| Board 5 North Deals N-S Vul |
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East opens 1D; South may overcall 2C or 1H or 2NT (Unusual for the two lower unbid suits.) I don't care for U2NT without 5-5 shape, and some restrict U2NT (and Michael's) bids to hands of 6-10 or 16+ hcp, preferring a simple overcall in the range 11-15. 2C is more obstructive and there may be an opportunity to bid hearts later, but the suit is fairly weak. I would not pass this hand in any case; my partner chose 1H. West can bid 1S over 1H or make a negative double over 2C; generally, I'd rather have a tolerance for partner's diamonds but in this case West can bid 2S over a 2D rebid, showing a limited hand with long spades. North has a fit for either hearts or clubs; it's a crummy 6 count but with 4 hearts or three club honors it's probably better to raise competitively than to pass.
Back to East after 1D-(1H)-1S-(2H), or 1D-(2C)-dbl-(3C, or pass). Those playing support doubles (a useful but disaster-prone gadget) would double in the first auction; otherwise, East has a normal jump to 3D, showing extra values and a good 6-card suit. West rebids his spades and East can head for slam. In the second auction, if North passed East could still jump; over 3C, East has more of a problem. Since East has clubs stopped and a fast source of tricks 3NT looks like the practical bid over 3C. Now West must decide whether to sit for 3NT or show his long spades. Partner is probably hoping for two tricks and West may contribute only one at notrump, along with perhaps a heart stopper; one guideline is don't even think about pulling 3NT when you've shown most of your shape already. Here, West has a six-card major and has not yet shown the suit at all, since 1D-(2C)-dbl only promises one of the unbid majors. I think West does best to bid 4S but it is something of a guess.
East's hand looks fantastic opposite long spades, so East can proceeds with 4NT, Blackwood or Key Card. West shows one. Blackwood bidders should simply bid 6S; Key-carders can continue with a Queen asking bid, 5H over 5D. "1430" bidders might try 5D over 5C, but might that be to play? It is probably best to assume that 4NT was not an attempt to escape spades and that while 6D might be a possible contract, 5D is the Queen-ask. West denies the Queen (next step no, or 5 of the agreed suit no, depending on style) and with only 9 trumps the odds favor stopping at 5S rather than bidding a slam missing a key card and the trump Queen. As it happens the suit splits 2-2 but the odds of picking up the suit are only about 46%. Note that Blackwood bidders, lacking a way to check on the Queen, do better in the long run to bid slam since partner may have the Queen or the suit may split as it does here.
| Board 13 North Deals Both Vul |
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East opens 1S; South was planning to open but should pass over East's bid. South has no preparedness for a club response to a double and the hand is too borderline to push things. If it would not occur to you to pass this hand be sure and check the box "Minimum Offshape T/O" in the doubles section of your convention card. West has a balanced 11, enough for a standard 2C response. Those playing 2/1 Game Force respond 1NT (announced as Forcing or Semi-Forcing), planning to describe the hand with a 2NT rebid. If South doubled, West redoubles to show 10+ hcp and a generally balanced hand.
East has a difficult hand to re-evaluate: 7-1-1-4 with both a stiff Ace and Queen. Although the suit is not terribly strong a 4S rebid seems best after West's 1NT; but slam prospects look bright after 2C. SAYC specifies that responder promises a rebid, so East can simply rebid his spades (1S-2C; 2S) without fear of being passed; many Standard bidders, however, treat 2S as non-forcing and East must jump. In that case I think 4S is a better description than 3S: more shape, less strength.
West has good controls and a fit for spades once partner jumps, but 11 hcp rather than a bare 6 is not enough to justify stretching beyond game. Two pairs bid slam and all but one declarer managed 12 tricks; North's six of clubs ought to be the setting trick, but that may not be obvious unless the bidding reveals the double fit.
| Board 14 East Deals None Vul |
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South opens 1S, North responds 2C and South rebids 2D. Now North reveals his support with a jump to 3S, or a simple 2S if playing 2/1 Game Force. South has good playing strength but picturing North with club values and only three trumps, the hands do not appear to be fitting all that well. A complete SAYC-like auction might proceed 1S-2C; 2D-3S; 4D-4S; pass since South's diamonds don't inspire North. Does the extra round of bidding in 2/1 GF help? 1S-2C; 2D-2S; 3D-3H; 3S-? Opener's third bid, 3D, shows his extra shape, after which cue-bidding can start; North shows a heart control and South "pauses" at 3S, willing to continue but not clearly strong enough for slam. North's Queen of hearts is of doubtful value so I think I would settle for 4S.
In the play, South counts six spade winners, a heart, a diamond and a club, with one sure diamond loser. West may lead a trump; cashing an Ace in declarer's second suit would be too friendly. Clubs look like the best source of additional tricks, but whether declarer tries the straight or ruffing finesse against the King it may be necessary to drop or ruff out the nine, or to ruff a diamond in dummy or try the heart finesse for trick #12. Lots of chances but it looks like you need more than one thing to work so this slam looks to be much worse than 50%.
| Board 21 North Deals N-S Vul |
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East opens 1C; West can make a strong jump shift but the usual rules in America prohibit a second suit. In any case West should certainly respond in diamonds, not spades, bidding up-the-line with game-going or better strength. East rebids 1H and West can now jump to 2S. Bridge World Standard defines that as artificial (Fourth Suit Forcing; 1S is always natural in BWS) but that's OK, opener could still raise if he had four spades. Here, East rebids 3C, so West can head for 6C or 7C. West jumps to 4NT, East replies one Ace or two Key cards, West continues with 5NT (confirming all the Aces or all five Key cards plus the Queen) and East shows one King or zero side Kings. Either player might guess to bid 7C, but thirteen tricks are not obvious, nor 12 tricks at notrump, so 6C looks reasonable. Blackwood bidders will be forced to 6NT or 7C, however, by the 6D reply to 5NT. Four pairs bid and made some slam.
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