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Board 4: West presumably passes; not vulnerable, he might open 3C, but his "empty" suit certainly isn't worth a vulnerable three bid. North/South bid 1C-1D-1H. (Again, West might bid 2C over 1D, natural after two suits have been bid, but he should have a much stronger suit to risk a vulnerable overcall.) Now South needs to force to game; 3NT is the likeliest spot but he lacks a spade stopper. Well, that's what the "Fourth Suit Forcing" convention was invented for; but is 1S artificial here? I recommend treating 1S as natural if you tend to bid up-the-line, artificial if you're a dedicated "majors first" bidder. For up-the-line bidders (who tend not to skip over a decent diamond suit), agree that a jump to 2S is the "Fourth Suit" gadget, forcing to game and asking if partner can stop spades. North bids 2NT and South raises to 3.
Walsh-style "majors first" bidders would probably bid 1C-1D-1NT, opener assuming that responder does not have a major suit or has a game-going hand and can "reverse" into the major. South has no "glaring" weakness at notrump, and with 6 or 7 likely diamond tricks should raise 1NT to game. 12 tricks roll in when both the diamond and spade finesses work -- not a slam you'd want to bid.
Board 9: North opens 2H; East does not have a sound, vulnerable, two level overcall but his 5-5 shape begs for action and so likely bids 2S. South knows his side has 10 hearts, and can guess E/W have 8 or 9 spades (a weak two bidder usually does not have a side four card major.) Bidding 4H carries the risk of stampeding E/W into a 4S game that makes, but I've had poor results passing or underbidding such hands. Bidding only 3H allows West to bid 3S; it would be very poor tactics for to second guess himself and bid 4H over 3S; that gives E/W a "fielder's choice" of doubling 4H or bidding 4S, and the extra round of bidding will help them get that decision right most of the time. South should choose either 3H or 4H at his first bid. Here, neither game makes and 4H wins (-50 vs. -140, or +50 if E/W bid game.)
East dislikes all his leads against 4H and perhaps punts with a trump. North pulls a second round of trumps and exits with a spade, forcing the defense to break one of the minor suits. West should win the first or second spade and shift to the ten of diamonds to strand North with 2 diamond losers, 2 spades and a club.
Board 26: West opens 1C after two passes, East responds 1D; West gives the best description of his hand by jumping to 2NT. His suit is rather weak for a jump to 3C. East is as strong as he can be having passed, but 11+18 does not add up to slam and he should simply raise to 3NT. Favorable breaaks in both minors plus a successful finesses brings in 12 tricks, but it's another slam you wouldn't want to bid.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Wednesday 11/24/2010
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Board 3: South passes and West with 5161 shape must decide whether to open his longer suit (diamonds) or his major suit (spades.) If you open diamonds, you must expect vigorous competition in hearts, and so be willing to bid spades for the first time at the four level after North overcalls or jumps and South "bounces". If you open spades, you may never have the opportunity to bid diamonds.
I opted for 1S, North passed, and East bid a game-forcing 2C. 2D by West -- what should East bid now? So many players claiming to play 2/1 Game Force feel compelled to leap to some game. This defeats the whole purpose of the system, which is to maximize bidding room to explore for slam. A simple raise to 3D is 100% forcing and aims at the most likely slam, without giving up on 3NT. The raise does wonders for West's hand, he needs little more than two key cards for slam. After Blackwood or RKCB or 1430, West learns East has an Ace or two key cards and bids 6D, which should make on some sort of crossruff and establishing the clubs.
Not vulnerable against vulnerable, North may overcall 2H. Now East must bid 3C and and agressive South may raise to 3H (though his wasted values in spades argue for caution.) West is reluctant to bid 4D, bypasssing 3NT and reaching "the stratosphere" with no known fit. After West and North pass, East has an excellent defensive hand but realizes 3NT is apt to make and down 4 doubled may be difficult to manage, so he bids 3NT which likely ends the auction.
Board 12: West opens a hearty 1H and East surprises him with a game-forcing 2C. West reverses to 2S (does this still show extras in your style?) Many an East will rebid 3D, a completely pointless and misleading bid. West has sown 9 cards in 2 suits, a fit in diamonds is unlikely. Let's think -- East would, in order of priority, bid 3S (with 4 spades), 3H (with 3 hearts), 3C (with 6 clubs), or 2NT (with a stopper in diamonds.) 3D is artificial, denying any of the above. (If you bid 2NT and West has the rare 4540 hand, he can bid 3D himself.) A typical hand for 3D would be Qxx Ax xxx KQJxx.
