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Daily Bridge in New Zealand

How High?

It is never easy when your constructive bidding starts at the 5 level. Not much room to exchange information. At least, on today’s deal, we were able to say to our partner that we had a very good hand as we started with a game-forcing 2Club-small..but how good is it in relation to our partner’s bidding. How high?

 

 Bridge in NZ.pngnz map.jpg


     
South Deals
None Vul
 
N
W   E
S
   
 
A K 10 6 4
A
A J 8 7 2
A 2
West North East South
      2 
4  4 NT Pass 5 
Pass 5  Pass ?

 

2Club-small was game-forcing while 4NT was for the minors. 4Heart-smallwas just a nuisance! What now?

Many hands fit in a band which are too good to open at the 1-level but are not strictly game-forcing opposite partner’s misfitting pointless hand. For me, the above hand falls into that category. There is much talk now about “the rule of 29” for deciding on whether a hand warrants a 2Club-small opener. (one’s high card points and length of two longest suits must be more than 29). The above hand does.  I would have no qualms in opening this hand 2Club-small. Only Kris Wooles commented that he would not have opened 2Club-small.

However, our second bid (5Diamond-small) did attract criticism:

Matt Brown “7Diamond-small: I don’t see any other option. I seriously disagree with bidding 5Diamond-small the first time. Surely we have enough to try for grand slam and bid 5H ourself… We have 4 key-cards, extra shape for partner with 5 diamonds and they’re trying for grand? It seems so clear to me.”

And going even higher in diamonds!:

Michael Cornell “8Diamond-small: and expect 3 overtricks! 5Diamond-small was pathetic when I could have had two diamonds less and not necessarily all the aces.

Unless partner is cueing the Heart-smallK (unlikely), he has to have the Club-smallK for grand to be good but how can he not have it when he is inviting a grand?”

Slightly more diplomatic is:

 Peter Newell “5Spade-small: we need partner to have both minor kings for 7Diamond-small.  5Heart-small suggests shortage or possibly the king. If partner bids 6Club-small, I’ll bid 7Diamond-small and take a chance that we have no trump loser. I considered 5NT which I think focuses on trumps but I’m most worried about the Club-smallK. 5Diamond-small seems pretty feeble over 4NT with a 5- card diamond suit and all these controls and shape.”

Our partner has shown both minors and is now looking for grand-slam. What can we expect from their hand? Some expect diamond honours and Club-smallK. Others stop to check. If you check, it comes down to a 5Spade-small cue or 5NT grand slam force, checking on trump honours:

Bruce Anderson “5NT: an old-style grand slam force, asking partner to bid the grand in the agreed suit if he/she holds two of the top three honours. Partner has cue bid hearts which forces us into a small slam, so surely he/she has diamonds headed by the KQ (but I am checking that out) and their club suit is very likely to headed by the king. Possibly partner has a heart void and clubs headed by QJ10; then the king will have to be onside, which is likely.”

Grand slam force here is only worthwhile if you can differentiate the Diamond-smallK and Diamond-smallQ if partner only holds one. With diamonds as trumps, the 6Club-small response should show none or the queen while 6Diamond-small shows Diamond-smallA or Diamond-smallK.

However, 5Spade-small attracted more support as an on-going bid:

Nigel Kearney “5Spade-small: We have a strong hand with lots of controls but have already expressed that by opening 2Club-small. Partner can have Spade-smallxx Heart-smallx Diamond-smallKQxxx Club-smallQxxxx. If he is able to cue bid 6Club-small, I can then bid 7Diamond-small.”

Stephen Blackstock “5Spade-small: If North can find 6Club-small, then I will bid the grand. I don’t see how North can be trying for seven without both minor kings, and I would expect more than that in an ace-less hand, but it can’t hurt to see what happens next. 3055 is a small worry but with that, North may have chosen double rather than 4NT, and the opponents would likely have bid more with 12 hearts.”

Indeed: they only had 11!

Kris Wooles “5Spade-small: hoping to hear 6Club-small with the Club-smallK and I will then bid 7Diamond-small .  If my partner bids this way, I’d expect he/she has the missing key cards in the minors.  I would not open 2Club-small with the South hand so if partner expects more from me, then he/she may not have Club-smallK.

But in the Matt Brown/ Michael Cornell camp is:

Pam Livingston “7Diamond-small: Partner is interested in grand slam missing 4 aces knowing nothing about my shape. What must they have? I'm expecting the two minor kings from partner which is ample. With my extra length in diamonds, I don't need the Diamond-smallQ.

However, partner is not bidding 4NT with absolutely nothing because if they pass, I have another bid. This is why, with this control rich hand, I would have bid 5Heart-small myself rather than 5Diamond-small. I think this shows first round control in hearts and a fit for one of the minors.

That’s fine as long as 5NT asks which..or is 6Club-small pass or correct? The easier constructive auction does seem to come after South’s much criticised 5Diamond-small bid and the 5Spade-small cue.

better safe than sorry.jpg

 Worth checking?

 On the actual deal, the ace-less North will bid 6Club-small and if you do not bid 7Diamond-small then, surely you should be buying more than one round of drinks!

 


South Deals
None Vul
Q 8 7
5
K Q 5 4 3
K Q 8 7
2
K Q J 10 9 7 6 4
10 9
10 3
 
N
W   E
S
 
J 9 5 3
8 3 2
6
J 9 6 5 4
 
A K 10 6 4
A
A J 8 7 2
A 2
West North East South
      2 
4  4 NT Pass 5 
Pass 5  Pass 5 
Pass 6  Pass 7 
All pass      

 

Only 14 tricks (sorry Michael!) because there was no heart ruff! Should North have presumed their partner held all the aces for their 2Club-small opening? A dangerous presumption. At some point, South had to show that they really liked diamonds and after their partner had bid 4NT and 5Heart-small, now seemed the hour either directly or certainly after a 6Club-small cue bid…

 ..and if the opponents bid 7Heart-small (5 down..+1100), would you be game enough to bid 7NT, risky but successful this time?

 

Making game on Jan’s Day?

Can you?

 
West Deals
N-S Vul
A Q 7 6
Q 3 2
10 3
A 9 5 3
   
N
W   E
S
   
 
K 8 5 4 3
J 8 6
A Q 5
K 2
West North East South
2  Pass Pass 2 
Pass 4  All pass  

 

2Diamond-small is a Weak Two in diamonds, 8-11 hcp. West led Club-small4 to East’s Club-small7and your king. East started with Spade-smallJ92 and four clubs. What’s your plan?

 

Richard Solomon

 

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