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!