[thepossum]

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or do you think 5 is the safe maximum - West kind of gives away the Ace though
- even after playing this system for many years now I still struggle knowing how to force it and navigate

[Cyberyeti]

Don't jump to 4N, you have no clue what to do if you discover a keycard is missing, slam could be no play or virtually cold and you don't have 5 level safety.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

On reflection 2NT instead of 4NT, 2C was already forcing to 3NT.
The GIB will raise, and you can make a quant. invite.

If you are worried about a club stopper, you could try 3C, ...

With kind regards
Marlowe

[DavidKok]

2♥ shows exactly a 4=3=4=2 (or would North also bid this way with a 4=3=5=1 or 4=3=6=0?), so you should be quite pessimistic about slam. The traditional requirement for 6NT on power is about 32 (some say 33) points, and partner rates to have 12-14. There's no fit and no good source of tricks. You can either make a quantitative invite with 2NT into 4NT, or just sign off in 3NT.
2NT is better if partner can still be unbalanced with longer diamonds, since it lets partner bid 3♦ and allow for exploration of a good 6♦.

[apollo1201]

Why rush to 4NT with:
- no known fit (partner could have anything from 4432 to 5431 or more extreme if weak HCPs)
- a combined 32 HCP at most (partner’s 1S is wide ranging but 2H clearly states they are min)
- a potential C hole that allows opps to cash C AK on the 1st two tricks of any contract you play

You asked a description to partner with 2C. But they gave you the info you didn’t need c i.e. 3-cd H.

Now you can ask again with 3C if they stop C, and raise 3NT to 4 if you wish so. But the X of 2C warned you things might turn bad.

If partner doesn’t turn up with a C stop, then trying a moysian 4M or even maybe 5D looks tempting unless partner has a singleton C (which they should probably cue over your 3C « 4SF again » as this probably rates 3NT as a down from the start contract), where 6D in that case looks like pretty good.

[thepossum]

Thankyou

A few people took a gamble

I realise I put myself in a bad situation not being able to bid 5NT. Most were in 3. Amazing what points can do

[TylerE]

Why are you looking for slam in a known 7 card fit?

[thepossum]

 TylerE, on 2023-August-16, 19:29, said:

Why are you looking for slam in a known 7 card fit?

I wasn't exactly sure which strain and was trying to use Blackwood to ask for Aces and then realised 5NT wouldn't work - ooops

I thought I had enough points for a slam in something - two Moysian slams and a NT slam

I didn't get there. A few did but I reckon I was lucky

How do you navigate the club issue

To be perfectly honest looking back at the hand I have no idea why I even considered a slam - but a few other did - I think I miscounted points or losers or something
We have something like 30 points with a minimum opener - something like that - maybe 34-35 with a max given West has a few
Don't judge me too badly - just a brain snap

[Cyberyeti]

I'm not sure in GIB's system what 2♠ would have shown over 2♥. If it showed 3 decent spades, partner can bid 2N and this solves the club issue

There is no law against partner holding AQxx, Jxx, KQ10xx, x for his bidding to that point where slam in diamonds is cold and in hearts is good, but you want to bid it in diamonds because you can't find ♥J, if he bids 3♦ you can see this shape and investigate further.