Sunday, May 31st 2015

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Board 21 North Deals N-S Vul	♠  8 ♥ K 10 9 7 6 4 3 2 ♦ 5 2 ♣  7 4
♠  A 6 ♥ A 5 ♦ K Q J 10 8 ♣  J 10 8 3	N W E S	♠  K 4 3 2 ♥ 8 ♦ A 7 6 3 ♣  K Q 5 2
	♠  Q J 10 9 7 5 ♥ Q J ♦ 9 4 ♣  A 9 6

North deals and likely opens some number of hearts. 4H would be normal with an 8 card suit, but vulnerable against not 3H is reasonable. Technically this is unsound (a possible -800 or -1100 vs. a non-vulnerable game) so passing is also reasonable, hoping the wild distribution surprises East/West. I remember one time when partner passed repeatedly, until I doubled for takeout for the third time. The auction was something like pass-(1H)-double-(2H); pass-(pass)-double-(3H); pass-(pass)-double-(pass); 6S! Slam made easily in our 8-4 fit.

At our table North opened 3H, East had just enough to double, and South raised to 4H. I pictured partner with a singleton heart (based on the enemy bidding) and essentially her actual hand, a "perfect minimum" for slam. I could not think of a way to invite so I gambled 6D which made easily. Doubling 4H would have yielded +500 for the same top score; the other choice would be 5D.

Two pairs scored +460 at 3NT. A plausible auction:
pass-1C-1S-2D; pass-3D-pass-3NT. A heart lead defeats the contract but lacking a side entry it looks reasonable for North to lead partner's suit, giving West time to set up club tricks.

Board 25

North's hand qualifies as a "recurring headache" as August Boehm would say: 5 spades and 4 hearts when partner opens in a minor. After 1C-1S; 1NT, North can show the 5-4 shape by rebidding 2H, but what strength does that suggest? In fact, 2H has never been forcing in standard methods, and should be bid routinely even on much weaker hands. But isn't 2H a new suit by a responder who has never passed? Yes -- but the new suit forcing principle never applied over a notrump opening or rebid. With a game-going hand North can jump to 3H, so 2H suggests no more than 10 or 11 hcp and could be as weak as 4 or 5.

Since 2H could be quite weak, opener should never rebid 2NT. Opener must pass or correct to 2S, generally returning to 2S on any hand lacking four hearts but with at least two spades. A 5-2 trump fit can generally stand a forcing defense better than 4-3 where dummy's only short suit is opposite the long one. As it happens both North and South had extra values and 2NT was the top-scoring spot, but in general you should not want to volunteer for 2NT with less than 23 hip.

Gadget Alert! A 2D rebid by responder here is often played as New Minor Forcing, giving up the chance to bid diamonds naturally in order to check back on the majors. This is a useful convention but I recommend reading a complete writeup before adopting this or any other gadget. Here's a link to the ACBL's Bidding Toolkit.

Board 28 West Deals N-S Vul	♠  Q J 8 5 ♥ 10 8 5 4 ♦ K 6 ♣  K Q 5
♠  A K 6 3 ♥ A Q J ♦ A Q J 8 7 ♣  8	N W E S	♠  4 2 ♥ 6 2 ♦ 10 9 5 4 3 2 ♣  J 3 2
	♠  10 9 7 ♥ K 9 7 3 ♦ — ♣  A 10 9 7 6 4

West has a powerful hand, but opening 2C leaves no attractive rebid: too unbalanced for no-trump but no five card major or six card minor. I recommend opening the longer minor on such hands unless you have 24 or 25 hip. In other words, what do you expect partner to bid after, say, 2C-2D; 3D ? If you open 1D and partner passes, you probably haven't missed game.

North is too weak for a takeout double the way I learned the game; while double is attractive competitively partner is apt to overbid. East must either pass or preempt at a high level in diamonds -- either a standard 2D raise or an inverted 3D jump should be prepared for partner to bid 3NT on a balanced 18 or 19. Four diamonds would leave you wondering whether to sacrifice at five; I think the choice is between pass and 5D. I would pass for now, planning to compete in diamonds later as well as discuss with partner whether this was the right hand for 5D. At this vulnerability, it probably is.

If it goes 1D-pass-pass to South, the void screams "do something" while the high card weakness cautions "opener has a monster!" I would probably bid 2C. West doubles for takeout and North raises to 3C (bidding cautiously opposite a bid in the passout seat.) Now East can try 5D and with luck West gets the message and passes.