Friday 12/17/10

Right-click here for hands. Nine tables despite the weather, not bad :) Lots of potential slam hands.

Board 2: I'll sometimes open a 6-5 hand with a weak two, but only if the long suit is good. Assuming two passes, West opens a strong 2C. East's response will vary, let's assume 2D as a semi-positive artificial (4+, game forcing, where 2H would be the bust bid.) Personally I'd like to bid 2S with Wet's hand but most would require a 5 card suit so presumably West bids 3C. East continues with 3D, natural; if 2D was simply "waiting" 3D here might be a "second negative". West bids 3S and East has a potentially huge hand if the diamonds can be established. However, West's first suit was clubs and that does little for East so he may simply raise to 4S, especially if he has already shown some values (2D semi-positive or 2H = 4-6 playing "steps".)

West has already shown a powerhouse but with the spade raise he can revalue his hand to 3 losers (2 hearts, 1club.) Partner should cover one with a useful high card (heart or club honor or the King of diamonds), can he cover another? It is usually wrong to venture beyond game without 12 tricks in view, so West should perhaps pass, but he has 4 key cards plus the Queen of trumps and cannot really expect responder to risk 4NT.

Should East have bid more? He knows about the 9 card fit, and one or both of his singletons is apt to be useful; he cannot be sure about the Queen of diamonds. Three key cards plus the Queen of spades or four key cards is certainly possible given the 2C opening, and three such cards would make the 5 level reasonably safe. The real difficulty is evaluating tricks. I think 2C-then-3C should suggest at least 9 1/2 tricks; this does not make a lock for 12 tricks but opener could have 10 full.

If East risks 4NT, West reveals 3 aces or 4 Key cards (5C in regular RKCB, 5D in "1430") and East can follow with a Queen asking bid (next suit). I recommend "Specific Kings" so the complete bidding may be:

2C-2D; 3C-3D; 3S-4NT; 5C-5D; 5H-5NT (5C = 0 or 4 key cards, 5D asks for Queen, 5H confirms Q + King of hearts, 5NT confirms all 5 key cards + Q.) At this point West has nothing to add and should bid 6S; East might bid the grand slam if he had the King of clubs but in this case passes.

With the high trumps all in West's hand, the obvious approach is to ruff clubs and a heart in dummy. Two club ruffs establish the suit and a heart ruff eliminates West's last loser; then three rounds of trumps and claim. Note how much harder it would might be to establish clubs with only a 4-4 fit; slammish hands with a two-suiter often play a trick or two better than with only an eight card fit.

Board 6: South opens 1D, West overcalls 1H and North raises to 2D (the chance South has only 3, with exactly 4432 shape, are too low to worry about.) East has only 5 hcp but he has a high-offense, low-defense hand. In the modern style a 3D cue-bid would show a limit raise or better, freeing the 3H jump in competition for this sort of high-offense hand. South may have visions of slam; a 4H cue-bid seems in order, staking a claim to the hand and suggesting slam interest. At this point West can expect to score two tricks defensively, and ten tricks on offense, so 5H seems justified despite the vulnerability. North may double to show a poor hand in context; if he does not, South may overbid to 6D. +200 (5H doubled  down one) scores poorly for N/S but 6D is a cold bottom.

If East merely raises to 2H, West can reasonably expect either to score his Ace or for East to provide a trick; he certainly should not consider bidding 5H. Every declarer was allowed to play some level of diamonds. Back to East's jump: he has not merely 4 good trumps but also a shapely hand, expecting to ruff some of partner's losers or establish his own side suit (spades) ruffing in declarer's hand. Three offensive tricks and less than zero defense makes the preemptive raise a standout.

Baord 14: South opens 1C ( a 1NT upgrade with 2 Aces, 2 tens and a good five card suit would be OK), North responds 1D (no need to conceal such a good suit with such a good hand, you might have slam in diamonds.) South rebids 1NT, which in standard methods generally denies a four-card major; if so, North probably raises to 3NT. If 1NT does not deny a major, North reverses with 2H and South takes a preference to 3D. North has a fine hand but South's 1NT limited both his strength and shape so North still signs off in 3NT. 6D makes "double-dummy" but takes a winning heart finesse and ruffing three clubs in dummy, not a contract I'd want to bid.

Board 17: North might open based on a Goren 13 count or the "Rule of 20", but with only one Ace and no King I recommend a pass (unless playing Precision.) East has 2 1/2 quick tricks but only a flat 11, again a pass in any standard method. South opens 1H, North responds 2C (or 1NT if 2C would be fit-Drury.) South can reverse to 2S over either 1NT or 2C and North likely leaps to 3NT. This looks like the normal spot; 6C and 6S make but require a ruffing finesse in diamonds to set up the 12th trick.

Board 19: West opens 1D and North overcalls in spades. East plans on bidding at least game and shold start with his longest suit, clubs, rather than a negative double. West can leap to 4C, forcing (no such thing as a preemptive raise by opener.) East would like to inquire about Aces or key cards but can he deal with a 5H or 5S reply? Better to cue-bid 4S. West can then bid 4NT and bid 6C when responder shows one Ace or two key cards.

Did you have such a mild auction? Facing a passed hand, North may try a tactical jump to 2S, and South may blast to 4S given on the 10 card fit and favorable vulnerability. E/W may still reach slam, but they may have to guess rather than have the comfort of a Blackwood or RKCB auction.