[pescetom]

Pickup partner in a national sim tournament.

MP

---

[jillybean]

Let's not get fancy with a pickup

3♥ , are you sure it's not a full moon?

[mike777]

I will try 2NT

[pescetom]

Full moon is tonight, with another pickup.

Here it is from partner's point of view.

MP

---

Was 2♥ automatic?
what do you bid now?

[pescetom]

 mike777, on 2026-July-28, 19:30, said:

I will try 2NT

How would you expect pickup West to interpret that and to bid now?

[jschafer]

4 diamonds next (not cuebidding singleton in partner's suit) and partner can evaluate hand based on black suit controls.

[mike777]

 pescetom, on 2026-July-29, 03:56, said:

How would you expect pickup West to interpret that and to bid now?

Natural, wk NT type hand

6h giving up on grand, protect KD

[pescetom]

 jschafer, on 2026-July-29, 04:07, said:

4 diamonds next (not cuebidding singleton in partner's suit) and partner can evaluate hand based on black suit controls.

I'm part of the eccentric minority that does control bid shortage in partner's suit (and as often it would have worked well here) but I don't expect you to guess that as a pickup.
Now over 4♦ I would like to bid 4NT showing control of both black suits and an even number of keycards. But as I don't expect you to guess that either I think I just punt 6♥. There is I guess a case for bidding 4NT and then passing 5♥ whatever it means, but I hate such situations (in particular having to avoid taking advantage of partner's explanation if wily opponents ask about 4NT).

[jschafer]

I think punting 6♥ is reasonable, given that partner made a slam try with no black suit cuebid and you hold A + AK?

[Cyberyeti]

I think getting a 13th card as E might help, oh OK it's in the first diagram not the second.

While it's possible you're making 7 opposite 3 aces, or not making 6 opposite 2, I think I just blackwood and bid 6 opposite more than 1

[jschafer]

It's a spade I assume based on the OP

[pescetom]

 Cyberyeti, on 2026-July-29, 06:28, said:

I think getting a 13th card as E might help, oh OK it's in the first diagram not the second.

Fixed, thanks.
The hazards of typing hand diagrams on a phone.

[jillybean]

2H was fine; forcing, showing hearts.
6H now, I am assuming you didn't discuss this in the time between the partnership desk and the first table.

[pescetom]

It actually went:

MP

---

Contract making on a ♦A lead.

Partner was pleased with himself, also because the opponents had made the same contract themselves on the previous board, so tit for tat.

I was unhappy with the auction but made a good job of keeping it to myself. I would like him to have made a more informed decision although we didn't have the agreements for that. But with the information he did have I would not have called slam, although that may be wrong (and would have been tough to argue in the face of 93%).

At national level, out of 215 there were 31 in 6H, 35 in 6H-1, 23 in 4H+2 and 106 in 4H+1. Of course against a MP slam the temptation to cash an Ace is greater.

[Cyberyeti]

pescetom, on 2026-July-29, 08:31, said:

It actually went:

MP

---

Contract making on a ♦A lead.

Partner was pleased with himself, also because the opponents had made the same contract themselves on the previous board, so tit for tat.

I was unhappy with the auction but made a good job of keeping it to myself. I would like him to have made a more informed decision and with the information he did have I would not have called slam, although that may be wrong (and would have been tough to argue in the face of 93%).

At national level, out of 215 there were 31 in 6H, 35 in 6H-1, 23 in 4H+2 and 106 in 4H+1. Of course against a MP slam the temptation to cash an Ace is greater.

You also need to know your opponents, do you not think the overcall makes A♦ >50% to be onside ?

Playing with a pickup, I might well have done the same thing

[jillybean]

It's difficult playing with pickups but hard to argue with that result. I hope you said WDP!

[pescetom]

 Cyberyeti, on 2026-July-29, 08:41, said:

You also need to know your opponents, do you not think the overcall makes A♦ >50% to be onside ?

Playing with a pickup, I might well have done the same thing

I don't know the opponents, but they seem fairly solid and just bid a and made a slam, so yes >50%, although not by much (South has 5 HCP in spades and rates to have more than half the missing 10 HCP in the minors).

But as West my prime concern on that auction would be losing the first two tricks in spades.

[pescetom]

 jillybean, on 2026-July-29, 08:46, said:

It's difficult playing with pickups but hard to argue with that result. I hope you said WDP!

In public, yes.

In private I thanked the moon.

[WasWinM]

Just a question: why does everyone automatically act as if 2H is forcing over a simple 1-level overcall? Is partner not allowed to pass with KQJxx, xx, Qxxx, xx?

[jillybean]

WasWinM, on 2026-July-29, 10:07, said:

Just a question: why does everyone automatically act as if 2H is forcing over a simple 1-level overcall? Is partner not allowed to pass with KQJxx, xx, Qxxx, xx?

Have you misread the auction?