This was posted on bridgewinners. A pair missed the easy slam. How would we cope? Not so great if West does a lot of asking:
1C – 1S
1N – 2S
2N – 3C (2-6-2-3 or 2-6-3-2)
3H – 4D (8SPs)
Note 3H over 3C, not resolving the minors. West doesn’t care. This saves steps. 4D commits them to the 5-level, where the trump suit is a problem.
East could easily have
S-xx H-Axxxxx D-Kxx, C-Ax
Slam is silly opposite that. 5H might fail.
One thing West can do is bid 4H over 3C, depending on partner to resurrect with a chunky 8.
The good alternative is to get shape, when zooming to a threshold is useful. So
2N – 3C
3D – 4C (shape and 9 SPs or a chunky 8)
Then 5H has merit if it asks for “2 of top 3, or 3 of top 5” say. DCB is a bit awkward:
4D – 5D (with 8 SPs, East is constrained by “a raise if the ask is as far as you can go”.
West can picture the actual, or various 9 SP hands. Some are not so great:
S-Kx H-Axxxxx D-KQx C-Qx
