This powerful pair of hands was dealt in the recent NSWBA U100MP finals. 39 HCP between E and W!
I was W and opened 2♣ with 21HCP and 4 losers. My partner Susan was now all aquiver since she had been wondering what she would open with 18HCP (1♦ and rebid 2NT). She responded 2♦ waiting; for us, this normally means < 8HCP and one would respond 2NT when balanced and with points, but she knew that we would be in a slam anyway so better to hear what I had to say first. There was always the possibility that I (the stronger hand) might rebid 2NT and become the declarer - not that that is important when both hands are strong.
After my 2♠ rebid she bid 4NT, Roman Keycard Blackwood (1430) and I replied 5♣ showing 4 keycards with spades as the trump suit (I couldn't have just 1) to add to her ace. Summoning courage, she bid 7NT which gave us a top board. Only one other pair (Pauline and Leofric) was in a grand slam, but they were in 7♠. 5 pairs were in a small slam (mostly 6NT) and 3 only got to game (all in spades). Partner became declarer because she had bid 4NT and claimed at the first trick.
The bidding is instructive. At one table, apparently it went 2♣ - 6NT, which again demonstrates the benefit of slow arrival. Depending on your partnership agreement, a 2♣ opening may be lacking some HCP, EG if you open with 4 or fewer losers but guarantee at least say 18HCP. This is relevant when considering whether one should be in a suit or NT contract. Making the same number of tricks, NT will always score 10+ points higher than a major (because the first trick is worth 40 not 30). The simple way of assessing a possible NT slam contract is by HCP - have we got 33 or 37? It is more complex when assessing playing strength and losers. (That is also why opening 1 or 2NT is so useful - because it narrowly defines your point range and shape).
An advantage of NT is that you cannot possibly be ruffed in the event of a very bad split (a defender has a void). If you don't need to do any ruffing yourself (EG both are balanced), then you are better off in NT. In this deal, W is very unbalanced, but no ruffing is needed because we have all the points and in fact Partner knows there is little scope for ruffing in the short side since she has a balanced hand.
Partner was right to do RKCB, to be certain we had all the aces. What's the rush to end the bidding? It would have been embarrassing to be in a grand slam and to have found out that I had a very shapely strong hand but that alas we were missing an ace!
NB if I had rebid 2NT not 2♠ then partner would have to bid 4♣ Gerber to ask for aces - although that wouldn't be necessary here since I would now be guaranteeing 22+ HCP (am too strong to open 2NT). We also play that Transfers and Stayman would be on.
