Posted 2015-August-16, 02:50
I'd make the game-forcing enquiry, then bid 4♠ after 4♥. I'm not so worried about finding a doubleton heart opposite, which is not that likely and impossible to diagnose at this point. The biggest concerns are:
- Reaching the five-level opposite some quacky minimum like AQxx Axx Qxx xxx or QJxx Axx Qxx QJx.
- Reaching slam opposite three aces and having only eleven tricks.
- Reaching slam opposite a hand like Stephen suggested, where we're missing ♣A ace and they set up a diamond trick at trick one.
Hence I make a slam try and then sign off, to allow partner to evaluate his hand. He'll tend to look favourably on controls, extra values, a doubleton diamond, high cards in his second suit, etc. Unfortunately he may also think ♠Q is a good card when it's not, and he might think ♥Ax is a ruffing value. Some of the time partner will drive to a poor slam.
In one partnership I could bid
1♣ (clubs or bal) - 1♥ (spades)
2♠ (four) - 2NT (FG enquiry)
then with a balanced hand opener would show his second suit at the three-level, or 3♠ with 4333. This wouldn't help me to distinguish ♥Ax ♦xxx from ♥Axx ♦xx, but that's mainly because we haven't bothered to discuss continuations - there's plenty of room for finding out about shape, strength and suitability.
... that would still not be conclusive proof, before someone wants to explain that to me as well as if I was a 5 year-old. - gwnn