As a fit in clubs is still plausible, requiring only 2 of partner's unknown 4 cards, East rebids 3C. West can now revalue his hand in light of the fit and aims at slam by raising to 4C. East cue-bids 4D, West employs 4NT and a good 6C contract is reached. As it happens, 7H (on a solid 5-2 fit) requires little more luck than 6C, but only one pair reached slam so any slam scores well.
Board 3: South passes and West with 5161 shape must decide whether to open his longer suit (diamonds) or his major suit (spades.) If you open diamonds, you must expect vigorous competition in hearts, and so be willing to bid spades for the first time at the four level after North overcalls or jumps and South "bounces". If you open spades, you may never have the opportunity to bid diamonds.
I opted for 1S, North passed, and East bid a game-forcing 2C. 2D by West -- what should East bid now? So many players claiming to play 2/1 Game Force feel compelled to leap to some game. This defeats the whole purpose of the system, which is to maximize bidding room to explore for slam. A simple raise to 3D is 100% forcing and aims at the most likely slam, without giving up on 3NT. The raise does wonders for West's hand, he needs little more than two key cards for slam. After Blackwood or RKCB or 1430, West learns East has an Ace or two key cards and bids 6D, which should make on some sort of crossruff and establishing the clubs.
Not vulnerable against vulnerable, North may overcall 2H. Now East must bid 3C and and agressive South may raise to 3H (though his wasted values in spades argue for caution.) West is reluctant to bid 4D, bypasssing 3NT and reaching "the stratosphere" with no known fit. After West and North pass, East has an excellent defensive hand but realizes 3NT is apt to make and down 4 doubled may be difficult to manage, so he bids 3NT which likely ends the auction.
Board 12: West opens a hearty 1H and East surprises him with a game-forcing 2C. West reverses to 2S (does this still show extras in your style?) Many an East will rebid 3D, a completely pointless and misleading bid. West has sown 9 cards in 2 suits, a fit in diamonds is unlikely. Let's think -- East would, in order of priority, bid 3S (with 4 spades), 3H (with 3 hearts), 3C (with 6 clubs), or 2NT (with a stopper in diamonds.) 3D is artificial, denying any of the above. (If you bid 2NT and West has the rare 4540 hand, he can bid 3D himself.) A typical hand for 3D would be Qxx Ax xxx KQJxx.
As a fit in clubs is still plausible, requiring only 2 of partner's unknown 4 cards, East rebids 3C. West can now revalue his hand in light of the fit and aims at slam by raising to 4C. East cue-bids 4D, West employs 4NT and a good 6C contract is reached. As it happens, 7H (on a solid 5-2 fit) requires little more luck than 6C, but only one pair reached slam so any slam scores well.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Responding to 1NT with QJxxx KJx x Axxx
(From an online game, 11/23/10): partner opens a 15-17 notrump and your bidding (opps silent) starts 1NT-2H (transfer)-2S. You hold QJ752 KJ4 7 A873 : 11 hcp, 5 spades, and a singleton diamond. Now what?You know your side has 26-28 hcp, so you must bid or force to some game. Should it be in spades or notrump?
Don't guess! You have a partner -- you don't have to make the final decision.
Simple method: Rebid 3NT. The transfer already told partner you have 5 spades; 3NT says you have game values. Partner will, of course, pass with only 2 spades, and bid 4 spades with 4 trumps or 3 and a doubleton. What about 3 with no ruffing value? Some players are inclined to pass, but think about it from responder's point of view -- do you want him to guess to bid 4S on a hand like the above? I treat the sequence transfer-then-3NT as a question, not a "choice": "Do you have three trumps, p? If so, please bid 4S."
Expert method: Rebid 3C. A new suit at the three level after a transfer is natural and forcing to game. What's more, responder will have some doubt about 3NT, usually either a singleton or a strong hand interested in slam. There's not much reason to bid clubs on a hand like QJxxx KJ xx Axxx -- if 3NT is down, there are probably too many losers for 5C or 4S on a 5-2 fit.
