[semeai]

You can reasonably get in the vicinity of slam with 1H-1S;2D-3C;4N-?, but South will expect two spade losers opposite a singleton.

With instead 1H-1S;2D-3S, we'd at the least need North to go past 4S to have a chance I think. If 3S is invitational, that seems unlikely. This is more likely if we can get to a similar state with 3S forcing.

Given that the original post seemed to encourage going out on a limb and also trying aguahombre's suggestion of changing methods (that wasn't a suggestion you say?):

There was recently a suggestion by Josh Donn in a comment to this post at bridgewinners to use 1H-1S;2D-2S as 4th suit forcing (using 1H-2S for hands that would normally bid this way). Then there's the possibility of 1H-1S;2D-2S;2N-3S;4C-4S;5D-6S if we've decided North will go to the 5-level. More fancifully, how about 1H-1S;2D-2S;2N-3S;5H-6S, where 5H is a Bluhmer. I think I've now committed every sin possible in a "bid this to slam" post.

If you happen to play 1H-1S;2D-3S forcing, maybe one of these last two sequences without the 2S;2N bit is possible.

I doubt these are good judgment on North's part with just stiff Ace of spades.

[chasetb]

 mike777, on 2011-August-22, 20:30, said:

/Welcome to the forums where most of us bid slam easy in many many easy methods......

 aguahombre, on 2011-August-22, 20:33, said:

And on the fora, we get to change our methods to fit the current post. Those who don't, often confess that the particular situation is not good for their methods.

These two quotes are pretty much true. I'll admit that with most partnerships I'll never reach this slam; I think the only standard bidding system that could for me is one I am just starting with another Junior. Even then, it takes a little gutsy bidding, but us Juniors know no fear

 VM1973, on 2011-August-22, 07:34, said:

Surely after 1♥-1♠ the next bid must be 3♦ not 2NT. The problem with this hand is most slams happen by first showing strength, second finding the fit, and third checking on controls. On this hand you're likely to spend too much time trying to find a fit that isn't there to have enough room to check on controls.

(Parts removed)

26-28 ZPs 1m-rebid 1NT (equivalent 12-14 HCPs)
29-31 ZPs open 1NT (equivalent 15-17 HCPs)
32-35 ZPs 1m-rebid 2NT (equivalent 18-20 HCPs)
38-40 ZPs open 2NT (equivalent 21-23 HCPs)

(More parts removed)

3♦ shows at least 5-5 in the suits bid, (18)19+ HCP, and most/all of your points in those suits. You can stretch with a 5-4, but that toothless Heart suit (as in 1 HCP) makes me rebid 2NT every time. Also, speaking of ZPs, if you have read fully Zar's Bidding Evaluation, you would know for his "systems backbone", he uses an unlimited 1♣, a strong artificial but NF 1♦, 1M as 4+ with possible canape, and 1NT as 26-30 ZP (no 4M, 6m, 5-5 minors). The couple of times I messed around with basic openings and responses using Zar Points and based on Zar's backbone, 1NT worked out pretty well. The ACBL only allows a maximum of 5 HCP in the 1NT range, but that range covers 12-16, so it's all good.

[655321]

 daveharty, on 2011-August-22, 18:18, said:

Kneel before Zar!

Yes, people who talk about Zar points make me think of General Zod too.
http://www.bridgebas...post__p__278226

[Zelandakh]

Right, I said I wouldn't but bleurgh, here is a "realistic" auction.

1C = 15+ nat/bal or 18+ any
... - 1H = 4+ spades, GF
1S = relay, usually 18+
... - 3C = 6 spades, 4 clubs, 0-1 hearts
3D = relay
... - 3H = 6034
3S = relay
... - 3N = min
4C = relay
... - 4H = 2 controls
4N = Q ask
... - 5C = no CQ
5S = SQ? (NF)
... - 6D = yes, and DQ
6S

I am not saying this is the auction I would expect at the table. Does that make it realistic or not for the purposes of the OP?

[daveharty]

 VM1973, on 2011-August-22, 18:19, said:

I'm pretty sure his name was Zod.

Um...yes. You caught me.

[Cyberyeti]

If N bids his hand as balanced once S shows spades, it's not difficult to bid a slam, possibly the big one, but it's a lot more difficult if the auction starts 1♥-1♠-2♦.

Eg for us:

1♥(4+ cards, if only 4 will not have 4m)-1♠
1N(15-bad 19)-2♣(asking)
3♦(5♥/4♦ 17-19, 2542/1543 one or both red suits indifferent)-3♠(6+ of them, <3♥)
3N-4♣(cue setting ♠)
4♦-5♥(this is clearly a short suit, 4♥ would be a high card cue, unclear if unequivocally a void, no other cue to make, so likely to be void or stiff honour to have enough to push on)
6♠ or 7♠ (if this is a void, partner can't have any less than he has, but is it ?)

1♥-1♠-2♦-3♣-3N-4♠-5♠-6♠ is a possible rustic auction, but guessing a lot.

[daveharty]

 655321, on 2011-August-23, 04:09, said:

Yes, people who talk about Zar points make me think of General Zod too.
http://www.bridgebas...post__p__278226

LOL that's priceless, thanks. I knew I voted for the wrong guy!

[billw55]

Looks like a job for precision.

[xxhong]

1H 1S
2C(transfer to D) 2S(starts invitations)
3C(extra, accept the invitation, natural) 3S(good 6 spades)
4C(cue bid in C, stiff honor in S) 5H(void in H)
6S(great news,no much wastage in H)

[whereagles]

 billw55, on 2011-August-24, 06:42, said:

Looks like a job for precision.

I played a precision variant long ago which could indeed dig this one out. It involved symmetric relays and spiral scans (or denial cuebids, if you prefer).

[Zelandakh]

The difficulty for symmetric relay on this hand is that you have no fit. Thus North might easily curtail the relays early not knowing about the great spade suit opposite. Of course if you are willing to commit the hand to spades anyway you can gather the relevant information. The auction I gave is an example of this.

[gnasher]

Here's an unlikely auction using methods that I don't play:

1♥-1♠
2NT-4♥ (self-splinter)
5♥        (void-inclusion keycard)
    -6♣  (2 with the queen)
6♦        (confirms all necessary keycards present, shows ♦K)
    -6♥  (last train - concerned that opener might have Ax Jxxxx AKx AQx)
7♠       (because the long diamond may be gold dust)

[gnasher]

In real life, I expect I'd bid
1♥-1♠
2♦-3♣
4NT-6♠

[whereagles]

 Zelandakh, on 2011-August-25, 02:53, said:

The difficulty for symmetric relay on this hand is that you have no fit. Thus North might easily curtail the relays early not knowing about the great spade suit opposite. Of course if you are willing to commit the hand to spades anyway you can gather the relevant information. The auction I gave is an example of this.

Well, you get to find out that the void across has no wastage on opener's side. That encourages him to do the spiral scan, as he's virtually sure to have at least

KQxxxx/--/xxx/Kxxx or
Kxxxxx/--/Qxx/Kxxx

across. In the system I played I could stop at 5♠ opposite those hands (not 100% safe but to probe a slam I wouldn't be able to stop in 4♠) and reach the good 6/7 opposite

KQxxxx/--/Qxx/Kxxx or
KQxxxx/--/Qxx/KJxx

Risk worth taking? I'll let you decide