Wednesday, July 25th 2013

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

East's best opening is 1NT (15-17) despite the weakness in both majors. It describes the shape and strength and may actually be the best place to play. West's hand rates to produce 8 to 10 tricks, and partner's 15, at 3 points a trick, suggests 5, so West should aim for a grand slam unless a key card is missing. With a combined 33-35 hcp, 7H looks better than 7NT unless you can count 13 very probable tricks. What tools does West have available? Gerber is one possibility, followed by 7H when East replies 4S (two Aces); if partner replies with only one Ace, there is a slight chance you could be missing both top diamonds, but I wouldn't avoid slam without proof positive that's the case. The biggest risk with Gerber is that it comes up so rarely and partner may mistakenly bid hearts with two Aces, confusing the responses with Blackwood. A direct 4NT should be invitational, not Blackwood; certainly, you should not have two ways to ask the same question. I generally define Gerber with the acronym JONTO: Jump Over Notrump Only, meaning 4C is Gerber when parntner's last bid was 1NT or 2NT, regardless of previous bids; 4NT is quantitative when 4C would be Gerber.

A more scientific approach uses a "self-splinter." West transfers to hearts and then jumps to show a singleton (4C on today's hand), implying six trumps and slam interest. Don't try this without prior discussion! East signs off at 4H thanks to his wasted values opposite the stiff club; trade the King of clubs for the King of spades and he would cue-bid 4D or simply bid 4NT. Over 4H, West makes another try with 4S. This alerts East that his diamond controls are crucial, and West has enough for slam despite the wastage in clubs. East bids 4NT and West replies 5C (0 or 3 key cards.) West's strong bidding rules out zero so East continues with 5D to ask about the Queen of trumps. West replies positively, either 5S (first step = no, second step = yes) or 5NT (agreed suit = no, other suits = yes + specific King, 5NT = yes, no side Kings.) Over 5S East bids 5NT to confirm all five key cards plus the trump Queen. West can be certain East does not have Kings in both spades and diamonds; with those plus the two Aces he would not have shown disinterest over the splinter. 6C (no side Kings) followed by 6NT looks like the practical approach. On the "Specific Kings" auction, East should continue with 6D to confirm all the key cards plus the Queen of trumps, but again West should settle for 6NT rather than bid a grand slam that appears to require a finesse.

Two pairs bid the risky 7NT, one making; seven bid 6H; three stopped at 4H or 4NT and one suffered a bidding accident to land in 5C. So 6NT would score one less than a top, and 7NT appears to require a defensive error to make. On a squeeze, North must keep the King of spades while South guards both diamonds and clubs; East will have to discard before South.

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

South opens 1NT. North counts about 6.5 winners; 5.5 from a 15-17 opening is certainly possible, but seems optimistic -- even adding three points for the long suit with known support the combined total falls short of the 33 or 34 needed for slam. Visualizing, South might have Axxx Ax Axx Kxxx, with a heart ruff providing the twelfth trick. So if there is a slam, it is much more likely in clubs, but few pairs have the tools to locate a specific doubleton. I think 3NT is the practical bid for North. Two pairs bid slam, one making, while two pairs stopped at 3C. There is really no reason for North to mention his clubs; save that for hands with a singleton or stronger slam interest, and make sure partner knows whatever sequence you follow is forcing! Forcing methods include a direct jump (if you haven't agreed otherwise); Stayman followed by three of a new suit; or transfer-then-bid-a-singleton for those playing some sort of minor suit transfer. Transfer-then-3NT suggests slam with no singleton, but this hand seems a bit light for that.

Suppose you reach 6C anyway, perhaps 1NT-2S (transfer); 3C-3NT (slam interest)-6C or such. Perhaps West leads a spade. Dummy wins, and declarer risks cashing another spade, then finesses in hearts. Even if this lost declarer is protected against a diamond return and can try the club finesse, finish pulling trumps, and dump a diamond on the Ace of spades. One of two finesses makes for a good slam; 6NT requires considerably more luck.