Another Slam Decision with a Void
Playing in the last round of a Swiss event you have a small lead with several teams a few VP’s behind. This is the last board of a match that seemed pretty flat, so you need to get it right.
You pick up 
A J 9 6 5 4 
— 
A T 
A T 7 5 3.
With neither vul, your partner opens 1 in first seat. You respond 1 and he rebids 3, opponents passing throughout. You rebid 3 and partner now bids 5.
What do you make of this, and what should be your plan?
Partner is void in clubs and has spade support. Probably 3-6-4-0, but could have 4 spades.
Fortunately, you and partner (or, at least, me with my partner) have an agreement about how to follow up over “Voidwood.” I bid 5NT, which shows 2 Key Cards without the Q, and says I have slam interest after hearing about his void. I’ve already shown 6 spades, so now partner knows my entire hand. He should get the decision about 6 vs. 7 right.
January 26, 2007 Marty Harris
I agree with Marty’s assessment of partner’s hand (although I would bid 5S to show 2 key cards without the queen). The other question is: can I and should I show the heart void? I could show an undefined void (we start the steps over after the final [5NT here] step to show key cards with a void — so 6C would be 0/3 with void, 6D = 1/4 with a void, 6H = 2 without queen and a void). Maybe I should bid 6H, in case partner has KQx AKxxxx KQxx void; he would assume my void is in hearts, I think. If we are missing the ace or king of hearts, I don’t want to be in a grand, although it could be right under these circumstances to bet everything on a ruffing finesse.
January 27, 2007 Joe Stokes
We are only going to play in spades, hence we must show the void. Additionally, we have 2 ACES more than we have shown so far and pard is looking for at least a slam. Partner is exactly 3-5-5-0 and is probably looking at the Heart ace. when you show 2 with the void, he will play you for 7 Spades(bad) but not the great player you have (good) This is probably laydown for 7 spades. You may not own the sp Q, but you will have 9. Besides, you will know where the spade queen is on opening lead. If they lead a spd, they pick it up. If they don’t lead a spade, they have it.
Claude and I have a gadget if we ever have a response to blackwood of 3 with a void. We lie by two and then bid again.
February 1, 2007 george jacobs
Ok, now for the rest of us, who don’t have any special agreements!
Clearly partner has club shortness - and has an enthusiastic raise of spades. So now what? Clearly we’re heading for 6 or 7. We can cooperate with a 5D cuebid, then bid 6C over partner’s expected 5H. Or we could bid 5NT right now, assuming that is GSF. That seems right - if partner has the KQx of spades, you can plan on pretty much being cold for 7S opposite a normal jump shift. And if he doesn’t, 6S should be the correct contract.
February 2, 2007 Mark Kinzer
This sounds like exclusion blackwood again. I bid 7S. Partner should have KQx and a hand close to a 2C opener.
February 4, 2007 Mohan