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How Good is your hand?

There are several advantages in playing an Acol 1NT rebid as 15-17 balanced as opposed to 15-16 and therefore a 2NT rebid as 18-19. Bidding 3NT with a balanced 19 takes away so much valuable space to explore for the right game and or slam. So, all balanced 15-19 hands can be covered in 2 lower level bids

The 18-19 hcp 2NT rebid applies to those who open a 15-17 1NT as well. A 3NT rebid is thus free to describe another type of hand, a type that perhaps is quite specific because of the space the jump uses up. So, what did you expect from the 3NT in the deal below?

 

1 is at least a 3- card suit. After West’s overcall, our partner leaps straight to game. A 2NT response from your partner shows a balanced 18-19. It’s your bid.

For me, 3NT here  is a stronger version of the gambling 3NT opener. You have a long solid minor which you can run for at least 7 tricks with an entry on the side. Partner is usually required to stop at least one side-suit but there are no restrictions about denying outside aces and kings as the opening 3NT “gambler” has. If the opponents have bid a suit, it would be nice to believe that the 3NT bidder does have a hold in that suit: their partner would soon be their “ex- partner” if they did not!

So, what are our Panel expecting?

Nigel Kearney “Pass: I expect something like Q10x Ax x AKQxxxx. We don't want to be any higher.”

Julie Atkinson “Pass: Partner has a good long club suit with a spade hold. I can also help with spades. I see no reason to argue.”

Kris Wooles "Pass: I expect partner to have lots of playing strength with a long solid club suit and stoppers in ’s and ’s. 3NT is more often than not the game you would want to be in and I’ve got some useful cards to help.

Bruce Anderson “Pass: I can only surmise partner has at least seven solid clubs and a spade stop, and too much outside strength to open a gambling 3NT. There is the obvious risk that partner can be cut off from his hand if he doesn’t hold A. But then it is likely he holds a high honour in hearts. If he only holds the king and that is not an entry: c’est la vie. I am taking the view 3NT is the most likely game to make.”

A gamble is a gamble and has every good punter will know, you have to take the occasional failure to justify all the successes. It does seem that the above have let dummy off fairly lightly in their requirements. A hold in the suit that dummy has bid is all that is required and not much more. Well, AK10 to 7 is a reasonable enough hold. You have a bonus spade honour as well.

What is a little worrying is dummy’s club void while how good a hold is 8743? Maybe expecting more than a fistful of clubs and a spade hold is:

Matt Brown: “4: It could get us to a nice 6 slam, or we might be making 5 when 3NT can be going down.”

Matt is a very pleasant person but he uttered some very unpleasant words when I dared to ask whether this bid was Minorwood. A very polite translation of what he said was “I hope not!” Explaining developments from such an action was:

Michael Cornell “4:  Possible slam try. Partner has a spade hold with excellent clubs, close to solid but my void won’t help.A bid of a major now is a cue agreeing diamonds. 4NT is natural to play, as is 5. (If partner’s spade hold is not the ace, it’s possible there is no entry to the clubs in no-trumps)."

So, both the above fear that 3NT may not be the best spot and at the same time hold out some hope for slam. Unfortunately, North will not on this deal express any liking for diamonds with the level of the contract being raised by one level to 4NT:

 

One North player reached 6NT and received the 8 lead. When West took their ace and returned a spade, a very very relieved declarer could take the K, two top diamonds and then A, 2 spades and 6 clubs from their own hand. This contract cannot make on the lead of any other suit or indeed if West switches to a heart after taking the A.

What though if West ducks the opening spade? North can take their clubs but can never get to the dummy to take their top diamonds: 6 clubs, A and two spade tricks. Oops..4NT seems one bridge too far..but if declarer plays K at trick 1 and West takes their ace, it appears that the 6 acts as an extra hold. However, a heart or club switch traps declarer in hand. 10 tricks..never in doubt? Some doubt!

Meanwhile, 5 is a slightly lucky make while 5 has severe troubles. For me, the North hand above is slightly stronger than I would expect for such a jump to 3NT but I would have also expected an extra club: so some balancing out there. South’s club void is a worry around the making of 3NT but all up, South had just about what their partner had hoped for…a diamond hold!

So, how good was dummy?   

 

HOW GOOD IS DUMMY?

Note: same question above but a different deal, a different dummy!

 

 

The answer this time is “very good, indeed”. Only 26 hcp….and not only are they not in slam but North is not even declarer!

As West, you lead Q with the K being covered by your partner’s ace. Partner played 10 and then 6 to your ace …and then?

See you tomorrow.

Richard Solomon

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