Wednesday 3/23/2011

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Competition Corner --  Board 11:
South has 9 hcp and six diamonds headed by the AK, an obvious weak two but for the Qxxx heart suit. With a singleton spade, if partner has hearts the enemy is a heavy favorite to hold the master suit. Opening 2D will win far more often than it loses -- not today, though! West doubles for takeout; East, with 10 hcp, QJ9xx in diamonds, and no suit to respond, does better to pass than bid some number of notrump. West leads a high heart, switches to clubs when partner discourages, and East-West make 2D on defense -- +800. (OK, so I made the mistake of leading another heart, +500 still beats any game our way.)  South should view the carnage philosophically, every bid carries some risk.

Better Bidding -- also Board 11:
If South passes, West opens a heavy 1S, but there's no reason to look for another bid -- if partner passes, 1S will be enough. East should respond 1NT; 10 hcp is not too strong for this bid even in standard, and East's aceless, balanced hand with scattered honors is not worth pushing the bidding. West has qualms about diamonds but there are three unbid suits and the hand is balanced -- raise to 3N, partner may have diamonds stopped (as here) or they may lead something else.

Slamarama
Board 1: North has 11 hcp, all in his two suits, two quick tricks including an ace, and a Goren 13 count or Rule of 20 qualifier. Some prefer not to open a minor with less than 12 hcp but this looks like a routine 1D to me. South reveals immediate slam interest with a strong jump to 2H, North rebids 3C and South continues with 3D. North has nothing new to offer and simply bids 4D to deny a spade stopper or anything better to bid. South bids 4NT and ends at 6D when opener confirms one ace. Note that South can infer partner has no more than two hearts, as 3H would be automatic at North's third turn with any three card support. So South can expect to set the hearts up by ruffing, and since North failed to bid notrump, can expect to pitch spades on North's clubs. The opening spade lead forces declarer to lead three rounds of clubs before starting on the trumps; East may continue with a fourth club; declarer may misguess to ruff high but all is well when trumps divide 2-2 and the fifth heart sets up.

If North passes originally, even getting to game may be difficult -- pass -1H; 2D-3D is best played as forcing, but North cannot show his club stoppers or bid 3NT himself. Having limited his hand with the intial pass, however, North may perhaps cue-bid 4C, but his weak trumps makes a slam try look risky, so again 4D looks right. The initial pass may discourage South from bidding anything but 5D.

Board 3: South has 20 hcp but that isn't enough for a 2C opening when the long suit is a five-card minor; once again, you probably won't miss game by opening 1C. West can show his two red suits by way of the Unusual Notrump (two lower unbid suits), planning a later cue-bid to show his power. East might leap to 4H (expecting a massive crossruff) but at this vulnerability probably settles for 3H. South doubles for takeout, and West redoubles to show his strength. North pulls to 3S, West competes to 4H (expecting to double 4S), South bids 4S, West, sure of a fit for hearts and with little defense to spades, competes to 5H, doubled by South on quick tricks. Where was the slam? 6C makes thanks to North's heart void and a friendly 2-2 club split. No reason to bid that one.


Board 7: The bidding starts 1C-1H;1S-? With 15 hcp, a doubleton and three Aces, North is bit strong for a slam-killing leap to 4S. The scientific bid is 2D (Fourth Suit Forcing); South shows delayed support with 3H, and North then bids 3S. There may be some confusion about what trump suit has been agreed here, I would assume spades but not be surprised if North later bid game or slam in hearts. South's diamond queen is of doubtful value but with KQ-K in partner's suits, a singleton and an Ace in the others South is worth 4NT. North shows 3 aces, and South bids 5NT to confirm all the key cards plus the Queen. If the style is to show number of side Kings, North bids 6C and South can hedge with 6H in case that was the trump suit North intended. If the style is specific Kings, North signs off at 6S to deny a side King and clarify the trump suit.

West doesn't like his lead choices and may exit with a safe trump. South could reverse the dummy by ruffing two diamonds in his hand, but the fourth heart may not be a winner; better to set up the long clubs, and as two ruffs may be needed for that, South plays the Ace and another club. East wins; the clubs look like they are splitting well, but there does not appear to be anything better than to continue trumps. South wins in hand and leads a third club; when West follows, South must ruff low since he cannot ruff high twice in dummy if clubs are 4-2. When East follows declarer pulls the last trump and claims.