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Daily Bridge in New Zealand

A “Maybe” Slam.

When opener shows a minimum hand and the responder is in the “maybe slam” zone, it is good to keep the bidding as low as you can to see if a slam move is warranted. Today’s deal raises questions in this area which partnerships might like to check out:

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North Deals
Both Vul

 

N

W

 

E

S

   
 

A Q J 6 3 2

A K 9 3

Q 4

10

 

West

North

East

South

 

1 ♣

Pass

1 ♠

Pass

2 ♣

Pass

2 

Pass

2 ♠

Pass

?

In the sequence above, 2Heart-small is treated as at least a 1-round force. This saves South having to make a space-consuming 3Heart-small force. After all, it would be rare when North  would want to pass out 2Heart-small.

We asked our Panel to comment on the sequence, on what 2Spade-small showed and if North had to jump to 3Spade-small to show 3 card spade support (or indeed bid 3Spade-small over 3Heart-small from South) what would they bid next?

There are various views. Assuming that 2Heart-small is forcing, Wayne produces a good sequence:

Wayne Burrows “3Diamond-small: fourth suit establishing a game force. Then 4Spade-small on the next round should show a hand better than a 4Spade-small this round. If 2Spade-small unequivocally showed three spades, there should be no problems with that approach. 

With something like Spade-smallKxx Heart-smallxx Diamond-smallKx Club-smallAKxxxx producing a very comfortable slam most of the time, I think we are worth the stronger route.”

 

Wayne also suggests that 2Heart-small need not be forcing if you play 2Diamond-small after partner's 2Club-small as an artificial force (or maybe even 2NT, a Polish approach). Andy agrees with Wayne that 2Diamond-small should create a game-force: 

Andy Braithwaite “3Heart-small: Firstly, I do not play 2Heart-small as forcing so would have to bid an artificial 2Diamond-small to create a game force. When partner bids 2Spade-small, I can raise to 3Spade-small to invite cue bids.

If I bid 2Heart-small (over 2Diamond-small)  it must be a game force so partner can bid 2Spade-small knowing it cannot be passed.

 

However, if we hear 3Spade-small over 2Heart-small, we can make one last try for slam with 4Heart-small which should emphasise the lack of a diamond control.”

 

The concept of whether you can cue a shortage in a suit bid previously by your partner (it could give a very different impression as to the strength of their suit if you have a singleton as opposed to the king), is discussed by some Panellists:

 

Pam Livingston “3Heart-small:  I am interested in slam.  If the bid of 2Spade-small absolutely guarantees 3 spades, then we are in cue bid mode because we have established a fit.  I am showing first or second round control in hearts and denying control in diamonds. While I do have control in clubs, it is not wise to show shortage as a control this early in the auction because it is partner's suit.”

Leon Meier “4Club-small: (over 3Spade-small from North): In this sequence I would play that 2Spade-small is a doubleton and 3Spade-small shows 3. I disagree with the sentiment that you shouldn't cue a singleton in partner's suit, generally.”  

4th suit over 2Spade-small seems the popular choice though that is not available when you have to jump to 3Spade-small to show three-card support. That is when the debate as to whether you can cue your club shortage is really relevant.

 

Bruce Anderson “3Heart-small: I have a strong hand and partner has 3 card spade support, so I am making a move rather than signing off in 4Spade-small, notwithstanding I do not fit clubs. My bid must be forcing and have slam interest.(3Spade-small would be invitational, with partner assessing their hand knowing I have spades and hearts).

 If partner does have gold, say, Club-small AK and Diamond-smallA , I should hear 4Club-small, over which I will bid 4Heart-small, pin pointing my weakness in diamonds. With the above hand, partner should then just bid the slam.

As far as the earlier bidding is concerned, basic Acol considers a change of suit by responder as forcing, but it would be a good idea to check that out with partner.”

 

However, Stephen is happy just to bid game. He suggests it is unlikely North has 3-card spade support:

Stephen Blackstock “4Spade-small: For many, 2Heart-small is completely non-forcing, so 3Heart-small is necessary instead. Furthermore, any jump to 3Spade-small by North over 2Heart-small would be based on strength (i.e., invitational), not as showing any specific spade length unrelated to values, as you suggest. Here, it is unlikely that North has three card support, as unless the hand is very skewed, 2Spade-small would then be much preferable to 2Club-small. As it went, it is even possible that North has 1246 shape with weak clubs - obviously preference on a singleton is uncomfortable but you have to do your best with the cards dealt.

As it stands, North has a minimum with limited tolerance for spades. Even if a slam try is warranted (not in my judgement), what might that be? 3Diamond-small followed by 4Spade-small perhaps, but that rates to give such a misleading picture we may end in the swamp. So 4Spade-small now is what is left.”

 

Would North really bid 2Spade-small over 1Spade-small with Club-smallAKJxxx and three small spades? Another unafraid of cueing a shortage in partner’s opening suit is:

 

Peter Newell “3Diamond-small: I think 2Spade-small could have 3 card spade support and a poor hand. Over 2Spade-small, I'll bid 3Diamond-small on the assumption that 3Spade-small is not forcing. I don't like it much but given I didn't bid 2Diamond-small over 2Club-small, clearly it's not much of a suit, and it keeps the bidding low allowing us to explore more. 

Over 3Spade-small bid by North,  in some ways to me that's easier as 4Club-small must be a cue bid for spades as we are almost certainly going to be playing in spades.”

 

Making 2Heart-small a one round force seems a good concept:

Kris Wooles “3Diamond-small: I agree with the auction to this point. I would consider a jump to 3Heart-small  a blunt instrument and takes up valuable bidding space for our side in an uncontested auction (i.e., pre-empting ourselves). 

I would treat 2Heart-small as forcing to 2Spade-small. I would not necessarily jump to 3Spade-small with a 3 card suit. At this stage the strength of South’s hand is not known to North so I would only bid 3Spade-small if my hand was suitably fitting and warranting the jump. 

 

It is possible that partner might have the right cards for a slam so in the spirit of moving forward slowly, I would now bid 3Diamond-small which is clearly forcing and asking partner to show me more (or not).”

 

So, there is choice in how responder’s bid in this sequence can be treated and perhaps also whether 2Spade-small from North shows 2 or 3 spades. Most of the Panel tried for slam but slam would only be good if North had one of the top two diamonds. To find that out, you must make a slam try and at the same time denying a diamond control. If partner were to bid 3NT to your 3Diamond-small 4th suit bid, you should be well on your way to small slam. This time, the trump finesse was for all 13 tricks.

North Deals
Both Vul

9 8 4

10

A 6 2

A K J 7 6 4

7 5

7 6 5 4 2

10 7 5

Q 9 5

 

N

W

 

E

S

 

K 10

Q J 8

K J 9 8 3

8 3 2

 

A Q J 6 3 2

A K 9 3

Q 4

10

 

West

North

East

South

 

1 ♣

Pass

1 ♠

Pass

2 ♣

Pass

2 

Pass

2 ♠

Pass

?

More for our JIN Club members tomorrow.

Richard Solomon

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