Sunday, December 23rd

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Board 4: North opens a maximum 1NT. East has a nice 2D overcall -- even vulnerable, it's worth bidding such a good suit. You wouldn't mind defending against two or three notrump, but at one notrump you are too likely to have to discard some of your diamonds before you can cash the rest. Many people play artificial methods these days -- 2D may show both majors (Cappaletti or Modified Cappaletti) or diamonds-plus-a-major (DONT.) So, you may have to start with a double (DONT, showing one suit) or 2C (Capp, showing a long suit, or Modified Capp, showing a long minor or major-minor two-suiter.) That makes the overcall less attractive -- N/S will have more time to sort out the hand. Still, a suit headed by AQ10 begs to be bid and it does seem better to disrupt the enemy's possible Stayman or transfer sequence. Overcalling is particularly attractive against pairs playing those horrible "Stolen Bid" doubles since they will have no way to double you for penalties.

Against a natural 2D, South has a standard 3D "Stayman" cue-bid. Those playing lebensohl with the "fast denies" agreement should bid 2NT as a puppet to 3C, then 2D to show "Stayman with a stopper." Over a DONT double, South redoubles to show the balance of strength (generally, a minimum of 23 hcp between the two hands.) Over a Cappaletti 2C, many would play double = Stayman, even if not playing Stolen Bid doubles in general. I recommend, however, that doubles of artificial bids show points (8+ balanced) rather than showing or asking for any particular distribution. This puts our side in good position to double any misfit for penalties.

Assuming a simple 1NT-(2D)-3D sequence, North bids 3H and South raises to game.  East assumes 25+ hcp for N/S, leaving six or less for partner. This makes it unattractive to try and find a helping honor in partner's hand; I'd probably lead a trump. As it happens North can take three rounds of trumps, three rounds of spades, lose a club finesse and eventually score the King of diamonds and a trump in each hand. Be sure you don't ruff too early in either hand, you could lose control.

Against the "slow shows" lebensohl sequence, East can place South with the King-plus of diamonds and North with at least a doubleton; a shortage in partner's hand is a fair bet. East boldly leads out the Ace of his suit; I don't think North can false-card effectively, so East continues with his lowest diamond (suit-preference for clubs if partner can ruff.) He isn't sure West will be out of diamonds but a low diamond to the bare King can't cost. West does ruff and the defense holds N/S to an average score. (North must not, of course, allow West a second ruff; he can hop with the Ace on the club return or simply ruff another diamond high.)

If the bidding starts 1NT-(dbl)-redbl, West and North pass and East bids his diamonds. South could try passing to see if North can double (yes he can!) but trying to beat 2D three tricks looks iffier than game, so the bidding is apt to proceed as above (cue-bid or delayed cue-bid for Stayman.)

Capp sequence: 1NT-(2C = long suit)-dbl-(pass); pass-(2D), basically the same as with DONT -- South forces to game while checking on a major fit.

All bridge players should be familiar with using a cue-bid in the enemy suit as a Stayman replacement; novices be sure to discuss this one with partner.

Two pairs reached hopeless 6H contracts; either South over-rated his control-poor 13 count or North broke discipline, continuing beyond game. Remember, when you open 1NT, partner KNOWS you have a good hand; he's in charge of placing the contract.

Board 6: E/W have a rare vulnerable-vs-not sacrifice available at 4S, but most N/S pairs were allowed to play 4H and make an overtrick. An "open anything" East might start with 1D ("Two and half quick tricks partner") but I expect most passed, allowing South to start with 1C. West is itching to bid his 7330 hand, but the suit is rather poor for a leap to 3S when vul-vs.-not. I settled for 2S, North stretches for 3H; and East should pause to consider. It's poor tactics to bid 3S now and then 4S over 4H; that maximizes the chance they'll double you when they should defend and bid on when they should not. Bid 3S if you want to take your chances against 4H; if not, either blast to 4S (make 'em guess!) or try a lead directing 4D. Partner won't be on lead against 4H, but you might gamble on underleading to partner's King of spades. I think 4S is right -- you expect partner to take 6 or 7 spades, one or two diamonds,  one or two heart ruffs, and possibly a side winner from partner. That adds up to nine or ten winners, and if, say, the diamond finessse is off you probably aren't beating 4H.

Over 4S, South appears to have relatively poor defense; bidding 5H with only three trumps is probably wrong but it may be tough to set 4S. Having opened the bidding I think pass is the disciplined action; North doubles based on his quick tricks. You can't wait for trump tricks to double at this level.

North leads the ten of diamonds; declarer suspects a sinngleton but needing diamond tricks, finesses anyway. South wins and returns his lowest diamond (suit-preference for clubs.) North ruffs and boldly underleads his Ace of clubs to try for a second ruff -- but West's void comes as a nasty shock and declarer pulls the remaining trumps in one round and can now ruff two hearts in dummy. West can always manage ten tricks via some combination of heart ruffs and setting up diamonds. Turns out N/S needed to sacrifice at 5H despite having a solid majority of the points!

