Hands played at the Palmerston North Bridge Club published here for discussion and question and answer.
Any bidding shown is an actual auction and not necessarily recommended.
Please feel free to participate and make suggestions.
Now north is only invitational to slam. The trouble is there are few good invitational bids with no fit. Most players would interpret 4NT as some version of Blackwood. Nevertheless a good agreement to have is that 4NT is natural on this sort of auction, inviting slam and announcing that no fit has been found. What though if you want to agree hearts? You do have 4C available which could be used as just any good hand with heart support. That is all well and good if you have discussed this and have an agreement but as I say the reality is, especially in club play, that most will not have discussed these auctions.
Perhaps though north is only worth 3NT. We have 14 and no fit. So maybe we need the full 33 hcp to make a slam on force or some very good cards. With 19 partner knows we have 10 so maybe able to move with for example a 4NT raise or 4D on a doubleton. On the other hand perhaps slam will make with less - on this actual hand just give south the hJ extra and 6NT is very good. You can't bid them all perfectly.
* <=6 loser. Any shape ** <= 8 loser. 5+ diamonds. If only 5 diamonds 4 clubs *** Relay **** 6 diamonds 4 clubs denies 3 major. 9 possible total losers ^ Relay. Asks for number of losers. Slam interest. ^^ 5 losers. ^^^ RKCB clubs # 0 or 3 key cards
After norths positive response South with a 4.5 loser hand is thinking possible slam if there is a fit (18-8-4.5 = 5.5) and north has anything extra. Once South learns north has a 6421 shape they are no longer thinking slam unless north has a lot extra as there is probably no fit (increase total losers by 1 and with a 9 total possible loser hand north may only have a single K or A for their bid indicating even game is unlikely). South can bail out in 3h if north is minimum.
After hearing north has a 5 loser hand South has renewed slam interest (18-4.5 -5-1 = 7.5 level) now knows north has at worst AKKQ from looking at gaps in own hand. Worthwhile even without fit asking for key cards in norths last bid suit. From norths response South knows they must have 3 key cards as can't have 0 and must have 3A or 2A and Kc. Decision time: The diamond suit can't be running so for slam to make one of norths aces must be the Ah. south bids 6h even with possible 7 card fit and <33% chance north does not have Ah and 60% chance hearts will not break
2S establishes a GF so 3C seems a bit pointless by North. Poor slam that makes. Any views as to how to avoid bidding a poor slam?
ReplyDelete1H 2D; 2S 3D; 3H ... all seem fairly routine.
ReplyDeleteNow north is only invitational to slam. The trouble is there are few good invitational bids with no fit. Most players would interpret 4NT as some version of Blackwood. Nevertheless a good agreement to have is that 4NT is natural on this sort of auction, inviting slam and announcing that no fit has been found. What though if you want to agree hearts? You do have 4C available which could be used as just any good hand with heart support. That is all well and good if you have discussed this and have an agreement but as I say the reality is, especially in club play, that most will not have discussed these auctions.
Perhaps though north is only worth 3NT. We have 14 and no fit. So maybe we need the full 33 hcp to make a slam on force or some very good cards. With 19 partner knows we have 10 so maybe able to move with for example a 4NT raise or 4D on a doubleton. On the other hand perhaps slam will make with less - on this actual hand just give south the hJ extra and 6NT is very good. You can't bid them all perfectly.
LTC imperspicuity:
ReplyDelete1c* - 2d**
2h*** - 3c****
3d^ - 4c^^
4d^^^ - 4s#
6h
* <=6 loser. Any shape
** <= 8 loser. 5+ diamonds. If only 5 diamonds 4 clubs
*** Relay
**** 6 diamonds 4 clubs denies 3 major. 9 possible total losers
^ Relay. Asks for number of losers. Slam interest.
^^ 5 losers.
^^^ RKCB clubs
# 0 or 3 key cards
After norths positive response South with a 4.5 loser hand is thinking possible slam if there is a fit (18-8-4.5 = 5.5) and north has anything extra. Once South learns north has a 6421 shape they are no longer thinking slam unless north has a lot extra as there is probably no fit (increase total losers by 1 and with a 9 total possible loser hand north may only have a single K or A for their bid indicating even game is unlikely). South can bail out in 3h if north is minimum.
After hearing north has a 5 loser hand South has renewed slam interest (18-4.5 -5-1 = 7.5 level) now knows north has at worst AKKQ from looking at gaps in own hand. Worthwhile even without fit asking for key cards in norths last bid suit. From norths response South knows they must have 3 key cards as can't have 0 and must have 3A or 2A and Kc. Decision time: The diamond suit can't be running so for slam to make one of norths aces must be the Ah. south bids 6h even with possible 7 card fit and <33% chance north does not have Ah and 60% chance hearts will not break
Having managed to process all that information I don't see why South would bid 6h.
ReplyDelete