What happens after 3C? Opener's first priority is to show 3 card spade support (3S.) This allows responder to raise to game on the above hand, or make a slam try with a stronger hand.
Lacking spade support, opener assumes responder has a singleton, and bids either diamonds or hearts to say "Hey, I've got this one covered!" This typically requires 1 1/2 stoppers, i.e., the ability to win and early trick in the suit and the possibility of stopping it again depending who is on lead. AQ or KQ10 would be great, KJx may suffice. Such bids are described as a "concentration of values."
With no particular concentration but some sort of stopper in both red suits, opener bids 3NT. As a last resort, opener may raise clubs with, for example, AK Qxx xxx KQJx. This isn't forcing but responder may be able to bid 4S or 5C.
On today's actual hand, opener would bid 3H. If that's a real suit, this might be a good time to play a 4-3 fit, with the short trump hand ruffing diamonds. Responder raises to 4H and opener passes:
QJ752 AK
KJ4 AQ73
7 J43
A873 J1065
As it happens, 4H, 4S and 5C all make, but 5C requires some luck to avoid three losers while 4H will generally score 11 tricks with a diamond ruff. Note all the ingredients for a good 4-3 fit: 3NT is unplayable, there are almost no wasted values opposite the singleton, and the trump suit is strong (0 or 1 trump loser, and usually not the Ace which can allow the defense to pull dummy's trumps.)
Some declarers made 3NT on an auction like 1NT-2H-2S-3NT becuase the opening leader didn't have the diamond length.
Don't guess! You have a partner -- you don't have to make the final decision.
Simple method: Rebid 3NT. The transfer already told partner you have 5 spades; 3NT says you have game values. Partner will, of course, pass with only 2 spades, and bid 4 spades with 4 trumps or 3 and a doubleton. What about 3 with no ruffing value? Some players are inclined to pass, but think about it from responder's point of view -- do you want him to guess to bid 4S on a hand like the above? I treat the sequence transfer-then-3NT as a question, not a "choice": "Do you have three trumps, p? If so, please bid 4S."
Expert method: Rebid 3C. A new suit at the three level after a transfer is natural and forcing to game. What's more, responder will have some doubt about 3NT, usually either a singleton or a strong hand interested in slam. There's not much reason to bid clubs on a hand like QJxxx KJ xx Axxx -- if 3NT is down, there are probably too many losers for 5C or 4S on a 5-2 fit.
What happens after 3C? Opener's first priority is to show 3 card spade support (3S.) This allows responder to raise to game on the above hand, or make a slam try with a stronger hand.
Lacking spade support, opener assumes responder has a singleton, and bids either diamonds or hearts to say "Hey, I've got this one covered!" This typically requires 1 1/2 stoppers, i.e., the ability to win and early trick in the suit and the possibility of stopping it again depending who is on lead. AQ or KQ10 would be great, KJx may suffice. Such bids are described as a "concentration of values."
With no particular concentration but some sort of stopper in both red suits, opener bids 3NT. As a last resort, opener may raise clubs with, for example, AK Qxx xxx KQJx. This isn't forcing but responder may be able to bid 4S or 5C.
On today's actual hand, opener would bid 3H. If that's a real suit, this might be a good time to play a 4-3 fit, with the short trump hand ruffing diamonds. Responder raises to 4H and opener passes:
QJ752 AK
KJ4 AQ73
7 J43
A873 J1065
As it happens, 4H, 4S and 5C all make, but 5C requires some luck to avoid three losers while 4H will generally score 11 tricks with a diamond ruff. Note all the ingredients for a good 4-3 fit: 3NT is unplayable, there are almost no wasted values opposite the singleton, and the trump suit is strong (0 or 1 trump loser, and usually not the Ace which can allow the defense to pull dummy's trumps.)
Some declarers made 3NT on an auction like 1NT-2H-2S-3NT becuase the opening leader didn't have the diamond length.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Sunday 11/21/2010
Right-click here for hands. Seven tables, half 99'ers. Hope the game was enjoyable for all!
Board 4: South expects to open 1NT but North beats him to it! As it is just possible for North to have 15 hcp without an Ace, South can employ Gerber or Blackwood before bidding 6NT. Grand slam might be on if opener has, say, xx AKx Kxxx AQxx, but few players have tools to find the minor suit fit and a third-round ruff.
