Sunday, January 25th, 2015

Click here for hands and results.

Board 15 South Deals N-S Vul	♠ Q J 10 8 7 ♥ A 7 4 3 ♦ Q J ♣ 3 2
♠ 6 ♥ J 10 9 5 2 ♦ K 10 8 7 5 ♣ 9 6	N W E S	♠ K 5 2 ♥ Q 8 6 ♦ 9 6 ♣ J 10 8 7 4
	♠ A 9 4 3 ♥ K ♦ A 4 3 2 ♣ A K Q 5

South has 20 hcp but relatively little playing strength until a fit is located; 2C would certainly be an overbid. With a singleton King, many would opt for 2NT*, but I prefer a simple 1C -- we probably aren't missing game if that gets passed out. If the partnership style is to generally ignore diamonds if a major suit is available over 1C, I would recommend opening 1D, otherwise you might miss slam in that strain.

North responds 1S and South can bounce to game or try to portray his strength and shape to explore for slam. South is definitely not strong enough to push the bidding beyond 4S on his own. South might splinter (4H) if that's in the arsenal, but as I would make the same bid without the King of hearts I don't think that describes the hand as well as the simple jump to 4S. Only one pair bid this slam which needs (and gets) one of two finesses. South might reverse (1C-1S-2D) or jump shift (1D-1S-3C) before supporting spades; that would be my choice if the King of hearts were, say, in spades. Note that 1x-1S-4S is NOT a weak, preemptive or "shut-out" bid; having opened the bidding, South cannot have such a hand, and 4S denotes a strong hand. If South splinters or bids both minors before supporting spades, North should drive to slam.

*The ACBL does not allow an agreement to open 1NT or 2NT with a singleton (under the General Convention Chart), but players are allowed to deviate from their agreements. However, doing so twice with the same partner appears to constitute an implicit and therefore illegal agreement. Personally, I never open 1NT or 2NT with a singleton but have overcalled in notrump with such hands for lack of a better alternative. On one recent hand LHO opened 1D and I held A AKxx AQ109xx xx . What would you bid? I opted for 1NT as the least misdescriptive call.

Board 16 West Deals E-W Vul	♠ Q 7 2 ♥ Q 2 ♦ K 9 7 6 ♣ A Q J 5
♠ 10 ♥ K J 9 8 7 ♦ Q J 4 3 ♣ K 7 6	N W E S	♠ 9 6 4 3 ♥ 10 6 5 ♦ 10 8 5 2 ♣ 10 9
	♠ A K J 8 5 ♥ A 4 3 ♦ A ♣ 8 4 3 2

North opens a minor; the classic advice is to open 1D with 4-4 to prepare a club rebid, but when the hand is suitable for a notrump rebid or three-card raise I have no intention of bidding both minors and prefer to open 1C in an up-the-line style. If partner responds 1H I'll rebid 1NT; over 1S it's close between 1NT and 2S; I would prefer either to the sequence 1D-1S-2C where we may play a 4-3 or 4-2 minor "fit" rather than notrump or spades.

South responds with 1S or a strong jump to 2S. Some possible sequences:
1C-2S; 2NT-3C; 3S; 4NT-5D; 6C or 6S. At clubs, the spades can be used to pitch hearts, but an opening heart lead will require the clubs to come in so it is not clear that the 4-4 fit provides much of an advantage on this layout.

Against 6S West does not expect partner to have anything useful and fears blowing a trick with nay lead but a trump; this might solve a problem for declarer but every lead looks risky. South plays two rounds of trumps and notes the bad split. As I played the hand I thought I was giving myself a chance to pitch either a club or heart as needed, but on review here I don't think I would've succeeded against 4-1 split in both black suits. Well, maybe: four rounds of trumps, club finesse, Ace of diamonds, club finesse. If East shows out, ruff a diamond with the last trump -- you still have control of every suit. Now low to the Queen of hearts -- but if West hops up with the King there's no entry left to enjoy both the Queen and Ace of hearts.

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

West opens either 1C or 3C. Vulnerable, with virtually nothing outside of clubs, I prefer the preempt, but nothing is ideal. I wouldn't dream of passing such a lovely suit. North overcalls (1H or 3H) and if East trusts partner to note the vulnerability 3NT looks like a reasonable shot. South leads a major; East might hold up once in hearts but should win the first spade or second heart and run the clubs. When the King of diamonds pops up East claims +660.