Set 33Results

Author: Larry Cohen
Date of publish: 01/04/2018
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Results for Set 33

 
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#1) West deals, Nobody Vul., North bids 2?

?A K Q J 5
?A 4
?J 7 6
?A 6 5
  ?10 6
?9 5 2
?A 5 4
?K Q 9 8 5

 
Scores for Board 1:
6NT:10

6?:9

6?:8

5?:6

4NT:5
5NT:4
5?:3

 

Valuation-wise, West is surely worth 2NT (maybe even more)! If he does open 2NT, East might barely have enough appreciation for his 5-card suit and prime values to invite slam (via 3? then 4? natural -- NOT GERBER!). If he does so, West has a great hand for slam and might just leap to a black-suit slam. However, he could go scientifically and bid 4? after 4? (presumably agreeing clubs, showing a heart control and denying a diamond control). This is not an easy slam to reach with only 19 opposite 9 and relatively balanced hands.

 

 

#2) West deals, nobody vulnerable

?A K 7 5
?6 4
?Q 9 8 5 4
?A 9
  ?Q 9 8
?A K Q 9
?K 10 7 3 2
?10



Deal 2 Scores:

6?:10

4?:7
5?:5
3NT:2

6?:1

 

A normal start is 1?-1?-1?-2?.  After that 4th-suit forcing to game bid, West should be in no hurry to bid notrump. It is a much better description to bid 2? to show at least 5-4 (for 1? then 1? he didn't promise the 5th diamond). The key to slam bidding is to go slowly and show the shape early. After 2?, East raises to 3? and will drive almost single-handedly to the near laydown small slam.

 

#3) South deals and opens 1?, Both Vul.

?A K 10 9
?A K
?A 2
?A J 9 8 4
  ?5 4 2
?Q J 6
?4 3
?K 10 5 3 2

 

Deal 3 Scores:

6?:10
3NT:7
5NT:6

6?:5

4?:4

5?:3

7?/?/NT:2

 

West doubles South's 1? and all East can do is bid 2?. West has a huge hand and will likely bid 2? next (this is NOT a Western Cue-bid; it says nothing about diamonds--it neither asks nor tells--it just shows a big hand). East, having promised nothing (could have been a zero-count!) with 2?, now must show a sign of life. He might bid his three-card heart suit -- but he surely is worth something other than 3?. After seeing a sign of encouragement, West might just bid 6? himself.

 

#4) West deals, Nobody Vul, South doubles

?A K 6 4 2
?--
?Q 9 8 6 5 3
?A 5
  ?Q
?Q 9 4 2
?A K 7 4 2
?J 10 2



Board 4 Scores:

7?:10

6?:7

4NT:5
5?:4 

 

West should open 1?, planning to bid spades (twice) next.  The auction begins 1?-1?-1?. East now has to decide if he has a limit raise in diamonds (the low road), or a game-force (in which case he would bid 2?). Once West hears of a good hand and diamond support, he has slam interest. The ideal way to reach seven is if West gets to jump to 5?, Exclusion Keycard Blackwood--but this is far from easy.

 

 

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