At 6NT, East leads the diamond Jack. North counts 12 tricks and has a safe play for an overtrick, finessing in clubs. Running the jack from dummy to tempt West to cover and (assuming he plays low smoothly) overtaking with the Ace to finesse East may work against inexperienced players, but an alert defender will not cover the Jack with the ten in dummy (covering is to promote a card for you or partner, not declarer!) This line risks going down at 6NT on a 5-1 club break, so it's better just to lead low to the Ace and finesse East, insuring at least 4 club tricks and the vulnerable slam.
Board 6: East, with 21 hcp and 9 likely tricks opens a strong 2C. South was planning to open but has no reason to bid with little shape and little prospects of points in partner's hand. West bids a negative or waiting 2D. Over East's 3C, West's Ace should be enough for game; he bids 3H and East takes a shot at 3NT.
South would like someone else to lead -- anyone else! -- but punting isn't allowed. They've bid both of his suits and partner rates to be broke, so underleading the Queen of spades, leading a heart, leading from the K10 tight of diamonds, or leading a club into openr's strong suit all look awful. Hoping the King of hearts is in dummy, he bangs down the Ace; this drops the King but does not solve his problem since continuing the suit will set it up for dummy. North plays a discouraging heart (low using standard signals) and South tries a low spade. East calls for the ten or nine; here, North must cover to protect South's Queen.
East wins and tests the clubs, groaning (inwardly at least) when North shows out. But he can still count 6 clubs, 2 spades and a diamond, so he gives South a club, scoring at least +600. (No lead from South beats it; if West were plaing it, a diamond lead establishes the crucial fifth trick for the defenders.)
At 5C, South faces the same horrible lead choices, with the Ace of hearts still looking least bad. East cannot avoid a heart, club and either diamond or spade loser or both. With a solid suit like this, strain to play 3NT.
Board 16: West opens 1NT and North should preempt with 3D (at any vulnerability IMO.) East would like to bid spades; but 3S would be forcing and game is a bit rich with only 4 tricks in hand. (If he does bid spades, the defense embarks on a brutal crossruff; East can limit the damage by pitching a heart on the second diamond.) South doesn't care for diamonds but no one asked for his opinion; a disciplined pass lets North score 7 diamonds and South's two Aces for +110. Bidding will likley get N/S overboard.
Board 19: West opens 1D and East counts 9+ tricks; an opning bid should provide at least 3 tricks (East is encouraged since the opening bid covers his small doubleton.) A strong jump to 2H may be followed by a raise and cue-bidding; if 2H does not deny a second suit, the bidding may instead go 1D-2H-2S-3H-4H-5C-5D-6C-6H. Those who play weak jump shifts might bid 1D-1H-1S-2C (fourth suit artificial -- a jump to 3H is generally not played as forcing these days, and certainly does not suggest this playing strength.) East shows 3 card support with 2H (must be 3, he would've raised immediately with 4.) If the 2C bid was forcing to game, East can bid 3H and West cue-bids 4D (or 3S, depending on style.) If you play weak jump shifts and 4th suit only forcing one round, East may as well bid 6H, he cannot extract any useful information from partner. (Blackwood or RKCB won't tell you whether to bid a slam if partner has one Ace, which could be in spades, or to stay out opposite none, since all you need is second round control of diamonds.)
Board 4: South expects to open 1NT but North beats him to it! As it is just possible for North to have 15 hcp without an Ace, South can employ Gerber or Blackwood before bidding 6NT. Grand slam might be on if opener has, say, xx AKx Kxxx AQxx, but few players have tools to find the minor suit fit and a third-round ruff.
At 6NT, East leads the diamond Jack. North counts 12 tricks and has a safe play for an overtrick, finessing in clubs. Running the jack from dummy to tempt West to cover and (assuming he plays low smoothly) overtaking with the Ace to finesse East may work against inexperienced players, but an alert defender will not cover the Jack with the ten in dummy (covering is to promote a card for you or partner, not declarer!) This line risks going down at 6NT on a 5-1 club break, so it's better just to lead low to the Ace and finesse East, insuring at least 4 club tricks and the vulnerable slam.
Board 6: East, with 21 hcp and 9 likely tricks opens a strong 2C. South was planning to open but has no reason to bid with little shape and little prospects of points in partner's hand. West bids a negative or waiting 2D. Over East's 3C, West's Ace should be enough for game; he bids 3H and East takes a shot at 3NT.
