Board 2: Dlr E, vul N/S
A5 K3
A8765 KQ1094
K6 AJ52
K1043 AJ
East opens 1H, West makes a forcing raise. Assuming Jacoby 2NT, East bids 3H to deny a singleton but show extra values, at least 16 or 18 depending on style. Either way West has enough power for slam and so bids 4NT to check on Aces or (better) Key cards. East replies with 3 key cards; with a known 10 card fit, West need not worry about the Queen of trumps and so bids 5NT confirming all 5 key cards plus the Queen (or, as in this case, at least a 10 card fit.) This invites partner to bid a grand slam or perhaps show number of side suit kings or a specific king according to style. East can infer the two minor suit Kings from West's leap to 4NT; with two quick losers in a side suit West would have cue-bid. That leaves only the 3rd and 4th diamonds to worry about, and West's 5NT lacking the Queen of trumps suggests five trumps and therefore a side suit doubleton. Diamonds is certainly the most likely candidate but not a certainty; East can count 14 hcp for West (the two missing Aces and two minor suit Kings) and so cannot count on any additional high cards. If the style is number of kings, East should reply 6D (6H playing simple Blackwood) and pass the decision about grand slam back to West. West cannot be sure of 13 tricks either and 6H should be the final contract, better than 6NT since a ruff may contribute the 12th or 13th trick.
If the style is specific Kings. East may have to settle for 6H without mentioning the King of spades. 13 tricks are easy by ruffing two diamonds; at 6NT you need luck or guesswork to land 13 tricks.
Board 9: Dlr N vul E/W
KQ A98
A7 Q6
A107 KQ94
AJ10976 K853
East opens 1C or 1D according to style or taste; the usual advice is to open 1D with 4-4 "to provide an easy rebid", but here the planned rebid is 1NT. If partner will tend to bid diamonds "up-the-line" I prefer to open 1C with this sort of hand; where the tendency is to skip over diamonds I would open 1D.
Over 1D, West has a classic strong jump shift (3C), planning to raise diamonds if East rebids the suit and otherwise rebid in notrump. Here East raises to 4C and West can safely employ 4NT (East showing one Ace or two Key Cards.) Note that the "1430" style could be awkward if East had zero key cards, but West can always bid 5S to request a sign-off at 5NT. On this occassion the partnership has all five key cards and 10 + trumps so West follows up with 5NT to invite grand slam. Note that East should not mindlessly reply number of kings, as any bid beyond 6C commits the partnership to 6NT or a grand slam. East's hand is fairly minimal and so East bids 6C; West can resonably choose 6NT at matchpoints, hoping he doesn't need to ruff a diamnd for trick #12. (At a team game West should settle for 6C which should have extra chances.) 7NT would be excellent but should not be ventured without more detailed information.
What if you don't play strong jump shifts? The bidding begins 1D-2C, and East either rebids 2NT or raises clubs. Most matchpoint veterans would probably choose 2NT; now West must be careful not to make a bid partner could pass or misunderstand. With 3 Aces, every suit under control, and a powerful source of tricks the practical bid would be 6NT.
Board 30: Dlr E vul none
K72
85
KQ8
K542
AQ1064 J8
KJ10762 Q943
9 Q75
9 K872
953
A
K8642
AJ104
South opens 1D in second seat and West bids 2D (Michaels cue-bid, showing both majors.) North doubles whether lead-directing (he has the Ace), as a raise (he stole my bid!), or to show general strength (the Michaels bid is a form of takeout and double is equivalent to a redouble, showing 10+ hcp. Discuss this with your partner; I recommend the general strength agreement.) East would pass with no preference between the majors; here be bids 2H. South has minimum values but a shapely hand with short hearts; 3C helps describe his hand. West leaps to 4H with his excellent shape and the expectation partner can ruff one or two spades given his free heart preference. All of North's cards seem to be working and partner's bidding suggests a better hand for offense than defense, so North bids 5D. East's two high honors in the minors should dissaude him from bidding 5H.
Many Wests would "automatically" lead the singleton club, but with only 1 trump that is far more likely to assist declarer than the defense. A more reasonable"swing for the fences" lead would be the Ace of spades, hoping partner has the King or a singleton or the King is in dummy and West can shift to a heart or club in time. East has no desire for a shift and may as well signal encouragement with the Jack; West continues with the Queen but is disappointed when East cannot ruff. Dummy wins and, picturing West with at least 5-5 in the majors, declarer runs the Jack of diamonds (East should duck), plays a low club to the Jack (noting the fall of the nine), cashes the Ace of hearts, King and Ace of diamonds to finish trumps, Queen of clubs (covered by the King and Ace, East following the rule of covering the last touching honor in dummy), ten of clubs, and finally a spade West or a club to East; whoever wins must yield a ruff-sluff which disposes of losing club or spade. A tricky line, so N/S pairs who sold out to 4H probably scored well, unless too many E/W pairs sacrificed with 5H (doubled) over 5D.
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