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Hand played on |
6th June 2008 |
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Board number 13 |
Red Section |
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Dealer |
North |
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Vulnerability |
Both |
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Submitted by |
Ian Moss |
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North ♠K9743 ♥52 ♦J93 ♣T86 |
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West ♠AJT862 ♥63 ♦7 ♣J532 |
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East ♠Q ♥QJT9874 ♦T2 ♣Q74 |
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North |
Bidding:
East |
South |
West |
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South ♠5 ♥AK ♦AKQ8654 ♣AK9 |
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No 5♦ End |
3♥ No
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4NT 7NT |
No x |
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So what would you do with that South hand after the bidding starts Pass, 3♥? This is effectively a 2-loser hand, as, especially in the light of East's opening, it is very likely that your diamond suit will 'stand up'. Ian Moss writes:
It seems feeble to stop short of a slam, in which case there is no harm in finding out if partner has ♠A, and if he does, to take a pot at 7NT. Arguably 7♦ will be "safer" in so far it will be less off if Diamonds do not come in. Bearing in mind East has Heart length and partner has not opened a weak 2 or 3 Spades there is an improved chance he is balanced-ish and so Diamonds may all be good. He may have ♣Q, or length, or a squeeze may develop on a non-Spade lead
The big problem is how to ask for aces. Will partner take 4NT as Blackwood or "choose a minor"? Personally I think the following scheme is sensible in this situation:
Double = take-out (later 4NT would be Roman Key Card Blackwood)
Cue-bid = good 2 suiter, partner can respond in 3 card Spade suit initially, cue-bidders converts to 5♣ to show minors (4NT next would be RKCB)
4NT direct = ace specific Blackwood as in ACOL opening 4NT (responses: 5♣=none, 5♦=♦A, 5♥=♥A, 5♠=♠S, 5NT=2 aces, 6♣=AC )
At the table North took 4NT as "choose a minor". This was not wholly unreasonable as we had not discussed the point (it being only the 46th board we had played together). South converted the 5♦ response to 7NT which was unsportingly doubled by W who proceeded to cash the ♠A.
North could have hedged his bet by bidding 5♣ as he had equal length, South would have read this as "no Aces" and settled for 6♦.
Secondary point here is that when 4NT is unusual it is not mandatory to bid the stronger of two equal length suits. In the situation where a cue bid or Unusual No Trump does not immediately reveal the identity of the two suits, it is correct in response to bid the cheapest potential fit first or you may miss it.