Sunday, April 21st 2013

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Board 4 West Deals Both Vul	♠ A 8 3 ♥ J 10 9 5 4 ♦ A 7 ♣ Q 3 2
♠ Q 10 9 6 ♥ K 2 ♦ J 8 5 2 ♣ 10 9 6	N W E S	♠ K J 7 4 2 ♥ Q ♦ 4 3 ♣ K 8 7 5 4
	♠ 5 ♥ A 8 7 6 3 ♦ K Q 10 9 6 ♣ A J

After two passes, East might open light in third seat, but I wouldn't with such a modest suit. South opens 1H and North should invite game. Although some would simply blast 4H based on the presumed 10 card fit, the value of North's hand depends heavily on South's shape, and whether the Queen of clubs is useful. North makes a limit raise (or a Reverse Fit Drury 2C.) Over a 3H jump South can bid 4C as a control-bid slam try; North loves his hand and should drive to slam using either Blackwood or RKCB. Note that, with ten trumps, North can bid as if he had the Queen of trumps, so when RKCB reveals only one missing key card North should bid slam.

West has no attractive lead; I'd try the ten of clubs unless partner managed to bid spades at some point. Even on a spade lead, South wins in dummy, calls for the Jack of hearts, covers the Queen with his Ace, cashes the top diamonds (pitching a club) and ruffs out West's Jack. Next comes a spade ruff back to hand and the fifth diamond. Whether or not West ruffs, South pitches a second club.

If East opens 1S, South has the wrong strength for a Michaels cue-bid. A common agreement is to use Michaels with either 6-10 or 16+ hcp, not 11-15. South overcalls 2H and West raises partner's spades. North would compete to 3S on about 8-10 points; it is better to stretch to raise partner in competition than to be shut out. North should either bid 4H directly, or, as a passed hand with good defensive values, cue-bid 3S. I think South can reasonably drive to slam over that bid.

Board 10 East Deals Both Vul	♠ 10 9 8 7 5 3 ♥ 2 ♦ 9 2 ♣ 10 9 7 4
♠ A Q ♥ A 3 ♦ A K 8 6 5 4 ♣ A 6 2	N W E S	♠ K 2 ♥ K Q 6 5 4 ♦ Q 10 ♣ Q J 8 5
	♠ J 6 4 ♥ J 10 9 8 7 ♦ J 7 3 ♣ K 3

East has a poor 13; one less hcp and I'd pass but 1H should be automatic here. West may as well bid 2D (or a strong 3D jump shift); if partner can raise there may be a grand slam. East rebids either 2H (not promising any extra length) or 2NT; 3C would be an overbid and risks playing notrump from the wrong side.

If 2D is played as 100% game-forcing, West can rebid 3D. A plausible 2/1 Game Force auction might be: 1H-2D; 2NT-3D; 4D-4NT (RKCB); 5C (0 or 3)-5H (Queen ask); 5NT (yes)-7D.

For standard bidders, 1H-2D; 2NT-6NT is as good as anything. A strong jump shift auction might proceed 1H-3D; 3NT-4D; 5D (East hates his hand)-6NT. Most pairs reached the obvious 6NT; 6D scored poorly. On a hand where not everyone will reach slam six of a minor is often safer and better than 6NT, but on today's hand everyone bid slam.

Board 14 East Deals None Vul	♠ Q ♥ Q 7 4 3 ♦ A J 5 4 ♣ A K 8 7
♠ A 9 6 5 3 2 ♥ — ♦ K Q 10 2 ♣ J 10 4	N W E S	♠ J 8 7 ♥ 10 6 5 ♦ 8 7 6 ♣ 9 6 5 3
	♠ K 10 4 ♥ A K J 9 8 2 ♦ 9 3 ♣ Q 2

South opens 1H and West overcalls 1S or 2S. Over 1S North can try 3S as a splinter raise, if that's in the partnership arsenal. Over 2S North's 3S is more ambiguous, a general game-forcing raise with no control implications regarding spades. The cue-bid is important to claim ownership of the hand in case E/W bid 4S over 4H. South has a fairly minimum hand with an apparently worthless King of spades, but North counts four cover cards plus spade ruffs. An opening bid typically has seven losers, so twelve tricks looks only mildly optimistic: picture South with, for example, xxx AKxxx KQx xx. In fact South takes six trumps, a spade, four minor suit winners and a spade ruff for a solid +980.