Sunday, August 31st 2014

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

North opens 1D; some Easts might stick on a spade bid but vulnerable with a poor hand and poor suit I prefer to pass. South responds 2C or perhaps a strong 3C jump. If East overcalled, North's bst rebid is 2NT. If East passed I would rebid 2D. Over 2D South continues with 2H; this could be a poor suit for slam if North were to raise but South must keep the ball rolling and it may be possible to land in clubs anyway. North bids 2NT or 3NT according to style and taste; South may try a spade bid followed by a leap to 6C. While partner's rebidding in your void is discouraging, South can basically count 9 tricks in hand and can reasonably expect North's opener to provide three more. South's bidding suggests the diamond void (with a singleton it would be natural to use Blackwood or RKCB) but with only 10 working high card points North will either pass or try for a better matchpoint score at 6NT. Four of eight pairs bid slam.

Board 11 South Deals None Vul	♠ Q J 9 5 ♥ A J 10 9 4 ♦ 6 ♣ J 7 5
♠ 6 4 ♥ Q 7 5 ♦ K Q 7 5 3 ♣ A Q 6	N W E S	♠ A K 10 8 7 ♥ 8 ♦ A 10 9 8 4 ♣ 4 3
	♠ 3 2 ♥ K 6 3 2 ♦ J 2 ♣ K 10 9 8 2

West opens 1D; North overcalls 1H or possibly a Michaels cue-bid (2D) to show both majors. While I generally like 5-5 shape for most two-suited overcalls, Michaels over a minor can reasonably be played as at least 5-4 (either way) when not vulnerable. Over 1H East responds 1S; South advances with 2H or a semi-preemptive 3H. West and North pass either bid. Despite only 11 hcp East has enough for at least game; this is an excellent example of the power of a hand featuring shape and top tricks. At least a nine card fit can be assumed since a one diamond opening normally has four card length or precisely 4432 shape. A 4H cue-bid looks right over either 2H or 3H; in the first case it suggests the singleton while in the latter only general sterngth is implied. West would show delayed (three card) spade support at this point; as is, West likely retreats to 5D. East can now be assume four or more diamonds and no more than two spades, so the spade suit may be establishable by ruffing. Visualizing, West might have xx xxx KQxxx AKx and slam would require only a 4-2 split in spades or 2-1 in diamonds. But partner could have wasted values in hearts, so the question becomes how discouraging should East view 5D? Perhaps West should try 5C rather than 5D. Slam is not a laydown but has excellent chances: spades might split 3-3 (no luck) or the club finesse works (bingo!)

Over a Michaels 2D, East may simply guess how many diamonds to bid. A popular expert method here is called Unusual Over Unusual (applies against any two suiter where both suits are known.) The idea is that after 1D-(2D), bidding 2H, the lower suit shown by North, shows at least game invitational values with a club suit; 2S shows a game invitation with diamonds. Bids of 3C and 3D are merely competitive (non-forcing.) Here East could bid 2S to show his diamond support. South bids 3H; I see no clear bid for West; the hand is not much different than partner would expect so pass is reasonable. East continues with 3S, which sounds like a notrump stopper; when the opponents have bid or shown two suits it is normal to bid the suit you have stopped. With Qxx in hearts, West should gamble 3NT; the holding will be a stopper if either opponent has both the Ace and King or if partner turns up with at least Jx. Now East bids 4D; this is a clear slam try, not an attempt to play a part-score rather than game. There are circumstances where four of a minor might be non-forcing but East has never limited his hand and so pulling 3NT should be taken as strong. Slam might be reached if West now control-bids 5C.

At 5D or 6D, declarer pulls trumps, cashes the top two spades and ruffs a spade. If the suit split 3-3 both club losers coudl be pitched. Failing that, declarer ruffs a heart back to the East hand and brings home 12 tricks with the heart finesse.

Most pairs played 3NT or a diamond part-score. The heart layout should doom 3NT but, again, Qxx will stop the suit often enough that it's worth a shot. I would not settle for a part-score with the East hand, however. At our table either North or South failed to bid, allowing West to rebid diamonds, so it was easier to try slam on a 5-5 fit with my 5-5 hand.