Board 10: East opens 1D; West has a standard bid to show 16-17 hcp with any 4333 shape: 3NT! This assures East of a diamond fit and 30+ hcp, but the singleton in the hand with trump length does not add any playing strength. East should try visualizing: xxxx AQx KQx KQx would be a "perfect minimum" and produce 12 easy tricks. At a team game I think it would be clear to bid 4D as a slam try, planning to settle for 5D if partner does not show enthusiasm. But at matchpoints you really, really want to play 3NT (or 4) or 6D -- 5D will almost invariably be a poor second to one or the other. I don't think I have any partnerships where I could bid 4D and then stop at 4NT if we don't have the stuff for slam. A quantitative 4NT is a possibility, but many would take that as ace-asking. Key-card bidders should recognize that a 5H "two key cards without the queen" will leave you poorly placed, even if you are able to bid 5S to request a sign-off at 5NT. I think this is one where you consider slam chances and then pass 3NT as a practical matter.

Most pairs have adopted "limit notrump jumps" these days -- 2NT shows 11-12 and 3NT = 13-15. And they have NO WAY to show a flat 16+. West responds 1S, forcing for the moment; East rebids 2D or 1NT, depending on the partnership attitude toward rebidding notrump with a singleton in partner's suit. I strongly recommend you discuss this with partner -- don't bid 1NT on a hand like East's and then blame partner for rebidding a poor spade suit. For years I preferred to promise a balanced hand for a notrump rebid; I've recently switched to accepting a singleton in spades, only (when that's responder's suit.) Note that East is too weak for a strength-showing 2H reverse -- that bid effectively forces the partnership to 2NT or higher, and requires 17+ hcp.

Over 2D, West must force again with 3C (safer than 2H; if partner raises clubs you can always retreat to diamonds.) With KJxx in the unbid heart suit, East likely bids 3NT, so we have this auction: 1D-1S; 2D-3C; 3NT-? West has not described either his shape or strength accurately at this point; a 4D bid is clearly a slam try, but bidding three suits gives the impression of shortness in the fourth. Ugh! Anway, evey pair stumbled into 3NT or 4NT one way or another. The ten of diamonds mkaes the difference between a poor slam and an excellent one, so don't feel bad about missing 6D.

Board 13: With no Ace or ten, North should downgrade his poor, 5332 12 count and pass. East, owever, has a reasonable Rule of 20 or Goren 13 count, though many would pass for lack of major suit length. I suspect most opened as North and East certainly overcalled 2C. South has nothing to say.

West has a problem -- North stole his powerhouse suit! Looking at the King of clubs, it seemed reasonable to assume partner has something outside for her vulnerable overcall, so I guessed to bid 3NT. Other possibilities include 2S or 2H, but 3NT looks like the likely spot and anything else risks missing that golden contract. Even if partner has spade support the known bad breaks may make notrump a better bet.

North gives West a scare with the King of diamonds lead, but partner produces the expected stopper. Not fearing any shift declarer ducks the first two diamonds and wins the third, pitching low hearts. West should consider what contracts other declarers may be in: five clubs and six clubs are the obvious alternatives. North is marked with almost every missing high card, so the spade finesse appears to be losing. That makes 12 tricks at clubs a difficult proposition, so it makes sense to play safe for 9 tricks: test the clubs and cash winners. If you can read North for fewer than five diamonds, you can set up an extra heart or spade winner, but in fact 3NT making scored a cold top.

If North passes, E/W might reach 6C and go down on the reasonable line of trying both major suit finesses. If E/W somehow reach 6C after North opens, East can pull trumps set up two extra hearts with a ruffing finesse and a spade with a losing finesse. Ruffing a diamond in dummy looks fatal as declarer cannot return to his hand to pull South's trumps.

Board 23: West has a wild hand: AKQ10xxxx -- 10 AQ97. There are nine obvious winners and good chances in clubs for a tenth, along with excellent slam controls. This is the sort of hand to open 2C and rebid 4S, announcing ten tricks and great controls but somewhat below the expected number of high cards. You could open 1S and chances are someone would bid; if partner does not have six hcp the enemy have at least 20 and shortness in spades. But there is no good way to portray the playing strength of this hand beginning with 1S. Don't carry this notion to extremes: AKQxxxxxxx -- x xx may be ten tricks but 2C would be a gross distortion.

East should make a positive response in diamonds -- don't bid an anemic 2D "waiting" bid and try to catch up later. Any hand with an Ace, 8+ hcp and a five card or better suit headed by two top honors has too much slam potential opposite a 2C opener to begin with an unhelpful 2D call. ("Steps" bidders, of course, would show 10-12 hcpwith a 2NT response.)

Whatever the response, West carries through with his planned 4S rebid. East adds his 2.5 quick tricks to partner's announced 10; the only flaw would be the possibility that opener has only seven spades and therefore a possible extra loser opposite your void. Don't even consider any suit but spades on this bidding -- partner did not ask your opinion about trumps! If this bidding were to come up more than once every few years, it would be reasonable to define a 5S raise as " I have two tricks for you but a void in trumps -- is that a problem?" Well, 5S generally asks about trump quality but I think that's cutting things rather fine (i.e., AKQxxxx would not constitute adequate trump quality!) Some might argue that West should "go slower" over the positive response, but I think 4S gives the clearest description of his hand.

I think East should gamble that either the spades are solid or the diamond Queen will be worth a trick. It's reasonable to bid 4NT and then 5NT to confirm all the Aces or Key cards, then settle in 6S. North leads the King of hearts. I don't know the best line but I think ruff the lead and run seven more spades looks reasonable, leaving -- AJ AQ 8 opposite -- -- 10 AQ97 in hand. Now cash the two red Aces and if nothing wonderful happens try the club finesse. You may be able to read an endplay depending on the enemy discards. It would be nice to surrender a trick (rectifying the count for a squeeze) but a diamond return by North or a club return by South would foul your communications.