[pescetom]

It may not be wise to invest much in slam seeking methods over a pre-empt, but somehow these hands just keep cropping up in the last two weeks.

When I first posted this thread, I started by asking for your call as Dealer in South. Most said 4♠.

But that soon evolved into an interesting discussion about the usefulness of Namyats or similar and the criteria that should be used to distinguish such an opening from a natural (and weaker) 4M. I decided that discussion was well worth setting free, so opened this new thread for the original discussion centred on slam bidding and a strong-weak split.

MP

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You do not play Namyats or similar.
Your call as Responder in North (preferably without peeking at hand), and how do you see the auction evolving?

[Cyberyeti]

4♠-5N (GSF)
6♥ (A/K + extra length)-7♠

[mw64ahw]

 Cyberyeti, on 2024-October-19, 15:30, said:

4♠-5N (GSF)
6♥ (A/K + extra length)-7♠

I'm not too familiar with GSF, but what scheme do you use as I have 6♠ as the bid?

[0 carbon]

GSF: Grand Slam Force - bid 7 with 2 out of the 3 top honours, otherwise 6.

[Tramticket]

4S-4NT
5C-5D
6S-7S

Where:
5C = 1 key card
5D = asks for the trump queen
6S = trump queen. No outside feature (with the extra trump, I am prepared to admit to the trump queen)

[Cyberyeti]

 mw64ahw, on 2024-October-19, 16:28, said:

I'm not too familiar with GSF, but what scheme do you use as I have 6♠ as the bid?

I think most people use 6♠, where as in this case it is very unlikely you don't have at least the Q, you can merge 0+Q

[Cyberyeti]

 Tramticket, on 2024-October-20, 03:17, said:

4S-4NT
5C-5D
6S-7S

Where:
5C = 1 key card
5D = asks for the trump queen
6S = trump queen. No outside feature (with the extra trump, I am prepared to admit to the trump queen)

The problem with this is that you could easily be on a finesse KQJxxxxx, void, xxx, xx for example

[DavidKok]

Opposite that hand you can combine chances - ruff out the hearts in two rounds, a red suit squeeze, or a double squeeze if there's no club lead and everything lies perfectly.

I don't have great slam tools on this start. In fact, it is very difficult to have scientific slam investigation after my aggressive preempt style. My rule is that opening 3M or at the 4-level sets trumps, so changes of suit are cues and 4NT asks for aces. In other situations I prefer to use these as natural or searching for the optimal strain, but if partner preempts high enough we 'never' want to play in responder's long suit(s). Play in the long suit of the weak hand.
Here I would almost certainly only get to 6. The main question is what I'd plan to learn en route. I think not having seen the other hand I'd plan to bid 4NT for the ♠K and then hopefully Q and learn about ♣K/♦K, into a signoff in 6. I am not sure I'd show the extra trump as the ♠Q as opener - responder does not promise great length on this auction.

[pescetom]

As North I would RKCB here, hoping to find the Q and a minor K. As South I think I would have shown the Q with this length. If South does show the Q and a minor K then I'm bidding grand, otherwise slam.

I was actually in East, and North (a good
beginner, with no more than basic Blackwood in her armoury) tanked for a minute and then bid 7♠.
I admired her courage and said goodbye to my ♠QT4 holding, but then the dummy came down with stiff ♠A.

[akwoo]

Unfortunately, South has a very sound preempt at these colors. As North I would pass 4S.