Monday (Daytime), June 23rd 2014

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

South is a bit shy of an opening bid. One of my partners used to add a point for the spade suit, but Richard Pavlicek has documented that this is a losing strategy -- better to wait and overcall later. North opens 1H; East shows both minors by leaping to 2NT (Unsusual.) The good spots make this reasonable even at unfavorable vulnerability, at matchpoints anyway. South can bid a cautious 3H, or an aggressive 4H; that risks hanging partner for opening light in third seat. A fourth trump would make that more reasonable.

An expert treatment here is "Unusual Over Unusual", where a simple bid of 3H or 3S is competitive, while a 3C bid (their lower ranking suit) shows a good hand for hearts (our lower ranking suit) and 3D shows a good hand for spades. With that agreement South bids 3C (preferring the known fit to showing spades.) West knows his side has a double fit but he covers only one of partner's losers, and that with an Ace which may be just as useful on defense. Doubling 3C ought to ask for a club lead; as it happens a 3D call might get partner off to a better lead.

North has more than enough for 4H. Should North think about slam? Partner is a passed hand and North has two Queens in East's minors -- seems like game is enough. If West bids 4C and East tries five, South should pass the decision back to North. North has fine defense but with a known 10 card fit 5H looks safer and that should end the bidding.

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

South opens 1C; North responds 1H or a strong jump to 2H. South raises hearts. North might hunt for a club control but it's hard to imagine South having an opening bid with no control there so 4NT seems obvious. When South shows only one Ace (or key card) North may as well take a shot at the matchpoint contract of 6NT -- with 21 hcp opposite an opening bid that should work. Nine pairs bid 6H, one grabbed a top at 6NT and two missed the slam. Declarer pulls trumps (if any), knocks out the Ace of clubs and claims.

Board 20 West Deals Both Vul	♠ A K 2 ♥ J 6 5 2 ♦ J ♣ A Q 10 8 4
♠ Q 10 5 4 ♥ Q 10 9 8 ♦ 10 8 7 2 ♣ K	N W E S	♠ J 9 8 6 ♥ 7 3 ♦ 9 6 5 4 ♣ 9 6 3
	♠ 7 3 ♥ A K 4 ♦ A K Q 3 ♣ J 7 5 2

North opens 1C; South has a fine jump to 2D if you play that as a strong but flexible bid (does not promise five card length, does not deny a side suit.) This enlists opener's cooperation in hunting for slam. North doesn't care much for hearts as a trump suit for slam; 2NT looks like a good rebid here. South continues with 3C, effectively showing a 16+ point raise. North can expect South to cover five or so of his six losers, so slam looks reasonable. North bids 3S, which may be a control bid or a notrump probe -- North has not shown any extra values yet. South bids 3NT but North reveals his slam interest by pulling to 4C. Now South control-bids 4H, North bids 4NT (Blackwood or Key Card), South replies 5H. If that's Blackwood North continues with 5NT, South bids 6H to show two Kings and North ends the bidding at 6NT. Playing Key card North would know over 5H that a key card is missing and will sign off at 6C or 6NT.

Most Souths will not jump shift, either playing that as weak or requiring five card length. A 1D response is forcing; North rebids 1H. Now what? In most partnerships 3C would be invitational, not forcing; South must resort to the Fourth Suit gadget. In Bridge World Standard, 1S is always natural, so South jumps to 2S to show an artificial game force. This tends to ask for a spade stopper and North is happy to bid 2NT. Now South can bid 3C, showing doubt that 3NT is the right spot -- either South is too shapely or has slam interest (as here.) Either way North has a good hand for slam and 6C at least should be reached.

Another approach would be an inverted minor raise by South; North shows his spade guard, South continues with 3D, North bids 3NT (suggesting a holding like this, length but not much strength in hearts.) But now South may pass 3NT rather than jeopardize the game contract.

Lastly, N/S may play that jump rebids by responder are forcing: 1C-1D; 1H-3C, forcing. But South does not promise more than enough for game and again the bidding may stop at 3NT. I think this slam is far easier to reach with a simple 1C-2D strong jump.