| Board 12 West Deals N-S Vul |
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West opens 1H (Goren, Rule of 20 or whatever; even subtracting a point for the stiff Ace this hand is a clear opener.) East responds 2D; it is normal to temporize before raising to game with only three trumps -- direct raises beyond the two level, such as Jacoby 2NT, are best played as promising four-card support, which helps in evaluating slam prospects. South might overcall 2S for a lead, but this could prove expensive. No matter how you play most low-level doubles, a double of an overcall after a 2/1 response (standard or game forcing) should be for blood. West rebids his hearts, or passes over 2S, limiting his hand. It is best, however, to play that the 2/1 bid promises a rebid even if not game-forcing. A raise to 3D should show a better hand; if you make a habit of raising partner's minor on such minimums, what do you bid with an extra King or Ace? That's why 2H is played by most experts as a "mark-time" bid, neither promising extra heart length nor denying support for partner; this allows other rebids to be more descriptive.
Back around to East, 2/1 game force bidders have an easy 3H rebid, suggesting more than mere game values. In this month's ACBL Bulletin Karen Walker suggests that while jumps by opener should promise extra values, responder can apply fast arrival with a known fit. I think the implication is especially strong if South overcalled and West passed; fast arrival certainly applies once a player has limited his hand. Most players over-use fast arrival, leaping in front of a partner who has not finished describing his hand. This was one of Frank Stewart's key criticisms of 2/1 Game Force in a recent Bulletin debate.
If West is confident East is showing some slam interest, he can cooperate with a 3S cue-bid; East continues with 4D, suggesting lack of a club control. West proceeds with 4NT. Key-carders reply 5H, two key cards without the Queen of trumps, and West signs off at 6H. Blackwooders get a 5H two-Ace reply, and should continue with 5NT in case partner has grand slam ambitions. With some doubt about trump solidity, East merely replies one King and West stops at 6H.
If the partnership is playing 2/1 game force without clear agreements, West is uncertain about 3H and simply raises himself to game. East counts 4.5 obvious cover cards plus diamond length and a likely spade ruff; an opening bid typically contains no more than seven losers and East can expect to provide six winners. It's possible, of course, to be off two fast club tricks, but no one has bid clubs and they might lead something else. East drives to slam by way of 4NT.
For Standard bidders, East may simply resort to 4NT, or can bid out his shape with 3C followed by 4H, suggesting the singleton spade (three suits including a jump = shortage in the fourth suit) and slam interest. With three key cards, West should proceed to slam.
Four of six pairs reached slam and 13 tricks are easy when the trump Queen drops and the diamonds split 3-2.
| Board 14 East Deals None Vul |
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South opens 1H and North shows a forcing raise, probably with Jacoby 2NT. South rebids 3S to show his singleton. This still leaves North with six losers or perhaps four cover cards, not enough to drive to slam; I recommend that 3NT over partner's singleton rebid show some wastage in that suit. 4H,instead, suggests no wastage but limited values. South counts five losers, enough for slam opposite partner's game force. It would've been nice to confirm partner has a diamond control but I think 4NT is the practical bid at this point. North replies 5H; if that's key-card, it denies the Queen of trumps. Missing a key card and the trump Queen, South should pass. Blackwooders must hope partner has the Queen or it can be dropped or finessed and should risk 6H. With no clues from the bidding, South plays for the drop and the slam makes.
At our table West butted in with an extremely light 2S jump. North cue-bid 3S to show his game-raise, and South drove to slam despite missing one key-card and the Queen. He assumed from the jump the Queen was likely to be with East (since West has fewer cards outside of spades.) That's a good bet but no luck on today's layout. Note how the jump did not really interfere with the N/S bidding -- when you're that weak, the enemy can usually brush aside such tactics. The "success" came solely from misleading declarer about the trump situation. Perhaps West thought of that.
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