| Board 4 West Deals Both Vul |
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South opens 2C after three passes; North responds 2D (waiting or semi-positive) or 2NT (steps, 10+ hcp) or a natural 3NT (balanced 10 or 11 to 12.) Over 2D South rebids 2S, whic North raises. This should be forcing even if 2D did not promise any values -- North should bid 2NT or a "second negative" 3C with a trickless hand, or leap to 4S with support and a Queen or two but no control of any side suit. From South's perspective, slam could be nearly cold opposite xxxx Kxx xxxx Qx. South shows slam interest with a 4C control bid; North cooperates with 4D. Diamond values aren't all that useful, so South continues with 4H rather than launching into 4NT. This suggests some concern about overall strength, but North has plenty extra and can proceed with 4NT, confident the enemy can't cash the AK in hearts or clubs. South replies 5S (3 Aces) or 5C (0 or 4 key cards) or 5D ("1430" style.) North continues with 5NT (confirming all four Aces) or inquires about the trump Queen (5D or 5H, next suit that isn't trumps.) South reveals two Kings (6H) or confirms the trump Queen (5NT, second step = yes, or 6C, showing both the trump Queen and the King of clubs.) No one has a clear reason to bid the grand slam. Where responder shows 10+ points, South may consider 6NT, but with all the key cards 6S may have a better shot at an overtrick -- here, for example a 2-2 trump split would allow South to pitch a heart on the fourth club and then ruff two hearts with no need to finesse. Since the finesse is on anyway, everyone should take 13 tricks at either spades or notrump. Hmm, who needs to finesse? Trump two diamonds in hand and you can claim four spades, a heart, four diamonds (including ruffs) and four clubs for 13 tricks on a dummy reversal. The Jack of clubs is worth a full trick, so I still think the grand is hard to bid.
A "steps" auction would proceed 2C-2NT; 3S-4S, and South continues with 4NT.
| Board 13 North Deals Both Vul |
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North opens 1D; 2C by South would be the overwhelming favorite among experts -- with game-going values, bid your longest/strongest suit first. The bidding can continue: 1D-2C; 2D-2S; 3C whether playing Standard or 2/1 Game Force -- South's 2S bid should create a game force on the principle that a hand worth only 11 or so should start with the major suit, not 2C. North might raise clubs directly, but with only 13 hcp and only three-card support I like the slower sequence better. South has a nice hand but North's diamonds may not be all that useful, so slam looks like a stretch. Instead, South aims for 3NT with a "fourth suit" 3H bid. Owing to the somewhat misdescriptive convention name "Fourth Suit Forcing" (on this side of the Atlantic, the bid was always forcing; "Fourth Suit Artificial" would be a better label) many players think the gadget does not apply once a game force has been established. But one of the major uses of the gadget is to ask partner if they have the fourth suit stopped. So, 1D-2C; 2D-2S; 3C-3H; 3NT would be a reasonable route to the matchpoint "golden contract." On a heart lead declarer holds up twice, then knocks out the Ace of diamonds. This limits the defense to four tricks, and if the diamonds didn't split declarer can fall back on guessing clubs, or perhaps a squeeze. As usual, five clubs would be a poor matchpoint spot, even though it's virtually cold. If, for example, North raised clubs immediately and South took a rosy view, you might discover you are missing one key card along with the Queen of clubs. But if the Queen can be guessed, 3NT will make, perhaps with overtricks, so you may as well gamble 6C once you've passed up 3NT. Stop at 5C only when you are missing two key cards or the like. This is in contrast to maor suit bidding where you want to stop at the five level missing one key card plus the Queen of trumps.
| Board 16 West Deals E-W Vul |
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West opens 1D, East responds 1S and West jumps to 2NT to show 17+-19. East may simply raise to 3NT -- with 5332 shape and extra values, 3NT may take as many or more tricks than 4S, even if a fit exists. In particular East's clubs are worrisome and it may be best to have the lead come up to partner's strong hand. If E/W play New Minor Forcing and extend it to this sequence, East could bid 3C to check for support; West replies 3S and East raises to game. With the Ace of clubs onside, 11 tricks are easy at either spades or notrump.
| Board 19 South Deals E-W Vul |
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Many Souths would open 2NT, treating 4441 with a stiff Ace or King as balanced. Personally I find 2NT to be an awkward, slam-killing opening and would prefer 1D here. Some would open 1C (!) to mislead the defenders, but such tactics often backfire. Over 1D North responds 1H and South makes the strongest bid available to opener, a game-forcing jump shift (2S). As this is 100% game forcing and sometimes not a genuine suit (opener has fewer forcing bids available than does responder), North should raise to 3S -- never jump raise opener's jump shift! This leaves room for South to make a control-bid slam try (4D.) North has control of the unbid suit (clubs) and more than a dead minimum, but South is limited somewhat by the failure to open 2C while North could have much more strength, so 4S looks best here and that should end the bidding. If anyone launches into 4NT slam should be reached as N/S are missing only one key card. The bad trump break dooms the slam but 3-2 will occur roughly two-thirds of the time.
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