Fit Jumps Opener has 5422 Hand 7

Board 7 North Deals	♠ K Q 8 3 ♥ K 8 ♦ A K J 9 6 ♣ 8 6
♠ 4 2 ♥ A 10 6 5 3 ♦ 7 3 ♣ K 10 9 7	N W E S	♠ 10 9 6 ♥ J 9 7 4 ♦ 5 2 ♣ Q J 5 3
	♠ A J 7 5 ♥ Q 2 ♦ Q 10 8 4 ♣ A 4 2

West	North	East	South
	1 ♦	Pass	2 ♠
Pass	3 ♠	Pass	3 NT
Pass	4 ♦	Pass	4 ♠
All pass

4 ♠ by South

Lead: ♥ A

Made 5 — NS +450

This hand is similar to the previous one in terms of high cards and the auction. But north's hand is much nicer. Over 4 ♠ north has to decide if south has no heart control or no club control. In either case south would bid 4 ♠ given north's denial of a club control.

South's 3 NT showed some slam interest opposite 15-16 which means around 13 or more points - obviously some thirteens would not try. If south has no heart control then it is impossible to have no club control - ♠ AJxx ♥ QJ ♦ Qxxx ♣ QJx would not make a slam try. On the other hand if south has no club control then by the same analysis they must have a heart control to justify the slam try. Therefore north knows that south has a club control here and no heart control. We need south to have ♠ Axxx ♥ xx ♦ Qxxx ♣ AKx and we still need the ♥ A onside - or a non-heart lead. Given this it is close whether north should try again.

If so the options are 4 NT key-card, a cue or a raise. In our style 4 NT is when you know you want to be in slam but you are concerned that there are two key-cards missing. And a cue at the five-level is used when you have serious slam interest but are missing a key control (or perhaps with a void and interest in a grand). Therefore when you need partner to have a good hand for their bidding a raise to five of the major is the best call.

North could raise to 5 ♠ but south's slam invite was the bare minimum with two key-cards and the ♦ Q and a potentially wasted ♥ Q. Therefore south would pass an invite.

Here 5 ♠ is safe. Only a diamond ruff or spades 5=0 put 5 ♠ in danger and the defence might still need to find a club lead or switch after the diamond ruff.

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