South would like someone else to lead -- anyone else! -- but punting isn't allowed. They've bid both of his suits and partner rates to be broke, so underleading the Queen of spades, leading a heart, leading from the K10 tight of diamonds, or leading a club into openr's strong suit all look awful. Hoping the King of hearts is in dummy, he bangs down the Ace; this drops the King but does not solve his problem since continuing the suit will set it up for dummy. North plays a discouraging heart (low using standard signals) and South tries a low spade. East calls for the ten or nine; here, North must cover to protect South's Queen.
East wins and tests the clubs, groaning (inwardly at least) when North shows out. But he can still count 6 clubs, 2 spades and a diamond, so he gives South a club, scoring at least +600. (No lead from South beats it; if West were plaing it, a diamond lead establishes the crucial fifth trick for the defenders.)
At 5C, South faces the same horrible lead choices, with the Ace of hearts still looking least bad. East cannot avoid a heart, club and either diamond or spade loser or both. With a solid suit like this, strain to play 3NT.
Board 16: West opens 1NT and North should preempt with 3D (at any vulnerability IMO.) East would like to bid spades; but 3S would be forcing and game is a bit rich with only 4 tricks in hand. (If he does bid spades, the defense embarks on a brutal crossruff; East can limit the damage by pitching a heart on the second diamond.) South doesn't care for diamonds but no one asked for his opinion; a disciplined pass lets North score 7 diamonds and South's two Aces for +110. Bidding will likley get N/S overboard.
Board 19: West opens 1D and East counts 9+ tricks; an opning bid should provide at least 3 tricks (East is encouraged since the opening bid covers his small doubleton.) A strong jump to 2H may be followed by a raise and cue-bidding; if 2H does not deny a second suit, the bidding may instead go 1D-2H-2S-3H-4H-5C-5D-6C-6H. Those who play weak jump shifts might bid 1D-1H-1S-2C (fourth suit artificial -- a jump to 3H is generally not played as forcing these days, and certainly does not suggest this playing strength.) East shows 3 card support with 2H (must be 3, he would've raised immediately with 4.) If the 2C bid was forcing to game, East can bid 3H and West cue-bids 4D (or 3S, depending on style.) If you play weak jump shifts and 4th suit only forcing one round, East may as well bid 6H, he cannot extract any useful information from partner. (Blackwood or RKCB won't tell you whether to bid a slam if partner has one Ace, which could be in spades, or to stay out opposite none, since all you need is second round control of diamonds.)
Friday, November 19, 2010
Friday 11/19/2010
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Board 5: East opens 1NT (15-17). West counts 6 losers, and can reasonably expect east to cover 5 of them (at 3 points per trick.) A sure fit exist in hearts, and the suit is self-sufficient (two finesses will bring in the suit more than 50% of the time.) But if oepner fits clubs, the heart suit can be a good source of tricks.
1NT-2D (transfer)
2H-3C (natural and game-forcing, either too strong or too shapely to be content bidding 3NT)
4NT-5D (Blackwood) or 5H (RKCB, 2 key cards)
6C-pass or 6H
It is unusual for the notrump bidder to take control of the auction, but when responder shows a shapely hand and game-forcing values, East's fistful of controls become huge. He can visualize trumping either spades or diamonds and pitching the other suit on hearts.
Either 6C or 6H would score well as only one pair bid it. One of two finesses and a 3-2 club split make six.
Board 8: West can open 2C despite "only" 19 hcp; the strong heart suit and wealth of controls make this sensible. East, with an astonishing 15 hcp, may be tempted to bid 7NT immediately. Still, the hands may not fit well so East makes a positive 2S response. West rebids 3H and East 3S, West 4C (a suit, not a cue-bid) or 4H (trying to slow East down due to the misfit in spades.) East employs some form of Blackwood, confirms all the Aces or key cards by way of 5NT, and someone picks a slam; 6NT is probably best as 7 of anything requires the hearts to come in.
