[Fluffy]

System is faulty for sure, 2NT was wide ranged, 3♥ gave no info, and 4♥ was also wide ranged as there was no Texas. But other than that, what could had been improved?

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[bgm]

After 2NT, E should expect to have 7-8 ♥ tricks and from the given HCP range, he should expect 6+ cover cards. So he should drive to small slam (at least) unless there are 2 Aces missing.

[wank]

west can't do anything, despite his multitude of controls.

east on the other hand does have an 8 card suit. trumps = tricks. 5 level isn't safe but if you don't have a slam try available i'd just bid 5h.

[steve2005]

deleted

[ArtK78]

Fluffy, on 2015-August-15, 06:02, said:

System is faulty for sure, 2NT was wide ranged, 3♥ gave no info, and 4♥ was also wide ranged as there was no Texas. But other than that, what could had been improved?

"Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?"

That is a lot of qualification. While any action by East other than 4♥ is a guess, it is an educated guess. Partner could easily have AAAAK with Ax of hearts, in which case 12 tricks should be easy. And partner represented a better hand than "just" AAAAK. So, at a minimum, East should bid 5♥ (5♣ is not unreasonable assuming that it will be read as a splinter). Leaping to 6 is not unreasonable.

As was previously mentioned, West could do nothing more than he did.

[BillPatch]

ArtK78, on 2015-August-15, 08:02, said:

.... Leaping to 6 is not unreasonable....

Slam is not reasonable if missing 2 aces. The appropriate ask should determine number of aces. I prefer the ace ask after jacoby transfer route to slam. 52% odds on grand slam after finding 4 Aces and 1 K might be good shoot if opponents reliable 90%+ to reach small slam.

[neilkaz]

East should be rushed in an ambulance to the nearest E.R. and checked for a pulse. 2NT showed 23+ per the explanation when I clicked on it.

[BillPatch]

neilkaz, on 2015-August-15, 09:25, said:

East should be rushed in an ambulance to the nearest E.R. and checked for a pulse. 2NT showed 23+ per the explanation when I clicked on it.

Two other possibilities: partner can't see all the hearts and needs an optometrist, or partner went to Harvard and cannot count.

Comment in Cambridge, Mass. when a student goes to the 10 items or less aisle with too many items: "Do you go to Harvard and can't count, or MIT, and can't read?"

PS: I went to Obama's other Ivy League school.

[apollo1201]

FWIW and to answer Fluffy's question:
- not having 3H mean sth (2 or 3 cd) *has to* be improved
- differentiating direct jump (or Xfer) to game vs. Xfer at 3 level and bid game can probably help as well (when 3H doesnt mean anything)
- E, having an 8-cd suit and facing 23+ that could be 28 as well could also do sth (5H although you might reach 6 w/o 2 aces bidding this way, is there a way to ask for aces or set trumps below 4H? I guessnot in the system you played there)
- or a punting auction starting w/ Gerber (which I don't play though) and any number of H depending on the answer?

[kenrexford]

What about mentioning hearts earlier? I meam, is King eighth not enough to make a positive 2H? Is 3H instead available? Or, 4H even? Sure, transfer positives might work better, for me 2C-3C for hearts.