| Board 13 North Deals Both Vul |
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East opens 1H; a few Souths may overcall 1S but this is well below the standard for a vulnerable overcall. I've seen players simply jump straight to 4H with a hand like West's but that is defined as a preemptive or "shape" raise: five trumps, a singleton or void, and perhaps six to nine high card points. My preference is to define the response of 3NT as a "pancake raise", 13 to 15 high card points and any 4333 (but poor slam controls if the four is in trumps.) Most club players treat a jump to 3NT over either a major or minor as "to play", but this treatment appears to be virtually non-existent among experts -- 16 to 17 or 18 is the usual standard, or some sort of raise. With 3244 shape, there may be slam in either minor and the normal procedure is to start with a 2/1 bid, game-forcing or not. You can always bid 3NT later.
At any rate, a hand with only three card support is not suitable for Jacoby -- the fourth trump can be crucial for slam bidding. Some pairs playing 1NT forcing (in response to a major) may bid 1NT followed by 4H to show the flat raise, but experience has shown that it is a bad idea to mix game-forcing hands in with 1NT: when the auction turns competitive or opener makes an unexpected jump, you can't describe your values properly. Lacking an agreed raise, West responds 2C, planning to support hearts later. East rebids 2D, whether or not 2C was game-forcing. In the modern style the 2/1 bidder promises a rebid, at least over any new suit by opener; jumping with East's hand will often lead to missing the best strain. (I define opener's jump to 3D here as 5-5 with about 15+ hcp.) Now responder supports hearts: 3H playing Standard, or 2H in a go-slow style of 2/1 game force. Many pairs play "fast arrival" and would leap to 4H with West's hand, but this throws away much of the advantage of playing sound or game-forcing 2/1 bids: West has useful slam controls (two key cards, and control of diamonds) and should want to leave room in case partner has slam interest. The sequence 2C-then-4H should describe a hand with good cards in clubs and hearts and no control of the side suits.
As it happens East is strong enough to proceed directly with 4NT, so any sequence that shows West's game values and support should suffice. West replies one Ace or two key cards and East signs off at 6S or perhaps tries for a matchpoint top at 6NT. Slam requires no more than the expected 3-2 heart split, although 6NT from West's side may fail on a spade lead. This is a possible disadvantage of my recommended 3NT "pancake raise" (or 1NT forcing) but North may not have any clear reason to lead a spade rather than a club. Still, I suspect East will prefer 6H to protect his King if partner bid notrump first.
South faces a common lead problem: cash the Ace (which risks setting up declarer's King for his twelfth trick) or punt (which risks seeing declarer rattle off thirteen winners.) The usual advice is to cash an Ace against a suit slam (or 7NT!) but not against 6NT or seven of a suit (expecting one opponent or the other to be void.) Here, however, East is a heavy favorite to hold the King of spades. The defense will still score a trick if North does not pitch a club.
Only three of nine pairs bid slam, a bit puzzling since by simple point count East's hand counts as 19 or 20 and West has an obvious 13. Perhaps 1H-4H-pass was all too common.
| Board 15 South Deals N-S Vul |
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South is on the bubble for a 1H opening. Those who insist on 12 hcp will pass without a second thought; Rule of 20 fans will count 11 hcp plus nine cards in their two long suits and open breezily. I tend to use the old Goren short-suit count with a reluctance to count both high cards and shortages in the same suit. This is simply a way to account for the fact that, in a trump contract, hands generally play better when the points are concentrated in the long rather than the short suits. Counting one point for the diamond doubleton but not the spade is the same as saying : "this hand is borderline and my suits, especially hearts, aren't all that good." I would probably pass this one but would certainly open if the hearts were K1098x.
West has a fine suit and should open or overcall either 1S or 2S. This is a point below either a Rule of 20 or Goren 13 count, so I would open 2S if South passes. It's plenty strong enough for a 1S overcall, but tactically I prefer the jump. Of course I'd make the same bid without either side Queen.