Board 20: West's shape might inspire a 3C opening, but the poor suit, scatterred values and vulnerability recommend a pass. North opens 1S (too strong for any preempt), South bids 2C. If this is a game force North may rebid only 2S; experts such as Mike Lawrence discourage jumping in anything but a near-solid suit. South can bid 2NT (please, no jumps to 3NT when opener can be this strong) and North bids the spades a third time. South can now cue-bid 4D; this cannot be mistaken for a suit since either player could have bid diamonds a round earlier. North can cue-bid 4H; his strong trumps justify this bid despite only second round control. (Experts might treat this as "last train", shwoing general slam interest withuot promising anything in hearts.) Any suggestion of extras from North justifies South's 4NT; playing RKCB or 1430, North replies 5H (two key-cards without the Queen of trumps) and South signs off in 6S.
If 2C is not a game-force, North jumps to 3S and South can go striaght to 4NT followed by 6S. If you're wondering how Bill and I avoided the slam, I didn't discover the King of diamonds in my hand until after I started to play 4S!
Board 5: East opens 1NT (15-17). West counts 6 losers, and can reasonably expect east to cover 5 of them (at 3 points per trick.) A sure fit exist in hearts, and the suit is self-sufficient (two finesses will bring in the suit more than 50% of the time.) But if oepner fits clubs, the heart suit can be a good source of tricks.
1NT-2D (transfer)
2H-3C (natural and game-forcing, either too strong or too shapely to be content bidding 3NT)
4NT-5D (Blackwood) or 5H (RKCB, 2 key cards)
6C-pass or 6H
It is unusual for the notrump bidder to take control of the auction, but when responder shows a shapely hand and game-forcing values, East's fistful of controls become huge. He can visualize trumping either spades or diamonds and pitching the other suit on hearts.
Either 6C or 6H would score well as only one pair bid it. One of two finesses and a 3-2 club split make six.
Board 8: West can open 2C despite "only" 19 hcp; the strong heart suit and wealth of controls make this sensible. East, with an astonishing 15 hcp, may be tempted to bid 7NT immediately. Still, the hands may not fit well so East makes a positive 2S response. West rebids 3H and East 3S, West 4C (a suit, not a cue-bid) or 4H (trying to slow East down due to the misfit in spades.) East employs some form of Blackwood, confirms all the Aces or key cards by way of 5NT, and someone picks a slam; 6NT is probably best as 7 of anything requires the hearts to come in.
Board 20: West's shape might inspire a 3C opening, but the poor suit, scatterred values and vulnerability recommend a pass. North opens 1S (too strong for any preempt), South bids 2C. If this is a game force North may rebid only 2S; experts such as Mike Lawrence discourage jumping in anything but a near-solid suit. South can bid 2NT (please, no jumps to 3NT when opener can be this strong) and North bids the spades a third time. South can now cue-bid 4D; this cannot be mistaken for a suit since either player could have bid diamonds a round earlier. North can cue-bid 4H; his strong trumps justify this bid despite only second round control. (Experts might treat this as "last train", shwoing general slam interest withuot promising anything in hearts.) Any suggestion of extras from North justifies South's 4NT; playing RKCB or 1430, North replies 5H (two key-cards without the Queen of trumps) and South signs off in 6S.
If 2C is not a game-force, North jumps to 3S and South can go striaght to 4NT followed by 6S. If you're wondering how Bill and I avoided the slam, I didn't discover the King of diamonds in my hand until after I started to play 4S!
Friday, November 12, 2010
Friday 11/12/10
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Board 7: West opens 1H, East replies 1S. West's hand is huge, but not worth driving to slam without extras from partner; what's the best way to invite? I jumped to 4D, a splinter (singleton or void in diamonds, 4 trumps and game-going values.) Although East has significant extra strength and shape, the King of diamonds is wasted and anything opener has in hearts beyond the top two tricks will be wasted.
West can issue an even stronger invitation by way of a jump shift in clubs, followed by 4S. As it happens, however, a heart lead defeats 6S when played by East. Will South lead hearts? North can double 6S, but South won't know whether that suggests a heart lead (dummy's suit) or a long-suit lead (North could have a minor suit void.) Three pairs defeated 6S, with South perhaps leading his singleton hoping partner has either major suit Ace.
