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What is the meaning of a bid of 5 in your major on your way to slam?
In an uncontested auction does it ask to bid 6 with extra's or to bid 6 with good trumps?
In a contested auction does it ask to bid 6 with their suit controlled?
Other meanings? Other situations?

I haven't found a book yet which treats this subject...

Steven

[Stephen Tu]

It's covered a little in "Modern Bridge Conventions", an older book by Root & Pavlicek. (Modern circa 1981 or so, ancient now but a lot still applicable, worth it for intermediate- since still more thorough than many other books.)

I believe the std is:
Uncontested auctions:
- if only one suit not bid/cue-bid, ask for control in the unbid suit.
- If all suits have been bid/cue-bid, or more than one side suit not cue bid, ask for good trumps

Contested auctions:
- if we have hearts and they have spades, unless clearly our side has balance of power (open follow by 2/1 or cue bid, typically), 5H is just advance sacrifice against their presumed 4s, make their decision to bid 5s tougher, not a slam try.
- otherwise ask for control of their suit, unless we have previously unambiguously shown control of their suit in the auction (first non-jump cue generally only shows a raise, 2nd cue would show control), then fall back to uncontested auction rules.
- in certain other situations, typically against preempts, where it's extremely awkward to show substantial extra values in any other way, where cue-bidding auctions are impossible since these are looking for trump suits, 5M is just a general slam try, bid on if you like your hand, and doesn't ask for anything specific. Say an auction like (4c)-x-p-5H.