Nil Vul N Dealer	♠ J ♥ K Q J 9 6 5 2 ♦ ♣ Q 8 7 5 3
♠ Q 6 4 2 ♥ 8 3 ♦ K 10 9 5 3 ♣ 9 4		♠ 10 9 7 3 ♥ 10 7 4 ♦ A J 7 6 4 ♣ 6
	♠ A K 8 5 ♥ A ♦ Q 8 2 ♣ A K J 10 2

Grand slam in Hearts and Clubs was missed. In fact even 6♥ was risky because -strong South has no D control, and -North’s bid of 5♦ meant South couldn’t now ask for Q♥, as 5♥ is sign-off. Should North have opened 1♥? If so, how to address the above 2 risks to get to either Grand?

Hi Sid,

Once 4♥ is opened (an opening bid I entirely agree with, as preempts will more often put the opponents under immense pressure than your partner), it is not possible to get to clubs.

Having said that, there is a common treatment that after a 4M preempt, a 5-level new suit bid is not natural, but asking partner about a control in that suit. So 4♥-5♦ would be asking for a diamond control, with the responses 5♥=no 1st or 2nd (like xx), 6♦=1st round control, 6♥=2nd round control.

Here, North will be able to bid 6♦, but of course that still puts South at a guess as to how good North’s trump suit is. However, North here might (should?) find the inspired bid of 7♥ over 5♦ since if South is interested in a slam and is looking at 2+ potential diamond losers, North has a void in diamonds so South should have everything else. South certainly would not risk bidding 5♦ with xxx in diamonds and a side ace missing.

In conclusion, this is a very difficult hand to bid as South needs to find out too much information with little space. Of course, you might then justify that North ‘should’ start with 1♥ opening to leave more bidding space, but once you start to open 1♥ with these hands, you will now lose out on the hands where your opponents had problems (and guessed wrong) against a 4♥ preempt.

Kind regards
Andy