Sunday, August 24th 2014

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

East opens 1D, or possibly 1NT. It is reasonable to add a point at notrump for a six-card suit, and East has scattered high cards. Over 1D West should respond 2C, planning to rebid in spades and then support diamonds; West expects to bid slam unless there is positive evidence it will be poor. 1D-2C; 2D-2S; 2NT-3D looks like a reasonable start; the auction is forcing on the sound principle that with less than game-going values responder should start with 1S rather than 2C (whether or not 2C itself is played as a game force.) East may worry about whether his heart stopper is adequate, but it is vital not to pass up 3NT when it might be playable and you have neither a major suit fit nor slam interest. East continues with 3NT and West reveals his slam ambitions with a control bid of 4H or 4C. It can be somewhat dangerous and confusing to control bid a previously bid suit, but here it should be clear the partnership has a diamond fit and 4C should not be mistaken. East shows control of hearts and now West can crank up the 4NT machinery, getting a 5D one Ace or one Key Card reply. Blackwooders will continue with 5NT to confirm all the Aces; when East bids 5H, showing two Kings, West can tell a minor suit King is missing and sign off at 6NT, expecting one or the other minor to run. Key carders will know a top diamond is missing reach 6NT more directly.

Every pair bid slam, all but one in diamonds. South's best hope is not to give anything away on the opening lead and that the bad breaks will sink the contract. Partner rates to be weak so perhaps a spade lead will be safe, either low or the middling 8. At 6D, East must avoid two trump losers; the choices are low to the Queen, low to the Jack, or run the Queen, with the option to cash the Ace before leading toward either honor. With a combined 33 hcp you can expect most pairs to be in slam, so an overtrick could be valuable, but making the contract still has a high priority. Generally you should lead an honor only if you'd like to see it covered, or if it could plausibly squash a lower ranking card such as the ten or nine. 6D will make on any 2-2 or 3-1 split, so your focus on those holdings would be to pick up the suit completely; a 4-0 split could sink the contract, so you'd like to guard against that as well. At a team game that would be virtually your only concern but at matchpoints the overtrick may be important.

I think I would win the lead in dummy and play low to the Jack, hoping for Kx with North. Down one! (Unless North mistakenly splits his 10-9.) The Bridge Encyclopedia confirms that this was the best play for 6 tricks as well as the maximum average tricks, but running the Queen is the safest for 5 tricks, guarding against a void with South. As that is one case vs. three and, in fact, everyone bid slam, the risky play was probably best; -50 had company.

At 6NT you may outscore other pairs in 6D, but you also may be able to pick up the club suit and require only two diamond tricks. Win the spade in hand, low to the Queen of clubs, low back the King; the marked finesse insures the contract. Finesse the ten, unblock the Ace of hearts, and run the Queen of diamonds, covered by the King and Ace. Cash the King of hearts (pitching a diamond), the Ace-King of spades, and the last two clubs. The lead will be in the West hand with a low spade and diamond; declarer has the J8 of diamonds. Watch for either the ten or nine of diamonds; North cannot keep both of those cards plus a spade, so +1020 should be a top.

Slam in a suit, including minors, can often be made with fewer high cards than 6NT; but when the power for 6NT (about 33 hcp) is held, 6NT may be safer if it is possible as on this layout to score 12 tricks despite a bad break in your primary suit.

Board 25 North Deals E-W Vul	♠ K 4 ♥ K Q 4 ♦ J 5 3 ♣ A K Q 10 6
♠ Q 7 ♥ 10 3 ♦ K Q 10 9 2 ♣ 7 5 3 2	N W E S	♠ A J 10 9 8 6 3 2 ♥ 8 5 2 ♦ 7 ♣ 9
	♠ 5 ♥ A J 9 7 6 ♦ A 8 6 4 ♣ J 8 4

North, too strong for 1NT, opens 1C. East preempts 3S, backing off a trick with his 8-card suit thanks to the adverse conditions: vulnersable vs. not. South has enough for a negative double; this may be an overbid but with 10 hcp and good shape pass is apt to be a huge underbid. Preempts often force you to stretch. North has only a Kx stopper but 3NT should make on sheer power. East and West should let this go rather than risk -500 or worse against a non-vul game. North rattles off 12 tricks on the likely spade lead.

If E/W bid 4S, North surely doubles. South may lead an Ace (less risky than usual sitting over a preempt, but who knows what East has for his vul-vs-not bid?) A trump lead may prevent a crucial ruff (it does) or a club lead may be safe and/or effective. 4S might slip through if East steals a diamond trick early, is allowed to ruff a heart, and then finesses North's King of trumps! Defense can give you ulcers, and reckless bidding sometimes pays off. To add insult to injury, N/S discover from the recap they could've made a slam -- but no one bid 6C at the table and in fact it's hard to see where the twelfth trick will come from if East does not cash the Ace of spades.

