Wednesday morning May 16, 2007

I sure wish this bidding had actually taken place, especially after recently conducing a Getting to Slam workshop! East should jump-shift to show points and controls, intending to support spades on the next round. After East's second bid, West cuebids 4C to show control, followed by East's 4D bid, and West's 4H bid. Using cuebids you can't cuebid trump, although East's jump to 5 spades certainly gives West the thought that partner has the missing trumps. East is inviting partner to a grand slam. On the fourth round of bidding, instead of a 4H cuebid West could check for aces with 4NT, then proceed to slam. Even without the favorable heart lead received, 7 cruises with just a bit of work on ruffing out the hearts.

A second bidding sequence could have been 1S-4H, a splinter showing a limit raise or better in spades and shortness in hearts; the pair then climbs the ladder in 5C-5D, 5H-5S fashion, ending up in 7S.

Wednesday morning May 16, 2007

With favorable vulnerability, West figured he was going to have to sacrifice anyway at 5H, why not bid it directly? Maybe they can make five. (they couldn't) In this case the quick spike to 5H wasn't doubled. When East put down her hand, the ace of diamonds was on lead. West smoothly falsecarded the queen at his turn. North pondered and shifted to a spade, partner winning. A club was returned by South and that's all she wrote, folks; trumps were drawn, clubs were run. Rack up a nice 450 and a top board.

Wednesday morning May 16, 2007

What a WONDERFUL card that jack of hearts was! A heart to the king, back to the ace, then a shift to the spade taken by the ace. The queen of diamonds is overtaken by the ace, the diamonds run, followed by the clubs. Making 5--all because of that beautiful jack of hearts!

Friday evening May 18, 2007

The play is routine after any lead, however the important thing is THEY GOT TO IT. Notice that 6NT is ice as well, both contracts conceding a club at the end. One poor NS team didn't even get to game; instead settling for 3 diamonds making 6. After a 1NT opener (15-18), South transferred to diamonds via the 1NT-2S, 3C-3D relay. The correct bid was 1NT-3D, South showing a strong hand (13+) with a six-card suit. The 4-way transfer using 2S, then 3C-3D relay if diamonds allows all of the three-level bids by 1NT responder to become strong bids. The transfer to clubs or diamonds via 2S allows the partnership to pass and play in an 8- or 9-card fit in the minors. Apparently they didn't teach that at director school.

Friday evening May 19, 2007

The spade five was covered by the 9, J and king. East must make the critical decision at trick two. It's not fair, but that's the way the mop flops. Most Easts simply forgot to count tricks. How many do you have? Four diamonds, four clubs and two spades--ten tricks, contract made in the shade. How to play? Take the ace of diamonds, then lose a diamond to the king. Don't worry about the hearts. You don't have time to lose two heart tricks. By the time the second heart is out the defenders will gather up their two hearts and four spades, down two for 100 and a top board.

Saturday morning May 19, 2007

Mac, John, Charlotte and Jo are famous for playing NT contracts, as are most really good party bridge players who play duplicate. The reality about bidding in bridge is "Can I get to 3NT? or Can I get close to playing 3NT?" And, it never hurts to occasionally be lucky. North, with a solid 2NT opener, nearly falls off his seat when his partner opens. Since he can count to 33 or so, there is no reason to put pressure on partner to make an interim decision. Partner has five spades. With any luck he also has diamonds; run the hand and go on to the next hand. As it was, 13 tricks were there, beating Sandy and Mary Pat who bid 6 spades making seven.

Saturday morning May 19, 2007

A bidding sequence only in my mind. Three teams bid 4 and made 6; one team bid 1 heart making 6, the other three hearts making 6. What is going on here? After West indicates slam interest with his 4 spade bid, East should cuebid the ace of clubs, intending to stair-step controls. However, the club control is all that West needs to hear, thankful that it wasn't 5 diamonds instead goes to slam with confidence.