An Auction to try (on request)

Here is a deal from a match we played on Sunday.  First let’s look at the West hand which I held:

Sylvia opened 1H and the first bid is pretty easy.  I bid 2D, game forcing.  Now partner bid 2H and I made the obvious bid of 3C.  Partner bid 3NT.  You aren’t going to play there so what should you bid next.  Since your diamonds are pretty self sufficient there is an argument for 4D.  But for better or worse I thought that 4C would give a better picture of my distribution.  It has another advantage.  If partner prefers diamonds you have some space to make a slam try without committing to slam.  After all this hand really only has about 3 losers.  Partner bid 4D and I made my slam try with 4S.   Now its Sylvia’s turn

Sylvia has a hand of gold on our auction.  She knows that I am likely 6-5 with a big hand.  She has controls in both major suits and even better her minor suit cards are awesome.  She just jumped to 6D.  Well done.

Suppose I had bid 4D what can she do to suggest her great hand without going passed game?  The only bid I can think of is 4S.  This must be a cuebid in support of diamonds.  Now I think my hand will probably bid slam.  But then it is harder to realize the extreme strength and shape of the West hand without that extra cuebid that I had a chance to make. 

These type of hands are always tough.  At the other table the auction did start:

1H-2D

2H-3C

3NT-4D

?

The East hand has to go out on a limb a bit and make the cuebid and then the West hand has to take it the rest of the way.  It is easier for my hand to make the cuebid.  So as it turned out our auction “timed out” well.