Count signals may be important on this deal. For the unfamiliar, it is normal to "echo" (play high-low) in a suit (other than trumps) which declarer leads, if you have an even number of cards and think the information may assist partner. Suppose the defense tries to play it safe with two rounds of clubs; declarer ruffs and leads his diamond. South may assume he won't have two singletons (oops!) or may grab the Ace and look for North's signal. The three confirms an odd number with North, so someone has a singleton; it seems more likely East was trying to steal a trick than risking a lead in a suit with eight cards (but then again, that might be his only hope to reach dummy for a finesse.) Grabbing the Ace in front of the King-Queen is usually poor, but it may be correct when the defense has all the side-suit winners. Here the defense can cash two hearts, but that may allow declarer to ruff a third round. Reading declarer for 8311 shape, South may switch to a trump or simply exit with another club. Now East leads a heart, and South can signal an odd number by playing his lowest (the six.) North sees the necessity of sacrificing his trump trick -- a ruff will allow declarer to finesse anyway. Two trump leads prevent the ruff and insure declarer loses five tricks outside of trumps. But wait! Declarer can try to scramble the defender's signals by hiding his two of hearts. The 8 might work, or might be too blatant; the 5 might suffice. If North waits for South's second card to confirm a five-card heart suit, it will be too late to start the trumps.

Sunday, August 10th, 2014 (STaC)

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Board 1 North Deals None Vul	♠ K 9 ♥ Q 9 ♦ A 7 6 5 ♣ A K J 10 5
♠ A J 10 4 3 ♥ 3 2 ♦ K 4 3 2 ♣ Q 8	N W E S	♠ Q 8 7 6 5 2 ♥ J 7 4 ♦ Q J 10 ♣ 4
	♠ — ♥ A K 10 8 6 5 ♦ 9 8 ♣ 9 7 6 3 2

North opens 1C, planning to reverse into diamonds, or 1NT, trying to describe and limit the hand quickly. The hand has a lot of slam potential if partner has a fair hand and a minor suit, so I'd lean toward 1C -- most pairs do not have many tools for exploring the minors after 1NT. East might try a weak jump to 2S, but I don't recommend it with such a minimal hand and suit and more points outside than inside the long suit. South responds 1H, West overcalls 1S and North rebids 2D as planned. Now East comes alive with a jump to 4S. Whether or not partner can make that contract East should not want to defend at any lower level.

The East/West interference denies South the leisure to check on a heart fit before supporting clubs. Visualizing, North might have xx xx AKxx AKQxx; setting up the hearts could produce 13 tricks. In a sophisticated partnerships you might try 5S or 5NT (pick a slam) but 6C is probably the practical bid for most pairs.

Only one pair at the club reached slam (and they play Precision.)

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

In first or second seat North should probably open 1S, planning to jump to game later; there may be a slam. After two passes, however, slam is less likely and it may be more urgent to preempt East, so 4S is reasonable in third seat. East should perhaps pass but I would expect double to be popular with a bidding panel (such as the Bulletin's "It's Your Call".) You must be aware, however, that partner will not be inclined to bid a four or even five card suit at the five level; unlike the double of a one bid, partner will most likely pass weak and/or balanced hands.

East has no attractive lead; a trump seems least bad. While there is some risk partner has Qxx or such and dummy is void or entryless, every lead looks equally risky; the trump lead may prevent a ruff. Declarer, in fact, has nine winners and either a ruff or the King of diamonds can provide a tenth. Rattling off the long trumps, the defense must watch each other's carding; West should signal heart values early, such as pitching the nine followed by the six in standard methods. East should hold onto the Ace of hearts and AQ of diamonds. Only one pair managed to beat 4S.

Board 20 West Deals Both Vul	♠ K Q 8 7 3 ♥ 6 5 ♦ J ♣ 10 9 5 4 2
♠ 4 ♥ K J 9 7 ♦ 10 7 6 5 4 ♣ Q J 3	N W E S	♠ — ♥ A 3 2 ♦ A K Q 9 3 2 ♣ A K 7 6
	♠ A J 10 9 6 5 2 ♥ Q 10 8 4 ♦ 8 ♣ 8

After West and North pass, what should East open? If the long suit were a major, 2C would be clear; at diamonds, East may have only nine tricks but the excellent slam controls argue for 2C -- it can be difficult to show this much power starting with a one bid. After 1D, I would expect South to preempt 3S and North to bid four, forcing East to bid 5D. West seems unlikely to bid slam.

Over 2C, South overcalls a more cautious 2S, West passes (this won't end the bidding) and North again bids 4S. Now when East rebids 5D West may at least think about raising to six. It looks like five pairs bid slam, one collecting +800 against 6S doubled.

While most of the focus on opening 2C is on whether you might have game if partner passes, it can also be the key move in reaching slam, and a hand this rich in controls cannot expect much enthusiasm from partner after a tepid one bid.

