[mikeh]

 Fluffy, on 2014-May-29, 02:06, said:

The way to explore the hand is minor suit transfer followed by 3♥

1NT-3♣
3♦-3♥ (heart shortness, normally singleton)

Over this partner will have to decide between 3NT and 3 spades, his hand is good, but ♥AK is too much to bypass 3NT IMO.

3NT-4♥ (now a sure heart void slam try)
5♣-6♦ (5♣ denies spade control)


With AK opposite a void opener might also decide to bid 4NT sing off instead of 5♣, but he has a maximum with 4 card support I don't think he should do that. AK hearts is much better than KQJx

I was with you 100% until 4♥.

Playing with a random partner, no matter how strong, makes this very dangerous. It isn't enough that he or she 'knows' that this is a heart void...he or she must be convinced that you also know this, and that you haven't just figured out a way to show a 5=6 red hand.

Yes, that is not how we'd bid a 5=6 hand, but our partner doesn't know that.

I would bid as you did to 3N and then bid 4♦. I don't think that any strong random partner would think that I was running from 3N after bidding 3♥ so I am comfortable that I am slamming. Over 4♥, I will bid 4♠ and now partner can bid 5♣ and I bid 5♥ to allow for a 5♠ cue. Were he to do that, and here he wouldn't, I would bid 5N....asking if he has anything to show that he hasn't already. Thus with the magic Axx Axx xxx AKxx, he can bid 5♣ and I can count 13 tricks.

[gszes]

 Fluffy, on 2014-May-29, 02:06, said:

The way to explore the hand is minor suit transfer followed by 3♥

1NT-3♣
3♦-3♥ (heart shortness, normally singleton)

Over this partner will have to decide between 3NT and 3 spades, his hand is good, but ♥AK is too much to bypass 3NT IMO.

3NT-4♥ (now a sure heart void slam try)
5♣-6♦ (5♣ denies spade control)


With AK opposite a void opener might also decide to bid 4NT sing off instead of 5♣, but he has a maximum with 4 card support I don't think he should do that. AK hearts is much better than KQJx

I would start the same way and become wayyyyy more excited if p cannot bid
3n. 1n 3c 3d 3h 3n and since I have no clue how much "waste" there is in
the heart suit I will give up on a grand but still give one more small slam
try with 4d (which will deny a club control) and let opener decide how good
their hand is for slam purposes (they would bid 4n to sign off else cue bid.
I admit if p bids 4n I will pass but have this gut wrenching feeling 5d is
safer:)))))))))))))))))))))))

PART 2
the dia J is a waste and the spade Q is anything but a grand worthy card so this
hand is not a maximum by any means convert the spade Q and dia J into the (spa
or dia) king however and I will raise to 7 and if its wrong tell p to invite next
time vs blast:)))))))))))))))) with 4 diamonds I would also consider the dia Q
(if we held it) to be a wasted card.

PASS