North bids diamonds regardless of what South and West do, planning to support hearts later if South opened. If South passed originally he can bid 2H or 3H as needed. East may get in the act, however; with four trumps he may compete to 3S or 4S, but the hand is too weak and shapeless for my taste. On defense N/S should collect two hearts, a diamond and three clubs; declarer can reach dummy with a heart ruff and guess whether to play South for the King or Jack of spades. So 4S doubled is on a guess between -500 and -800, an iffy bet at matchpoints. N/S should score at least +650 at 5H. If West opened or overcalled 1S, declarer may play him for both Queens, scoring an overtrick. After a 2S opening or overcall, declarer is more likely to finesse East for the Queen of clubs after West shows up with the AQ of spades and the Queen of hearts.
| Board 20 West Deals Both Vul |
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West has an iffy hand for a vulnerable weak 2D, but A1097 gives the suit some body and it's tempting to preempt both majors. If you like this sort of bid I recommend playing Ogust responses to partner's 2NT inquiry so you can warn partner "bad suit, bad hand." Assuming a prudent pass, North opens 1S or 1NT. With precisely 16 hcp I recommend straining to open 1NT on hand with no more than one doubleton. The only exception should be a hand with a five card major and a small doubleton --North's Qx is apt to be more valuable at notrump than in a suit contract, if partner has a fitting honor or the opening lead is away from AKxxx. Why the emphasis on 16 hcp? With 15, you can treat the hand as a minimm (12-14.) With 17 you can stretch for a 2NT rebid (nominally 18-19 over a one level response, but often only 17 after a major suit opening.) But with 16 any notrump rebid will mistate your values by a full Queen. Meanwhile, if you open the major, partner will often raise and you are too strong to pass. When partner rejects your game try, you may find yourself down one at 3S rather than +90 at 1NT. One other consideration -- with three hearts, you'll be OK if partner transfers to hearts. Some players avoid opening 1NT with precisely 5233 or 2533 since you may play a 5-2 major fit instead of 5-3.
East passes, too weak for a vulnerable overcall or jump. Over 1NT, South contemplates slam in clubs or notrump. At 3 points per trick it's reasonable to expect opener's 15-17 to cover at least five of South's six losers. Visualizing, thirteen tricks would be a near laydown opposite Axx Axx AQxxx Jx. This looks like a reasonable hand for the rare Gerber convention: 1NT-4C; 4S (remember, that's two Aces!)-6NT. East may well lead a major, with a heart yielding twelve tricks or a spade resulting in thirteen. While hearts would be the normal lead against 3NT, I would not lead away from that holding against 6NT. On a minor suit lead declarer should knock out the Ace of diamonds and cash two major suit high cards before taking the rest of his minor suit winners. If no one pitches the "promoted" King or Queen, finesse in the other suit. Unfortunately it looks better to cash the two high spades (hoping to drop the Queen) and 6NT should ultimately fail on the heart finesse. C'est la Bridge!
Everyone played this one at 3NT.
| Board 32 West Deals E-W Vul |
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West opens 2C, planning a 2NT rebid after the expected 2D response (or 2H bust.) East adds 13 + 22 = 35 and should certainly drive the hand to 6NT. Possible sequences:
(1) 2C-2D (negative, waiting or semi-positive); 2NT-6NT
Or East might try 3S if that's Minor Suit Stayman; West rebids 3NT, denying a minor, and East raises to six.
(2) 2C-3NT; 6NT
If East could bid 2NT to show a balanced 8-10, 3NT shows 11-12.
(3) 2C-3NT; 4NT-6NT
If 2NT would be a heart positive (playing 2H = bust), 3NT shows 10-12. West shows a bare 22 but East has extras.
(2) 2C-2NT (Steps, 10+ hcp)-3NT; 6NT
West's 3NT is probably a dead minimum since 23+10 would be 33.
North should not lead away from his King (the defense needs two tricks, not five, so "fourth from your longest and strongest" doesn't apply.) A minor suit lead hands declarer his twelfth trick. If North (or South) guesses to lead a heart, declarer needs to develop two tricks. Three finesses are available (either way in the minors), or you can try for a 3-3 split in either minor. You can also cash two winners in either minor before finessing against North.
All in all it looks right to run the Jack of spades early, since you have no choice whom to finesse. Assuming North exits with another heart, declarer can get gather clues by careful cashing. Take the third high heart and then cash three winners in either minor, ending with the Ace in East's hand. When North shows out, cash the two high spades. The Ten-Nine might drop; as it is, South must discard a minor, after which his Jack will fall. Six of nine declarers failed, perhaps trying for two of three finesses or delaying the spade finesse until it was too late to squeeze South.
