A TOUGH GRAND TO BID

 

 

                       

BIDDING TOUGH SLAMS WINS MATCH-POINTS AND IMPS

 

 

 

BOARD #                             DLR: South    VUL: E/W                

 

                                 N/S hands moot

 

 

        W:        ♠ Q 6                     E: ♠  A K 8 4 3

                    ♥ J 9 7 4                     ♥  A

                    ♦ J 10 9 8 7 6             ♦  A K Q 3

                    ♣ 4                             ♣  A 9 8

 

 

The bidding started:

 

                          S            W             N           E

                      P            P              P          2♣

                      P            2♥           P          ?

 

Where do you go after the negative response?

 

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DISCUSSION    It is not often you get to slam (much less a grand) when a double-negative is shown in response to a 2♣ opener.

 

        I know I sound like a broken record, but I cannot stress it enough. YOU MUST HAVE CLEAR AGREEMENTS if you are going to play certain conventions. In a good field you would expect everyone to get to slam on these cards, and perhaps 1/3 of the field to get to the diamond grand. Why is it that in our local game three pairs out of nine did not reach GAME (PLAYING TWO SPADES), and three other pairs missed slam (playing four spades or five diamonds)?

 

            Wherever you live there are usually various teachers who influence the area. In our area (Columbus,Ohio) most of the bridge teachers play 2H as a double negative in response to a 2C opener, so that is what most of the locals play. The problem is that evidently the teachers failed to go farther with the follow-up bidding after the 2H response.

 

            The way I play is that a 2H response is artificial showing fewer than two queens, with no ace or king. However, a 2♠ re-bid by opener is forcing one round! I play that 2NT, now, by responder shows a weak minor two-suiter, 3♣ being “quasi-natural,” 3♦ showing at least a five-card suit, and 3♠ being non-forcing. Do you have these agreements? Do you have ANY agreements? Do your teachers have any agreements? You might want to check this out!

 

            Our auction went as follows:

                             S       W      N       E

                        P       P        P       2♣

                        P       2♥     P       2♠

                        P       3♦     P       6♦!

                        P       P        P

 

 

        I thought long and hard about bidding 7♦ but could not - did  partner hold ♠A K x x x x ♥A ♦K Q x x ♣A K?

I know partner has at most a two-loser hand but I cannot be sure we are not off an ace!

 

        Like I said, we received an excellent score for getting to the small slam, but that is because it was a weak field. East made a practical bid jumping to 6D, but he certainly could envision more. The problem was he was not certain what his bids might mean. 4D, although certainly forcing, might be RKC in diamonds, or, maybe not. (Our agreement was NOT, but east was not clear on this). I could have bid 4H (RKC in diamonds) and when east showed FIVE with the queen (5D) I could bid 5H asking for kings, and when east bid 5S showing the ♠K I could bid the grand!

 

            East could have made an interesting bid over my 3D response.

 

            “O”                             “R”

            2♣                              2♥ < 2 queens

            2♠                              3♦ = five+ suit

 

 

            5NT = this cannot be your normal “grand slam force” as I have already denied any ace or king, and have at most a queen and a jack. CONTEXTUALLY this must be asking for anything extra, either in the way of trump length, shortness, or spade fitting card. With the ♠Q (a true cover since east MUST hold the ♠AK), a SIXTH diamond (can east hold less than ♦AKxx?), and a stiff club, I have ALL the requirements for bidding at LEAST EIGHT DIAMONDS
 8♦!

 

            Indeed, with a 2-1 diamond split and no worse than a 4-2 spade split, 14 tricks are cold!