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Daily Bridge in New Zealand

   Any fishhooks?

It seems pretty straightforward. 1H promised 5 hearts and 2H guaranteed at least 6. You have a guaranteed 6-2 heart fit, plenty enough for game, maybe even slam on a good day. So, what to bid now? You are playing Match-Point Pairs.

 

A K J 8 4 3

J 2

K 6

A 6 3

 

West

North

East

South

 

 

 

1 

Pass

1 ♠

Pass

2 

Pass

?

 

 

 

There are optimists and there are pessimists among us but best of all is to sit in the middle and be aware of both possibilities. The optimists have an inkling for slam. Maybe partner has Spade-smallQx and Heart-smallAKQxxx and perhaps the Diamond-smallQ. Possible if a little in the magic cards pocket. The pessimists lose two diamond tricks and two more as partner regrets their very minimum opening.

It seems we can pander to both of the above in the same bid. However, Andy has a more simplistic reason for finding the popular choice:

Andy Braithwaite “3Club-small: third suit forcing to find out if we have a secondary spade fit- otherwise 4Heart-small as slam will be too difficult.”

Yet, when partner does not have spade support and you then bid 4Heart-small, it will sound like a slam try:

Nigel Kearney “3Club-small: I want to make a slam try in hearts as something like Spade-smallx Heart-smallKQ10xxx Diamond-smallAxx Club-smallKxx is a very good slam. I can do that by bidding 3Club-small followed by supporting hearts, which must show slam interest as an immediate 4Heart-small bid over 2Heart-small would be a sign-off.”

Stephen Blackstock “3Club-small: There is little choice at this point in the auction: 4Heart-small and 3Spade-small are not forcing, and 3NT/4Heart-small are significant underbids. The real decisions have yet to come, but South’s next bid may clarify our direction.

At IMPs this is relatively straightforward.  I will make a slam try in hearts or spades depending on whether South shows spade tolerance next (he may have rebid 2Heart-small with three spades as well as six hearts). Match-points is more complicated since playing in a major could be poor if NT takes the same number of tricks, although being able to ruff out the opposite major suggests a suit contract. But there is no need to make any judgment on strain or level just yet.”

And another with slam very much in mind:

Bruce Anderson “3Club-small: I am trying to find out more about partner’s hand, other than he/she has 6 hearts and a hand in the 11/15-point range. It is unlikely, but possible, partner has 3 card support for spades; then I use RKC and if we are missing the Diamond-smallA, a slam, if bid, would be played from the right side. The contrary is the case if I use RKC immediately over 2Heart-small and the hand is played in hearts.

Possibly partner has a 6/4 with diamonds or strength in diamonds and bids 3Diamond-small over my 3Club-small. That makes it very likely we are not off 2 diamond tricks if the hand is played in hearts. Over 3Diamond-small I bid 3Heart-small forcing and follow up with RKC to determine if the heart slam should be bid. If I hear 3Heart-small or 3NT over 3Club-small, I bid 4Heart-small rather than risk a slam going down, which is always a terrible result at Pairs.”

 

Meanwhile, I agree with the sentiments behind the bid though it seems 3Club-small would achieve the same with less possibility of attracting a lead-directing double from West.

Michael Cornell “3Diamond-small: an attempt to reach the better major suit game – with Diamond-smallKx to protect would prefer to play spades if possible.  (The diamond bid may help with the lead too?)

Slam is possible though maybe too difficult to evaluate but if partner does bid 3Spade-small now I will certainly cue 4Club-small. I will, however, simply raise 3Heart-small to 4.”

 

I learnt wise advice that you should find the right game contract before you go looking for a slam. It may have been more interesting to know what the Panel would have bid with the same North hand but with 2 small diamonds. Would they just raise to 4Heart-small or would they still try 3Club-small and then raise to 4Heart-small without spade support? That would still sound like a slam try.

 

The pessimists were definitely to the fore this time though the 3 of a minor bid did at least guide us to the making spade game contract. Slam was just a finesse, and a favourable heart break, away but “away” you would be as like me, you cannot remember the last time you took a successful one! Seriously, just reaching the right game was worth an above 50% board. No need to risk all on a spade finesse or drop of the queen.

 

South Deals
Both Vul

A K J 8 4 3

J 2

K 6

A 6 3

2

Q 6 5

9 8 4

Q J 9 8 5 4

 

N

W

 

E

S

 

Q 9 7

8 3

A Q J 7 5 3

10 2

 

10 6 5

A K 10 9 7 4

10 2

K 7

 

West

North

East

South

 

 

 

1 

Pass

1 ♠

Pass

2 

Pass

?

 

 

 

4Heart-small was doomed. Even if West did not find a diamond lead at trick 1, they should surely find it when in with the Heart-smallQ. Meanwhile, over 3Club-small, South would call 3Spade-small. Against 4Spade-small by North, West can never gain the lead and there can never be more than one diamond loser..making 11 tricks.

So, you would have called that South hand a good weak 2? That’s fine but hopefully you have a system of responses that always makes your partner the declarer in a major game. Otherwise, you may soon be writing down a minus score.

think carefully.jpg

 

Finally, especially for those playing a 4-card 1Heart-small opening, 2Heart-small may not promise at least 6 hearts. All the more reason then to bid 3Club-small to find the right game, let alone make a slam try. However, whatever your system, it is a good idea that in this sequence 2Heart-small does promise a 6+-card suit. That does, usually, but not this time, help the responder decide on the correct contract.

A failing heart and spade finesse, Diamond-smallA that on the wrong side. Plenty of fish-hooks to overcome on this deal but overcome they can.

 

Richard Solomon

 

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