Sunday, August 14th 2011

Right-click here for hands.

Board 10: East opens 2NT (20-21); West transfers to spades and then bids 3NT. I have a strong preference for treating this sequence not as "Which game would you like to play, partner?" but instead as "Please bid 4S if you have three of them." Otherwise, what is responder to do with a five card major and a singleton? East dutifully bids 4S; West can add 1 point for the long suit (or doubleton) butthe total falls short of the usual 33 point target for slam. Try visualizing: can you construct a 20 point hand that would make 6S a laydown? Best would be a double-fit with diamonds: Jxx Ax AKQJx Axx looks like an easy 12 tricks, and that's only 19 hcp. Unfortunately, there's no room to invite slam below game, and one can just as easily construct hands where slam has no play, and in fact the five level is risky: xxx Qxx AKQxx AKQ, for example, has adequate key cards but the defense may take the first 3 heart tricks -- but declarer may take all 13 tricks on different lead. 2NT has a reputation as a "slam killer" since it crowds the bidding. 4NT here will keep you out of a slam missing two Aces (or key cards) but tells you nothing about the prospects for 12 tricks. I'd pass. As it happens two finesses work and clubs split 3-3, so declarer takes all 13 tricks at spades or notrump. Don't feel like you should've bid this one.

Board 14: West opens 1NT after two passes, though a few players might downgrade the KQ doubleon and open 1C instead. In general I do not recommend such adjustments for notrump bidding -- points in short suits tend to provide stoppers. North overcalls 2S. What should East do with 11 points but no spade stopper? (East should deduct for no aces but can add something back for the five-card suit.) I suspect 3NT would be the near-unaminous choice of any expert bidding panel -- the strong notrumper usually has a stopper in the overcaller's suit. For those playing lebensohl, 3NT explicitly denies a stopper, with the alternate sequence 2NT-then-3NT used to show a stopper. West does, in fact, have the expected stopper, but one low spade establishes North's suit and West cannot develop 9 tricks without losing the lead. Declarer can choose to knock aout the Ace of hearts and finish with 7 tricks, or lose to the Queen of diamonds and score only 6. Such disasters aren't enjoyable but keep in mind the game bonus: exchange either of West's Queens for the Queen of diamonds, or give East the Jack of spades and nine tricks would be easy. That's bridge.

Board 16: West opens 1C and North tosses in a weak 2S bid at the favorable vulnerability. East doubles (negative, showing hearts); South does not have a classic raise (only 2 trumps) and should probably give partner some leeway at this vulnerability. West rebids his clubs (or passes of South's 3S) and East ends the aucton at 3NT. Axx is a good stopper to have against a weak two bid, since you can hold up twice if needed to exhaust South's spades -- then losing a trick to South will not be fatal. Good luck in both red suits allows 11 tricks at notrump or 12 at clubs -- another slam not worth bidding.

Board 20: West opens 1C; vulnerable, I would expect North to pass, but I'm sure some jumped to 2S. East smells slam but can reasonably start with 1H. West's hand almost qualifies as a Bridge World Death Hand (strong hand, strong suit, 3 card support for partner) but with only 15 hcp including a stiff Ace I'd settle for a simple 2C rebid, eager to drive to game if partner invites. East bids 3D; as 2D would be forcing (many play it artificially, an extension of the New Minor Frocing gadget, but natural or artificial it is forcing) the jump shows 5-5 shape and game-forcing values. West bids 3H to show belated (3-card) support, and East continues with 4C. Some would read this as a simple cueb-id, others would say it shows East's pattern, suggesting a fitting honor and the shortness in spades; either way East's hand qualifies. In any case 4C is a clear slam try, and West proceeds with 4NT. Playing Roman Key Card Blackwood, East shows 3 key cards (5C = 0 or 3, or 5D using the "1430" variation); West can rule out zero on East's previous bidding and counts 5 heart tricks, at least 5 clubs (might need a ruff if East has the stiff ace or the suit break 4-1), two side Aces and one diamond ruff totals 13 tricks, so West can bid 7H. The only reason to bid 5NT would be in an attempt to get to 7NT, but 7H may have better chances and I wouldn't expect many pairs to bid either grand. In fact, only 2 pairs bid even a small slam.