Board 23 South Deals Both Vul	♠ 8 4 ♥ 10 8 7 5 3 2 ♦ Q ♣ 10 9 8 2
♠ 6 3 2 ♥ Q 6 ♦ 10 9 7 ♣ A K Q J 4	N W E S	♠ A 9 7 ♥ A K J ♦ A J 8 6 4 ♣ 7 6
	♠ K Q J 10 5 ♥ 9 4 ♦ K 5 3 2 ♣ 5 3

West opens 1C and East has a fine hand for a strong 2D jump. West rebids 3C and East continues with 3NT; West passes and the optimum contract is reached. For those who have decided they have better uses for 2D, East starts with 1D, South overcalls 1S, West rebids 2C, East marks time with 2S, West shows delayed support (3D) and East wonders if he should try for slam -- does partner know how strong you are? Probably not, but there is no safety in getting beyond 3NT. That's the key advantage of jump shifts -- having shown a strong hand, responder can settle for game if opener shows no interest. There are plenty enough tricks for slam, but South's natural spade lead establishes the setting trick quickly. Four pairs over-reached here to 6NT or 6D. My partner started with a strong jump but made the mistake of rebidding 3D rather than 3NT; what else can West do but raise?

Board 26 East Deals Both Vul	♠ A Q J 10 7 ♥ 10 9 ♦ K Q 9 7 5 ♣ 5
♠ 9 6 3 ♥ J 8 7 6 5 4 3 ♦ J ♣ A 6	N W E S	♠ 2 ♥ A K Q ♦ A 10 2 ♣ K Q J 9 8 2
	♠ K 8 5 4 ♥ 2 ♦ 8 6 4 3 ♣ 10 7 4 3

East opens 1C, West responds 1H, North overcalls 1S. East sees game or slam possibilities in hearts, clubs or notrump; best at this point is 2S to alert partner to your strength and get more information. Unlike responder, who typically has other forcing bids available, this cue-bid by opener does not promise support; opener may instead be too strong for a jump rebid in his suit . Another option would be 2D, a strength-showing reverse. East is too strong for a jump to 3C and lacks proper support for hearts. While it is often best to raise responder to two with only three trumps, all higher raises must promise a genuine fit. Isn't AKQ excellent support? Yes and no -- repeated spade leads could force partner to use those high trumps for ruffing. A good 4-3 fit requires good trumps in the longer hand.

2S establishes a game force; West rebids 3H. With a better suit a jump to 4H might be appropriate but here responder fears over-exciting opener with, say, Kx support in hearts. Now East can support hearts; either 3S or 4D confirms support and shows control of the suit. Bidding the cheaper control first is more the modern style, rather than the old, often inefficient method of bidding first-round controls before second round. Normally, I try to avoid cue-bidding shortages; if partner has, say, AQx in a suit, it makes a bid difference whether you might have the King or a singleton. But in the opponent's suit partner is less likely to have combining honors and cue-bidding a shortage is OK.

Reading 3S correctly as a slam try with heart support, West bids 4C and East proceeds to slam by way of 4NT (Blackwood or Key Card.) No one at the club reached this excellent slam.

Sunday, August 3rd 2014

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

South has a fine 1C opening; only 11 hcp but two quick tricks, good shape and good playing strength in clubs. North, with 17 hcp, has obvious slam interest and can flash that message immediately with a jump to 2H. South raises to 3H and North can "pause" at 3NT, suggesting a balanced minimum for his jump shift. This should not be taken as a suggestion to play 3NT after a major suit has been bid and raised, but if partner passes 3NT might score well anyway. South likely retreats to 4H and that ends the bidding. I would not feel bad about missing this 28 point slam, but perhaps South underated the value of the club suit.

Other plausible auctions include 1C-1H; 2H, and North has no obvious way to suggest slam. I would continue with a game try (2S); if opener accepts by bidding game, North can proceed toward slam. South is dead minimum in high cards but Kx is excellent help in spades, South has four trumps including two honors, and the clubs look like a good source of tricks. South can make a counter-try of 3C, asking if his values there will be useful. North is encouraged but should not leap to 4NT -- South has not promised a spade control. Instead, North bids 3D; is this a slam-oriented control bid or yet another game try? I'd say one game try each is enough so South should take it as a control bid and cooperate with 3S. Now North may leap to 4NT and bid slam after South's one Ace or two key card reply.

Another plausible auction would be  pass-1NT; 2C-2H; 4H-pass.

