Sunday 11/28/2010

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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.