Intermediate 10/9/2015 Hand 18

Board 18 East Deals N-S Vul	♠ 9 5 4 2 ♥ A J 6 5 4 ♦ Q 5 2 ♣ 5
♠ A 8 3 ♥ Q 8 7 2 ♦ 9 7 ♣ K 10 9 6	N W E S	♠ K Q J ♥ 10 3 ♦ A K 8 ♣ A Q 8 7 2
	♠ 10 7 6 ♥ K 9 ♦ J 10 6 4 3 ♣ J 4 3

EW 4N; EW 5♣; EW 2♠; EW 2♥; EW 1♦; Par −430

West	North	East	South
		2 NT	Pass
3 ♣	Pass	3 ♦	Pass
4 NT	Pass	5 ♠	Pass
6 ♣	Pass	6 ♠	Pass
6 NT	All pass

ACOL 2 NT is 20-22, so East is a point shy. Also it is not a bid favoured by experienced ACOL players so they make up reasons why they shouldn't bid it, as opposed to here, where presumably a decision was made to upgrade the hand.

West has a balanced 9 count. There doesn't seem much reason to try for slam. Just check for a major fit and if not sign off in 3 NT.
4 NT should be quantitative in this sequence, but East has apparently interpreted it as some sort of Blackwood variation. Perhaps CRO, where with 2 Aces of same rank the response would be 5S. This variation has very little to recommend it and has largely been superceded by other Blackwood variants such as RKCB - which needs a defined trump suit, so here the bid must be quant as there is no agreed suit.

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