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A Time to Tell All.

There are times when you are best to tell the opposition as little as possible about your hand, perhaps to make their opening lead harder. However, there are times full disclosure is best. Firstly, then what should South bid with their hand below?

 

3 shows about 15-17hcp with 6+ clubs. 

South certainly has enough to bid game, but which one? If their partner has three, maybe even two spades, 4 may be the best game, especially as we are playing Pairs. If they have a diamond hold, we would like to be in 3NT. Short of just gambling on 3NT or 5 being correct, we need an exploration bid. South chose 3 as their partner had denied 4 hearts by their jump to 3. (It is not normal to bid a short major in this situation. However, South wanted to find out if their partner had a diamond hold and or 3-card spade support. It was safe enough to bid 3.)

So, 3 it was and North’s 3NT ended the bidding. Despite South’s 3, East led a heart, very unwelcome news for North. Their hand was not really what South had anticipated:

 

 3NT would still have made had declarer been able to play the club suit for no loser but they had to lose to Q and the defence soon took a club and four heart tricks. A great lead for the defence but East should never have been in the position to find such a lead. 

Reversing: a good way forward!

“Reverses” are a topic which are not really covered for newer players. Suffice it to say that here North has a strong hand, strong enough to bid 2 after the 1 response. Normally, they would need 16+ hcps for this action but the potential playing strength of this hand is so great and that should enable North to “cheat” a little on high-card strength. It is a much better start than jumping to 3.

After 2, South knows they are going to game. As above, they are not sure which game. In this situation, they could bid 2, 4^th suit forcing, asking for a hold in hearts, or further information. North replies 3, showing 5 diamonds and longer clubs, 6+. The bidding would have gone:

 

While South might think 3NT should be safe enough, they can also see a club contract is even safer as their 2 aces take care of North’s maximum 2 major cards. One heart hold might not be enough for 3NT to make. 

It may be hard for many players to visualise but South's partner has a strong hand with just about all their high cards in the minor suits. At the very least, bid 5 but South’s aces and 3- card club suit make 6 a good bet. If they found that bid, they would not be disappointed.

Say East leads a heart. North wins and plays 2 top diamonds and ruffs a third round (it does not help the defence if East takes Q: they will eventually.). Then a club to the ace and a second diamond ruff. Ruff a heart and declarer plays K just conceding a trick to Q. Slam made.

 

A time to show.

It is much better to make 6 than fail in 3NT. There will be days when few bid the slam (as indeed was the case) and 3NT records a higher score than 5. On this day, with even  5 making +620 and when 3NT escaped the heart lead, good bidding was rewarded. There were only ever 9 tricks (+600)  in 3NT. 

Richard Solomon

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