| Board 7 South Deals Both Vul |
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West opens either 1S or an off-shape 1NT; the combination of clubs and spades makes for an easy 1S rebid, while the lack of Aces and the presence of a high card in both doubletons argues for notrump. It often pays to open 16 hcp with 1NT*, but lacking an Ace this hand rates closer to 15. It looks like I opened 1C and I do think the hand looks like it belongs in a black suit.
With the club fit, East is strong enough for a 2D strong jump. West rebids 2S and East continues with 3C. West is worried about the lack of Aces but a five-loser hand opposite a jump shift smells like slam. Perhaps West continues with 4C, East control bids 4H, West bids 4NT, East replies 5H (two Aces or key cards.) Yikes! Hope partner reads 5S correctly as a request for 5NT -- and hope he's got a heart stop! East does have time to drive out the two Aces and claim +660.
If East responds 1D, either from lack of a strong jump option or concerns about the suit quality, West rebids 1S and East needs to signal a game-forcing hand. Over a forcing 3C, West may bid 3H artificially (4th suit) and East can bid 3NT -- but should feel he really hasn't shown his slam interest.
Over 1NT, does East have a way to show or ask about minor suits? If you play 1NT-2S as a relay to 3C, a simple extension helps with this sort of hand: over partner's (forced) 3C, 3 of either major shows a singleton with one or both minors and at least mild slam interest (i.e., strong enough for 5 of a minor to be reasonable landing spot.) Most of the time opener will have the singleton covered and the bidding ends at 3NT, but imagine if opener held Jxx Qx AKx KQJxx.
Lacking any special agreements, I expect 1NT-3NT or 1C-1D; 1S-3NT was the auction at most tables, both good enough on this and most occasions.
| Board 10 East Deals Both Vul |
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South, too strong for 1NT, opens 1C. West is too weak for a vulnerable preempt, so North should be able to reply 1H. South is between a 3H and 4H raise; my partner tried 2NT but note that that bid, while showing 18 or 19 hcp, is not forcing -- responder may have scraped up 1H on 4-5 hcp and some shape. Most of South's values are in the short suits so I think I'd settle for a 3H invitational jump. North has extras but 12+18 = 30, about a trick short of slam. As it happens, hearts split 3-2 and two finesses work, so slam makes but at very poor odds.
| Board 11 South Deals None Vul |
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West opens 1C. A bold East will overcall in the chunky diamond suit, but I expect most passed. East has 16 hcp and good shape; no need to discount the stiff Queen in partner's suit, it may set up some red-suit discards. Note how important the red Aces in suits with losers are for this sort of valuation. East can make a strong jump (2S) or simple 1S reply. Plausible auctions:
1C-2S
3C-3H
3S-4NT
5H-? If that's two Aces, East should continue with 5NT, but playing RKCB, the missing Queen argues against grand slam and East should sign off at 6S.
1C-1S
2C-2H
3S-4NT, etc.
The above assumes 2H is both forcing and game invitational. That, however, makes it hard for responder to bid a minimal 5-4 hand; some partnerships extend the New Minor gadget to when opener rebids the minor.
That would lead to:
1C-1S
2C-2D* (*artificial, about 11+ with 5+ spades)
3S-4NT, etc.
With the spade finesse and solid clubs, thirteen tricks are easy at clubs or notrump. The recap claims 7S is also makeable despite the 4-0 split, but that's trickier.I suspect declarer needs to run the clubs, forcing North to ruff, but even making 6 looks like a challenge. With two long suits sometimes it pays to bid 6NT if you can come to 12 tricks as long as either suit behaves.
| Board 23 South Deals Both Vul |
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South opens 1S. If game were the only consideration, North would simply bid 4S, but that bid is normally reserved for a "shape" raise such as Kxxx x Axxxx xxx (five trumps, a singleton, and about 6-9 hcp.) With four trumps Jacoby 2NT is a reasonable option, but the best description of this hand is to force with 2D followed by 4S. This carries the message "diamonds, spades and nothing else." South loves it and 6S is reached by way of Blackwood or Key Card.
Using Jacoby 2NT:
1S-2NT
3C-3S
4NT, etc. South shows a singleton and North makes a neutral rebid, suggesting he doesn't hate the club singleton but does not have extras; that's enough for South to carry on to slam.
| Board 25 North Deals E-W Vul |
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North opens 1C; the hand is much too strong for any sort of preempt. A few Easts might overcall but that's quite a stretch when vulnerable. South responds 1S; lacking a fit the hand is not strong enough for a jump. West also cannot preempt vulnerable. North's powerful suit argues for a 3C rebid, although jumping with this sort of hand leaves a problem when North has an extra King or so. On the other hand what can North rebid after 1C-1S; 2C-2D ? Jumping now takes the bidding past 3NT. While the recap shows that 6C can be made, that looks very difficult on a heart lead. Perhaps declarer can win the Ace, take the AQ of spades, and then run the clubs. When a diamond is eventually led East cannot lead another heart and must let declarer back in dummy for two more tricks.
