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Daily Bridge in New Zealand

Choices?

Balanced hands after a take-out double can usually be handled reasonably easily. What though when we, the responder to a take-out double, are unbalanced and strong? An interesting auction developed on the deal below.

 

 

2

5

K Q 6 5 2

A K J 9 7 3

 

West

North

East

South

 

 

2 

Dbl

Pass

3 

Pass

4 ♠

Pass

?

 

 

2Heart-small showed 5 hearts and a minor and less than an opening hand. We forced the auction with a cue-bid. Partner neither bid the expected 3NT nor 3Spade-small bid but 4Spade-small! How nice if they had bid a minor!

We asked the Panel whether they agreed with 3Heart-small and also where they would go from here.

There were some differing views about 3Heart-small:

Kris Wooles “ Don’t like the 3Heart-small bid which suggests Spade-small's and a minor(s). It’s a case for having a very clear partnership understanding over these tartan two style bids. In the absence of any agreement, I would have bid 4NT telling partner I have the minors while knowing East has a minor.  I’d likely raise either minor bid to 6.”

The point about having a clear understanding of what 3Heart-small meant is vital. Here is another interpretation:

Bruce Anderson “I can’t think of an alternative to 3Heart-small: 3NT would be a natural bid and partner may well read 4NT as a specific ace ask, rather than showing both minors given that opener has shown a minor suit. Partner should, initially, take the bid as asking for a heart stop for no trumps.”

While 3Heart-small might be asking for a heart hold, I cannot really see a direct 4NT from North being anything other than both minors.

Two other Panellists touch on a Lebensohl alternative to 3Heart-small.  

Stephen Blackstock “ I understand 3Heart-small but don't like it. Better I think to start with a modest 3Club-small - not forcing but shows useful values in a Lebensohl context. Given that neither I nor East have any spade length, it's unlikely that 3Club-small will be passed out, and I can follow with 4Diamond-small having then given a good description of my shape and shown the values to force to game.”

Peter Newell So what of the 3Heart-small bid ? It seems like the best alternative is 4NT minors. This gets both suits across, but has its flaws too. It is very wide ranging. How is partner supposed to know whether you have a 5/5 7 count or something much stronger?  If partner has a strong jump in spades with say 2-1 in the minors (rather than 1-2) is 5Diamond-small going to be pretty?

 If partner had not got a 4Spade-small bid, the 3Heart-small bid might have worked out Ok. I wonder about a Lebensohl 2NT intending to bid 4Club-small next time would show. On this hand, partner would bid 3Spade-small. I am not sure what 4Club-small would be (I do not think it is a weak hand with clubs as with that hand you would normally pass 3Spade-small or bid 4Spade-small). 

Maybe 3Heart-small asks for a heart hold but it would seem to be a hand too strong or distributional to use a Lebensohl 3Club-small/3Diamond-small. With so many spades missing from the North and East hands, Stephen Blackstock should survive a heavy 3Club-small response. Nevertheless, an awkward situation.

 “What next, though, over 4Spade-small? We have variety.

Peter Newell Pass: 4NT would be key card for spades, hardly appropriate, so that really only leaves 5Club-small.  There is no reason to expect partner will have clubs as partner is showing a strong jump in spades with 6+ spades.  So while I do not like how the auction has proceeded, I do not think it is a percentage action to bid, particularly with a 4+ minor in the East hand.”

Bruce Anderson “6Spade-small: 4Spade-small must show very strong spades (3Spade-small must be forcing after I have cue bid), and surely partner also holds Diamond-smallA at least outside to double then jump bid their suit. If partner hold solid spades and both red aces he/she should bid the grand slam; what else can I have but a lot of strength in the minor suits for my cue bid?

Adopting the principle that one does not pre-empt a weak opening, a direct 3Spade-small would be an Intermediate Jump and the action taken by North seems to indicate a hand with long spades, stronger than that.

