Interesting Hand 28

At a recent pairs evening, you are playing as West. The dealer is N who opens 1. Partner then doubles and S makes a mandatory bid of 2. You hold AKJ1052 2 7 108764 what do you bid?

Hand 28 replies

1. I would bid direct to game in 4S on this hand. If partner is particularly strong she can ask for aces using Blackwood

2. My bid is 3 S, as I am much better than a minimum hand and my six card suit should bring 5 tricks, and I have a second suit of clubs which helps

3.West player has only 8hcp points but a good spade suit that is worth bidding, partner has probably 15hcp, so a combined total of 23 points. You do not know if they have any spades but it is likely as you have only 1 heart and partner has a shortage or void. I would bid spades but the question is at what level? To jump a level to the third level, you need more points really but if you only go 2spades then opposition will bid again as they probably have a very good fit.

4.I think I would go 3 spades as I have good spades and six of them. Partner then needs to make a decision on the next bid. Opposition will probably go to 4 hearts as they must have 27hcp but it is an advantage bidding spades as if partner bid 4 spades then opposition would have to jump to 5 hearts and that would be too much with only 27hcp’s


5.With my partner doubling and my 6 loser hand and 6-5 in the black suits there could be a slam on so I would need to know if we are missing 2 aces. With partnership agreement I would bid 3H to show at least 5-5 in the black suits. Then after partner's response I would bid RKCB to find out the Ace situation, although this has its drawbacks as it doesn't show a void. Does this make sense?
(If I were playing with amy regular partner I would simply bid 4 S to avoid further complications or being passed out, a simple game when a slam could be on, being the lesser of two evils.)
If it was passed round to me I would bid 2H, also using CRO. This describes the hand better than a double as there aren't that many HCPs.

6.Either 4 spades or possibly 3 hearts forcing to game

7.I think going through your mind is a possible 6 club slam in which case I would bid 3 hearts then should you bid 3 NT I would bid 4 clubs which would be minor suit Blackwood on clubs. Depending on answer this hand is going to be played in 4 or 6 spades, could be 6 clubs I need answer and also I have the room to find out about queen of clubs.

8.If you would not allow me a 'high cro' of 3H then I would jump to 3 spades. I would prefer a bid that enabled me to show both black suits but think that a spade contract would be preferable to any other. 4 spades would of course be a pre-empt.

9, Important to make a definitive bid straight away as they are virtually guaranteed to bounce the bidding so no time for delicate sequences.It looks likely that 4S is virtually laydown while 6C/S needs specific controls and is very poor odds to pot.

Playing a standard system I would bid 4S ( "What I can make"/fast arrival)/. Playing with a sharp partner and a version of "minor suit" KCB I would bid 4C and raise 3+controls to 6S signing off otherwise with a minimum S bid

10.

East's Dbl shows 12+ pts, H shortage and support for other 3 suits. Would East claim spade support without the Q?

West has a H singleton. So NS could have 12 hearts if East has a void, why then have NS only got to 2H? This could mean that East is stronger than 12pts and has more hearts than the Dbl would suggest. EW with combined minimum of 20pts & 2 singletons in hand have game points at least, if the right fit can be found and West wants to show his 2 long C & S suits.

West should bid a second takeout Dbl to show at least 2 playing suits and direct East to bid, to try to find 4S or 5C . Partner should know that a Dbl below 2S is for takeout and will not bid S or H. Hopefully clubs will show first.

Alternatively the partnership may have an agreed advanced bid to show 2 long suits: "Michaels ?" 2N or the precise Leaping Michaels (over 2H) of 4C directly showing Clubs and the opposite major, Spades.

What happened.

The hand was played 10 times, but only two E-W pairs played in game at 4. Some N-S pairs played in s, even at the 4 level! On our table West bid 4 over the double making11 tricks

Partner's double may not be the best bid available since 1NT would have given a better description of the hand. However needing 15-17 pts depending on your range, double or pass were the only alternatives, unless you shade your 1NT overcall. Bidding 1NT would have made it easier for E-W to bid 4 easier since you know that partner will hold something in s as well as in your long suit. If the double is based on both minor suits you must have a contract in 5 if partner does not like your bid of 4!

Those who count points, you have only 7 pts,; but those who count losers realise it is a 6 loser hand. The extreme shape and the double fit in s and s make a contract of 4 a near certainty. Supposing partner passes the 1 opening bid and S passes as well, then surely in fourth position you are going to make a bid. Playing CRO , then 2 showiong two 5-card black suits describes the hand perfectly. If not, overcall 1

One consideration is that you are short in s and partner for his double suggests a shortage in s or a very strong hand with a holding. A slam may be on if partner holds 3 aces and the Q or K of s but this is long odds against

The full hands were

North Deals
None Vul
9 6 3
A Q J 8 4
A 10 6
K 5
A K J 10 5 2
2
7
10 8 7 6 4
N
W E
S
Q 8 4
K 9 5 3
K 9 2
A Q 3
7
10 7 6
Q J 8 5 4 3
J 9 2