| Board 6 East Deals E-W Vul |
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South opens 1H. If the vulnerability were reversed, some might fancy bidding 2NT for the minors with West's cards, but I think bidding with such a weak hand will merely give the enemy a road map to playing the hand. North responds 2D. South rebids 2S; this reverse shows enough for game in standard methods, about 15+. (The requirement is not as high as a reverse after a one-level response since 2D promises about 10+.) Playing 2/1 game force, there are two schools of thought: opener rebids to show distribution, regardless of strength; or opener attempts to clarify both strength and shape. In the latter style opener must have a default rebid for hands that lack the strength or shape for anything else; some use 2NT for that purpose, while Mike Lawrence and I prefer to rebid opener's suit; this has the advantage of consuming the least space and perhaps not wrong-siding 3NT. So, in that style, opener's 2S promises extras, about the same 15+ as in standard. Responder can rebid 2NT in a "go-slow" style, leaving opener room to finish describing his hand; 3D, for example, would suggest 4531 shape which would make 6D a live possibility. Others prefer to leap to 3NT with North's relatively minimum game force, but I think this is a misapplication of the concept of "fast arrival", as the proper strain to play in has not yet been settled. I think agreeing to play "2/1" with no discussion about continuations leads to a lot of guesswork. I would treat a jump to 3NT as showing significant extras, about 15-16. That limits 2NT to either no more than 14 or at least 17.
Opener, adding his 19 to responder's 10-14 (standard) or 12-14 (2/1), can either settle for 3NT or try a quantitative 4NT (notrump over notrump = natural, ot ace-asking.) I think 3NT is best playing standard; 33 hcp will give a fair but not overwhelming play for slam and meanwhile 4NT could be too high with only 29 hcp. Playing 2/1, opener can afford 4NT. Responder can pass or perhaps try 5NT (pick a slam); if opener had the KJ of diamonds, for example, 6D might have better chances than 6NT. As is 6NT looks fair, needing the diamonds to run or the spade finesse plus diamonds no worse than 4-2.
East leads a low club (the unbid suit), Jack, Queen, Ace. It looks right for North to try the spade finesse immediately; if it loses they'll knock out the King of clubs but then you can try the diamonds. If that also fails there may be a squeeze or defensive error. Whether East covers or not the spades will provide four tricks, so declarer tests the diamonds (King and then Ace.) East's discard is disappointing but the hand isn't over yet. Declarer takes the spade and club winners and leads a low heart to hand. When West pops up with the Queen the odds are at least 2:1 in favor of East having the Jack; if declarer is counting West must still have the Jack of diamonds and probably a club, so East has the heart length and the odds are probably even better.
Eight of thirteen pairs bid slam, five making; one declarer managed a fine +490 at 3NT.
Board 7:
West opens 1H; if partner passes there probably isn't a game. East scrapes up a raise and West counts about 4.5 losers. There could be slam opposite as little as xxx KQxx xxx Kxx, with dummy's fourth trump taking care of the fourth club. Opener can try 3C (ostensibly a game try) and continue to slam if responder bids game; another possibility is a "self-splinter" 4D jump. Don't try this without discussion! Even if you play a lot of other bids as splinters, this may not be obvious to partner. Logically, however, a hand with slam interest and long diamonds could simply bid 3D and then 4D, so the jump is more useful to show a shortage. Over 4D responder may sign off at 4H with his flat minimum, but on reflection the hand looks perfect for a dummy reversal, ruffing two diamonds in hand. A partnership playing this sort of splinter is probably using some form of Key Card, so 4NT produces a 5C (0 or 3) reply, or 5D (1430 style.) Over 5C responder can ask about the trump Queen with 5D, and pass 5H when opener denies her majesty. Over 5D there's no room to ask so responder simply gambles 6H.
North leads the Ace and another diamond, ruffed, and declarer must find the missing Queen. There's no obvious reason to forego the slight advantage playing for the drop has over the finesse, so 6H should fail. In 5H, however, declarer should try the finesse on the theory that if the Queen is dropping, you'll lose to anyone in 6H, while +680 could be a cold top. Note that the finesse is something of a safety play since when it fails the trumps are 2-2 and you can claim the rest. However you play the trumps, be sure to start by leading low toward one hand or the other as this gives you better chances against a void.
No one bid this marginal slam; one declarer scored a top with +680.
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