Right-click here for hands . Slams are fun!
Board 9: East opens 1D, South likely overcalls 1S. West, with a flat, aceless 13 count and KQxx of spades, probably leaps to 3NT. As frequently happens, such "limit" bidding in notrump traps partner when he is unbalanced: with only 5 losers, East suspects a slam but is reluctant to leave the "matchpoint magic" contract of 3NT. With four key cards and control of every suit, I think 4D is justified; this should not be seen as simple fear of 3NT, as East should pass without slam interest. West has a very poor hand for slam (no Aces, no high honor in diamonds, no obvious source of tricks) and can do little more than raise to 5D. This doesn't really clarify things for East -- he could hardly expect a cue-bid looking at his own hand -- and so in the end East must guess to pass or try 6D. In general, an iffy slam should be played at a suit contract, where declarer has more options, than at 6NT; many pairs won't get to slam when the combined hands total less than 33 hcp so it's usually best to play the slam most likely to make and not worry about the highest scoring strain.
A peak at the results shows all but two pairs stopped at 3NT; one Precision pair landed at 6D, down 1 and the other ( yours truly declaring) stumbled into 6NT which made easily on a spade lead, Ace, heart switch, diamond finesse revealing the onside 4-0 split, 12 tricks easy. If South ducks the lead or continues spades, declarer needs 4 tricks from hearts (and must avoid the club finesse) to make the slam. At 6D declarer does not need four heart tricks (he either gets two spades and one club or one spade and two clubs) but must still avoid losing a heart to make the slam. 3NT making 6 was worth 75% of the matchpoints.
Board 13: E-W can make any of several slams, but only because finesses in both long suits succeed. A reasonable auction might be 1H-2H-2NT (a game try with scattered honors) -4H, as West hopes his clubs come home. South leads the Jack of spades (covered by the Queen, King and Ace) and East sees no way to keep North off lead if he has the King of clubs; he hopes South has it or North has the Ace of diamonds. Declarer leads the Jack of clubs, overtaking with the Queen if South doesn't take the bait and cover, starts breathing easier when North plays low, and runs the Jack of hearts. 13 tricks roll in on a hand that was iffy to make even ten. (I hope not too many dummies asked, "Should we have bid it?")
Board 15: North opens a strong 2C after two passes, East may double for a club lead -- oops, that supposed to show a two-suiter in our style! -- what are your agreements over a double? Easiest would be pass = weak, say 0-3 hcp; redouble = 4+, forcing to game; bids are natural, 5+ card suit including, say, 5+ hcp. (The space-eating response of 3C should probably show 6 clubs and two of the top three honors.)
For those playing "Steps", you can use Pass and Double as your first two steps, saving enormous bidding room, thank you very much Mr. East. All in all East should probably pass (it's unlikely partner will be on lead) but double may be effective against players who don't have firm agreements.
Assuming 2C-(X)-XX-(pass), North jumps to 3H to "set the suit" and request cue-bidding. Italian style "anything goes" cue-bidders would bid 3S with South's hand; I would bid 3NT, denying the ability to cue-bid at this point but ready to cooperate if partner persists. North bids 4D, South now bids 4S, North bids 4NT (whatever flavor) and lands in 6H. At our table South considered 6NT but wisely passed (East would cash two clubs) and as you can see, only 5 of 9 pairs reached the slam so 6NT risks 6 matchpoints vs. a possible gain of 2, not good odds at all. East cashes his Ace and North claims shortly after testing trumps.
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