Board 13 North Deals Both Vul	♠ K J 9 5 ♥ A ♦ K 7 ♣ A Q 10 7 3 2
♠ 4 ♥ Q 10 9 3 ♦ Q 10 9 ♣ K J 8 6 4	N W E S	♠ Q 7 6 3 ♥ J 6 5 4 ♦ J 6 4 ♣ 9 5
	♠ A 10 8 2 ♥ K 8 7 2 ♦ A 8 5 3 2 ♣ —

North opens 1C; South responds either 1D or 1H according to style. I'd be afraid of missing a diamond slam if I skipped over my best suit; opener should not skip over a major so we won't miss a fit that way. Over either response North rebids 1S and South can raise to either 3S or 4S. It is difficult to know what to do with a void in partner's first suit; generally, you should expect wasted values. Still, game may require no more than 9 or so hcp outside of clubs, such as KQxx Axx xx Kxxx, ruffing two clubs and setting up a heart or diamond or the club King for a tenth trick, so I'd be inclined to bid or force to game. Since opener might have extra values with slam interest, South can suggest the club shortage by bidding the fourth suit (hearts or diamonds) followed by 4S.

North has a huge hand and should be thinking slam over any raise by South. Taking the simplest sequence, 1C-1D; 1S-3S, North bids 4NT followed by 5NT (regular Blackwood, to confirm all the Aces) or 6S (key card, South bidding 5H to show two key cards without the Queen of trumps.)

East leads the unbid suit, say hearts, and North has some work to do. It may be possible to set up the clubs but with five top winners outside of trumps, crossruffing for seven more tricks may be the best line. Double-dummy the diamonds can be set up and East can be finessed in trumps, but that line's chances look worse than 1 in 6.

Board 17 North Deals None Vul	♠ A 9 7 5 ♥ A Q 3 2 ♦ K 7 ♣ A K 8
♠ 3 2 ♥ 7 4 ♦ 9 8 6 5 4 ♣ Q 7 3 2	N W E S	♠ J ♥ J 5 ♦ A Q J 3 2 ♣ J 9 6 5 4
	♠ K Q 10 8 6 4 ♥ K 10 9 8 6 ♦ 10 ♣ 10

North opens 2NT; South is certain of a spade fit but hearts might be better if North has four. South can bid Stayman and North will generally reply 3H, the better of his two suits. That's great news, but North must have at least two Aces for the five level to be safe. Well, 20-21 plus 8 leaves only 11 or 12 hcp outstanding, so the risk the enemy has three Aces is fairly small. South continues with 4NT (if that's Blackwood or key card) or confirms the trump fit with 3S ("Other major slam try" artificially agreeing hearts as trumps.) North shows the desired three Aces and South bids 6H.

At our table South employed Gerber, 4C, to which North responded 4NT (3 Aces) and South then bid 6S. Had North shown only 1 or 2 Aces South could pass or sign off at 4S. That runs the risk of a spade loser when North has four hearts and only two spades but avoids getting to the five level when missing two Aces.

Board 24 West Deals None Vul	♠ 9 6 ♥ 7 4 2 ♦ K 9 8 3 2 ♣ 7 3 2
♠ K Q J 7 2 ♥ A K Q 6 ♦ — ♣ K Q J 6	N W E S	♠ A 5 ♥ J 5 3 ♦ Q J 10 6 ♣ A 8 5 4
	♠ 10 8 4 3 ♥ 10 9 8 ♦ A 7 5 4 ♣ 10 9

West opens either 1S or 2C; I'd be more inclined to open 2C with a ten in any suit to bolster the playing strength. East responds 2C and West plans to bid slam unless East has no Aces. The simplest route to grand slam would be 5D as Exclusion Blackwood (or Key card), sometimes known as Voidwood, asking partner how many Aces (or key cards) he has outside of diamonds. Not many have that agreement (hands like this are quite rare!) and there may not be a safe landing if East has neither black Ace.

Next on the gadget list would be a 4D splinter, but this will not excite East with his wasted values in diamonds. 4NT, Blackwood or Key Card, is a practical route to slam; if partner shows no Aces, you pass 5C; one Ace, the odds are 2 to 1 it's black so you bid 6C. With 2 Aces you might have a grand slam but the odds are too high one of them is in diamonds; with 3 you can bid the grand. "1430" bidders have a problem -- the 0 or 3 reply takes you past 5C. (One more item on my very long list of "things I hate about 1430".)

West can try to portray his three-suiter by bidding hearts before supporting clubs; 1S-2C; 3H-3NT; 4C looks right. Grand slam may be reached if East bids 4S and West then leaps to 6C; East will realize West could not be sure of the trump Ace and so it must be right to bid seven.