Mentor-Mentee August 6th, 2013

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

South has a normal 1H opening -- 11 hcp + 2 for a six card suit, open if the total is 13 or more. Although the AJ tight of spades is a flaw, the good intermediates (three tens, especially the ten of hearts) offsets that. Those who think they need 12 hcp for an opening bid will open 2H. North has a 21 point monster, 6 1/2 tricks plus length in two suits. 21+ 12 = 33, so North should drive to at least a small slam unless some fatal flaw is uncovered. North can start with 2C and plan to rebid in diamonds. South rebids 2H; many players assume this promises extra length but most experts treat opener's rebid as a default action, lacking the ability to bid anything more descriptive. In particular, either 2S or 3C normally shows extra values (15+ or so) and opener will not always be suitable for 2NT. (Those who play 2H promises six card length must rebid 2NT on lots of minimum hands with or without stoppers in the unbid suits.)

Over 2H, North continues as planned with 3D; a bedrock principle of standard bidding is that a new suit-over-suit bid by a responder who has never passed is 100% forcing. Think about this North hand next time you are tempted to pass such a bid! Here, South can repeat the hearts or, if 2H already promised six card length, bid 3NT since he has the spades stopped. The hearts are self-sufficient so rebidding hearts is reasonable in any case. Now North can be confident of a heart fit; ideally, he'd like to know if South has spades under control, but there aren't a lot of high cards around for South to have an opening bid without a high spade. Since any heart raise could be passed North bids 4NT, Blackwood or Roman Key Card. South replies 5D (one Ace) or 5S (two key cards plus the Queen of trumps.) North continues with 5NT, inviting grand slam; this bid confirms all the Aces or all five key cards plus the Queen of trumps. South may and usually does reply with something about Kings, but the crucial part is promising all the Aces or key cards.

South has a minimum so he replies 6D (one King) or 6C (no side Kings, the heart King being included among the key cards.) Blackwood bidders cannot be sure of the trump Queen and should simply bid 6H. Key-carders count a spade trick, six hearts, three diamonds and two clubs; if partner has the Queen or only two clubs there should be a good play for grand slam, but I wouldn't risk it. The last question is whether to bid 6NT (12 running tricks) or 6H (hoping to set up a 13th trick.) At a team game I'd pick the safer 6NT but at matchpoint pairs 6H gives you a good shot at an overtrick.

Against 6H West does not want to lead from an honor; I'd lead the four of diamonds (4th best.) South wins in dummy, plays the Ace and three more rounds of trumps, cashes the AK of clubs, hoping to ruff out the Queen. When West shows out, declarer lead the Jack of clubs, ruffs East's Queen and thereby promotes the nine of clubs as a 13th trick. The one declarer who tried 7H probably failed by taking the club finesse, only a 50% chance; setting up the clubs by ruffing is better than 80%.

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

Board 21: North opens 1NT (15-17) and South bids 2C, Stayman. This is normal when you have 5-4 or 6-4 in the majors: check on four-card support first. If opener does not have a major you can jump in your longer suit next (to game in this case, since you have six spades.) North replies 2S and now South's hand improves with the known 6-4 fit. South can count 6 losers and at about 3 points per trick, 15 hcp should cover 5 of those, so South is interested in slam. In most partnerships South would simply bid 4NT (Blackwood or keycard) followed by 6S; the values are a bit thin to consider grand slam.

One problem with treating 4NT as an asking bid is what would South do with something like AJx Kxxx Ax KJxx? With a combined 31 to 33 hcp, South would like to bid 4NT as a natural, quantitative slam invitation; how many Aces partner has won't tell you whether you have the 33 hcp for 6NT. Experts use a gadget here (3 other major slam try is one possibility) but that's a bit deep for newer players. Only one pair reached the excellent slam; at our table South began with a transfer, then bid game, never learning about the big 6-4 fit.

East, on lead against 6S after a Stayman sequence, tries the Queen of diamonds, hoping not to see K10x or A10x in dummy. Declarer grabs dummy's Ace, puls two rounds of trumps, and crossruffs clubs and hearts, watching for the King of clubs; when it comes down the Queen provides an overtrick.