Heading to the minors are:

Andy Braithwaite “5Club-small: The first question is what would 3Spade-small have been directly? If a strong single suiter, then 4Spade-small here must exclude a very long spade suit.

So, partner has jumped to game in the hope that you have some spade support. When you do not, 5Club-small to show both minors must be logical. I think 6Club-small is a bit of a stretch, needing 2 aces and possibly Club-smallQ to make.”

Stephen Blackstock “5Club-small: I am tempted to abstain, given the inadequacies of the auction to date. What is North up to? He doesn't have a strong single suiter (else 3Spade-small/4Spade-small earlier), Why the jump to 4Spade-small when 3Spade-small would have been forcing (3Heart-small is GF)?

 I don't see how he can have a self- sufficient suit and he has wasted a whole level of space that we need badly. Now, 4NT for minors would be a better description but I am afraid it would be Blackwood. Arguably 5Club-small is a cue for spades, but I have to try to get out of this mess somehow. A "pick a slam" 5NT might work, but 5Club-small then 6Club-small may emphasise my better suit.”

I am not sure his choice would be to South’s liking. Nevertheless, that is the way this Panellist heads:

Nigel Kearney “5NT: Partner's double, even when followed by 4Spade-small, should be a flexible hand, e.g. Spade-smallAKQxxx Heart-smallx Diamond-smallAJx Club-smallQxx. With just a long spade suit and some hearts, they should have overcalled spades immediately.

However, opponents have not raised hearts, so unless we have an expert partner or very solid agreements, it is more likely partner just has a strong hand with long spades and some hearts, e.g. Spade-smallAKJxxx Heart-smallAQxx Diamond-smallAx Club-smallx. Anyway, we are very likely to have a play for 12 tricks somewhere, so I will just bid 5NT, pick a slam, and pass whatever partner chooses. The actual hand partner held looks like a very normal 3SSpade-small overcall to me. “

and then a direct choice of slams:

Kris Wooles “6Club-small: As it stands, partner’s 4Spade-small bid is likely influenced by thinking I have spades. This being the case anything I do now is mired in potential confusion. If I bid 4NT that is likely to be read as RKC supporting spades and 5Club-small might be construed as a cue bid again in support of spades. If forced to accept the auction presented, I’d now bid 6Club-small and hope for the best.”

Well, North took the 5Club-small route. South was confused whether or not this was a cue-bid and bid 5Heart-small to find out. South offered trumps with their next bid, fortunately with North having more clubs than diamonds:

East Deals
N-S Vul

2

5

K Q 6 5 2

A K J 9 7 3

Q 7 6 4

8 4 3

10 8 7

Q 6 5

 

N

W

 

E

S

 

K 10

Q J 10 7 2

J 9 4 3

10 8

 

A J 9 8 5 3

A K 9 6

A

4 2

 

West

North

East

South

 

 

2 

Dbl

Pass

3 

Pass

4 ♠

Pass

5 ♣

Pass

5 

Pass

6 ♣

All pass

 

Nigel Kearney felt 3Spade-small over 2Heart-small would have summed up the South hand though that looks a mighty strong Intermediate Jump. All was well as after the Heart-smallQ lead, declarer cashed Diamond-smallA, ruffed a heart to hand and ruffed a diamond before taking the club finesse to make all 13 tricks.

6NT was dangerous but makeable thanks to the friendly club lay-out. However, 6Spade-small can be beaten after an initial club lead as when West gets in with Spade-smallQ after declarer has disposed of losing hearts on Diamond-smallKQ and having to use another round of clubs to get to dummy, a third round of clubs will promote West’s trumps for a second trick as long as East ruffs.

Whether South anticipated their partner held both minors, they made a good choice when passing 6Club-small. On this occasion, even 6Diamond-small makes, but only 12 tricks, for the loss of one trump trick. After the opening bid, North-South would have been very relieved that suit breaks were so friendly.

Richard Solomon

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