This follows my recent question about how to bid a small slam in clubs with <30 HCP; but this time the partnership only had 25 HCP in toto (board 15 TCG). The optimal contract was 6 diamonds by West; but even fewer couples bid and made that compared with the 6 club slam in my previous question. In fact, only 1 of 1807 partnerships bid and made the small slam in diamonds.
My partner and I bid 3 diamonds; but in fact ended up making a total of 12 tricks. East opened the bidding with 1 club and West responded with 1 diamond. East responded with 3 diamonds, which jump raise by Opener is usually forcing in our partnership. West chose not to be forced and ended up playing 3 diamonds. There were no intervening bids by our N-S opponents.Image may be NSFW.
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My question to you, gentle reader, is how would you bid this hand in order to end up in a small slam contract of 6 diamonds by West. Should East have shown his strength (17 HCP + 2 shortness points for the singleton heart) more forcefully ? Should he have indicated an interest in slam investigation with a control-showing cuebid bid during the second round of the auction. I look forward, as usual, to reading your comments, criticisms and words of wisdom.
