Intended audience: Intermediate and up

 

Neither vul, matchpoints, as south you hold: ♠A4 A1095 KJ7 ♣AK62

 

West

North

East

South

-

-

P

2NT

P

3♠

P

?

 

 

 

 

2NT = 20-21

3♠ = Shows one or both minors. A 3NT response would show a hand not interested in slam, and four of a minor shows a four card suit.

 

What do you bid?

Another judgement hand. You have opened 2NT with only 19 HCPs, and there is a dangerous of going past 3NT playing matchpoints. Yet you have a four card minor and good high card structure.

 

This one is not close. 4♣ is the correct bid. You have an excellent hand. You have the major suit aces, good values in the minors, and a doubleton spade to boot.

 

Partner held a very good hand as well: ♠2 KQ8AQ843 ♣Q954. The rest of our bidding went:

 

West

North

East

South

-

  -

  P

2NT1

  P

  3♠2

  P

4♣3

  P       

  44      

  P         

  45

  P      

  4♠6    

  P

  5♣7

 

  P       

  58       

  P    

  5NT9

 

  P        

  7♣

 

 

120-21

2 Slam try with both minors

3 Four clubs encouraging

4 Key Card ask

5 1 or 4

6 Queen of trump?

7 No

8 Kings?

9 K, no major suit king (5♥ would show K, and 5♠ would show K♠ and deny K)

 

Lessons to Learn

 

1.If you are minimum or even sub-minimum for your bid don’t automatically think you have a minimum, and later underbid.

For example, ♠x xx A10xxx ♣AQxx is a great minimum opening bid, especially if you and partner have a minor suit fit.

 

2.Ensure you and your partner have a set way to ask for key cards when the agreed suit is a minor.

 

 

 

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