Board 10: North had lots of hands to "fall in love with"; after three passes, North opens a strong 2C. South makes whatever bid is most discouraging in th epartnership style, a negative, waiting or "steps" 2D or a super-bust 2H. North's 2S should be forcing for one round no matter how much weakness South has shown; North is still unlimited and may need South's help choosing which suit to play a grand slam in! Over 2S, South again discourages as best possible, with a second negative 2NT or 3C, or a natural 3C if no second negative is part of the system. It looks from the results that the only pairs to stay out game did so by way of an undisciplined pass of 2S by South. A tolerant partner might forgive such masterminding at matchpoints, where 8 or 9 tricks are, in fact, more likely than 10+.
Board 11: South may open a weak 2H, giving West a choice of double, 2NT, or a direct 3NT. Playing the lebensohl convention, double is best; if East bids spades, West can raise to 3; if East bids a forward-going 3C or 3D, West takes a shot at 3NT. When East has less than 7 points, he can bid 2NT in reply to the double; this generally shows a weak hand and requests that doubler bid 3C so East can pass that or correct to 3D. Here, East has a poor 7 but help for notrump in the heart suit, so 3C (showing about 7-10) seems justified and West bids the excellent game. Whether North leads his stiff heart or from his ugly spade suit, West should scramble something like 2 spades, 3 hearts, 2 diamonds and 2 clubs.
If 2H isn't to South's taste, normal bidding would be 1C-2C-3NT. For all the "inverted minor" bidders out there, would East's jump (1C-3C) promise 6+ points? I always insist on that when the opponents are silent; if East jumps on xx xxx xx Jxxxxx or such, West is faced with a pure guess. With a known fit and neither opponent bidding, East can predict West has a big hand and should pass with less than 6 hcp. Over interference, "inverted minors" are off; East cue-bids or redoubles with a game-inviational raise, bids 2D with a normal 6-9 raise, and is free to use 3D as a strictly preemptive bid (0-5.).
Board 7: West opens 1H, East replies 1S. West's hand is huge, but not worth driving to slam without extras from partner; what's the best way to invite? I jumped to 4D, a splinter (singleton or void in diamonds, 4 trumps and game-going values.) Although East has significant extra strength and shape, the King of diamonds is wasted and anything opener has in hearts beyond the top two tricks will be wasted.
West can issue an even stronger invitation by way of a jump shift in clubs, followed by 4S. As it happens, however, a heart lead defeats 6S when played by East. Will South lead hearts? North can double 6S, but South won't know whether that suggests a heart lead (dummy's suit) or a long-suit lead (North could have a minor suit void.) Three pairs defeated 6S, with South perhaps leading his singleton hoping partner has either major suit Ace.
Board 10: North had lots of hands to "fall in love with"; after three passes, North opens a strong 2C. South makes whatever bid is most discouraging in th epartnership style, a negative, waiting or "steps" 2D or a super-bust 2H. North's 2S should be forcing for one round no matter how much weakness South has shown; North is still unlimited and may need South's help choosing which suit to play a grand slam in! Over 2S, South again discourages as best possible, with a second negative 2NT or 3C, or a natural 3C if no second negative is part of the system. It looks from the results that the only pairs to stay out game did so by way of an undisciplined pass of 2S by South. A tolerant partner might forgive such masterminding at matchpoints, where 8 or 9 tricks are, in fact, more likely than 10+.
Board 11: South may open a weak 2H, giving West a choice of double, 2NT, or a direct 3NT. Playing the lebensohl convention, double is best; if East bids spades, West can raise to 3; if East bids a forward-going 3C or 3D, West takes a shot at 3NT. When East has less than 7 points, he can bid 2NT in reply to the double; this generally shows a weak hand and requests that doubler bid 3C so East can pass that or correct to 3D. Here, East has a poor 7 but help for notrump in the heart suit, so 3C (showing about 7-10) seems justified and West bids the excellent game. Whether North leads his stiff heart or from his ugly spade suit, West should scramble something like 2 spades, 3 hearts, 2 diamonds and 2 clubs.
If 2H isn't to South's taste, normal bidding would be 1C-2C-3NT. For all the "inverted minor" bidders out there, would East's jump (1C-3C) promise 6+ points? I always insist on that when the opponents are silent; if East jumps on xx xxx xx Jxxxxx or such, West is faced with a pure guess. With a known fit and neither opponent bidding, East can predict West has a big hand and should pass with less than 6 hcp. Over interference, "inverted minors" are off; East cue-bids or redoubles with a game-inviational raise, bids 2D with a normal 6-9 raise, and is free to use 3D as a strictly preemptive bid (0-5.).
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