Fit Jumps Opener has 5422 Hand 8

Board 8 North Deals None Vul	♠ Q 4 ♥ A K Q 2 ♦ A 6 ♣ A J 7 4 3
♠ J 9 7 5 ♥ J 5 ♦ K J 8 4 3 ♣ 10 2	N W E S	♠ 10 8 6 3 2 ♥ 9 7 6 ♦ 10 7 5 2 ♣ 8
	♠ A K ♥ 10 8 4 3 ♦ Q 9 ♣ K Q 9 6 5

West	North	East	South
	1 ♣	Pass	2 ♦
Pass	3 ♥	Pass	3 ♠
Pass	4 ♣	Pass	4 ♥
Pass	4 NT	Pass	5 ♣
Pass	5 ♠	Pass	5 NT
Pass	6 ♥	All pass

6 ♥ by North

Lead: ♣ 8

Made 6 — NS +980

Here I am experimenting with 3 ♥ on a much stronger hand. Since 4 ♥ would show 18-19 and is not one hundred percent forcing, 20 points and the extra shape of 2=4=2=5 means that a bid of 4 ♥ risks a good slam being passed out in game.

The problem with 3 ♥ is that south may bid 4 ♥ with no slam interest opposite 15-16 and then we have lost a level of bidding without exchanging much information. Against this we are much better off when south does make even a mild slam try.

Here south has twelve good points and the dubious ♦ Q so makes a mild try. North cooperates obviously and when south bids 4 ♥, north knows the ♦ K is missing. Can north deduce a spade honour? I think so. Say south has no spade honour. Then the most south can have is ♠ Jxx ♥ Jxxx ♦ QJ ♣ KQxxx. That is not close to a 2 ♦ bid let alone a slam try after that.

Therefore north can safely use Blackwood (RKCB). Over the 5 ♣ response, north's 5 ♦ would be asking for the trump queen and 5 ♥ is a sign-off. Therefore the next step of 5 ♠ is guaranteeing possession of all of the key-cards and asking for kings. South's 5 NT is a free step and it can therefore be used to show the ♠ K without going past 6 ♥.

Here I have north signing off in 6 ♥, but notice how close the grand slam is. If we move one of south's clubs into spades then the grand is cold.

There are potential problems if north bids 3 ♥ with these very strong hands. For example, if south takes control with Blackwood then without imagining the extra values they might sign-off in slam when a grand is cold. As I said this is a work in progress.

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