Sunday 12/12/2010

21 teams for "Eight is Enough". A new record! Personally, I much prefer the 2:00 starting time to playing in the evening, winter or summer.

No hand records since the boards were hand-dealt, but I jotted down the first board we played:
Neither vulnerable, North deals, IMP scoring. West - East hands:

AJ7           3
KQ3         J654
K              A10642
AKQ852  1043

West opens a strong 2C in fourth seat, and East replies 2D (negative, waiting, or semi-positive) or 2H (steps, 4-6 hcp) depending on partnership style. I prefer the 2H "super-bust", 2D = 4+ artificial; some define 2D as at least one Ace or King. "Steps" is often inefficient as the 2H and 2S responses are more common than 2D. However, let me proceed assuming a  4-6 step response:

2C-2H; 3C: East's response creates an absolute game force, West should not open 2C if he doesn't want to be in game opposite 4 hcp. So West can start describing his hand by bidding his long suit. On a bad day opposite a busted partner, West's hand might take only 7 tricks, but the clubs will usually produce 6 and partner's values should combine with some of Wet's 13 hcp outside of clubs. A more reasonable estimate would be 9 1/2 tricks, and partner's response should provide 1-2 more in high cards alone. That's 11 tricks; if partner can ruff something or provide a long suit discard slam is within reach.

--3D: East might raise clubs immediately, but his hand will be more useful if partner fits diamonds or hearts, and bidding diamonds allows partner to re-evelaute any diamond honors.
3NT: West does not know of a fit; he has shown a huge hand and now bids the obvious game.
--4C: East's Ace plus singleton is enough to try for slam. 4C should be veiwed as forward-going, not fear of notrump.
4H: West cue-bids a control; 4D might sound like support.
--4NT: With all suits under cotnrol, East trots out Blackwood/RKCB/1430. I'll assume RKCB here.
5C: 0 or 3 key cards, but the 2C opening and cue-bid assure 3.
--5H: Queen ask. Many would use 5D but I find it dangerous to use suits which have been bid naturally for such purposes. East knows one key card is missing but should bid slam unless also missing the club Queen.
5NT or 6C: some play first step denies the Queen, second shows (5NT here), others play 5 of the agreed suit denies, other bids show the Queen along with a King if any. Here, West cannot afford to bid 6D but can use 6C to say "Q+ some other King".
--Pass or 6C: As East is counting on a ruffing value, it would be a serious error for either player to "correct" to 6NT. Far more slams can be made with a trump suit than without.

West wins any lead, clears the King of diamonds, cashes the Ace of spades and ruffs a spade, pitches the third spade on the Ace of diamonds, pulls trumps and concedes a heart. The slam would fail on a 4-0 trump split or a 5-1 heart split (allowing a defensive ruff), neither very likely.

As this hand illustrates, it is often the weaker hand that must push to slam after a strong opening. West's 2C,3C,3NT sequence is a good description of this powerhouse.