Razorback DBC

This hand was played in the RDBC team game on the evening of February 22. I held: AKQ 5, 7 5, AK x x, Q x x My partner dealt and opened 1S. I immediately thought slam. I considered: • 6S (Principle of fast arrival) • 4NT (Also principle of fast arrival)) • 3D (Strong jump shift) • 2NT (JTB) My hand is too strong for this. But, what about a grand slam? What does partner hold? • I know my partner has five spades, perhaps headed by the jack. • He likely has the AK of clubs and perhaps the queen of diamonds. With the spade jack that makes 10 HCP. • He could reasonably have four hearts to the AK and we should be in seven spades. I decided to explore and bid 2D giving partner an easy opportunity to bid hearts. My thinking was that: • If he bids 2H, I will go into Blackwood. If we have all the aces and all of the kings I will bid 7S for a likely push. [If partner holds J x x x x, A K x x, ? x, AK. In 7NT we score five spades, two hearts, two diamonds, and three clubs. In spades partner can ruff two hearts in my hand.] If we are missing a king I will bid 6S. • If he supports diamonds, I will go into Blackwood. If we have all the aces and are missing a king (club or heart) I will bid 6S. [7S requires a 3/3 diamond split.] • If he bids 3C, I will go into Blackwood. If we have all the aces and are missing a king (club or heart) I will bid 6S. [If partner holds AK x x of clubs, 7S requires a 3/3 club split.] LHO bid 2H and partner passed. I decided seven spades was no longer in our future. I bid 5S. I intended this to say: “Forget the rest of your hand and bid 6S if you have first or second round control of hearts.” His hand was: J 10 x x x K x AK x Q x x He passed and made six. He thought my 5S bid asked him to bid 6S with a maximum hand. [To inquire about a maximum I would have bid 5S over his 1S opening.] In the follow-up discussion it turns out that neither he nor any other members of the team had run across this control-asking concept before. At the other table, the bidding went 1S/4NT/5D/6S making six.