Yeah, I think this is a standard 2NT in direct or in the passout seat.

I think so. Despite MP, I don't think you should even try for 3NT, you are definitely strong enough to game a shot, and I don't think you can sensibly investigate slam, so what else is there besides 5?