N-S vul, at Matchpoints, you hold as south: ♠A1043 ♥AQ92 ♦A4 ♣732

 

W      N       E       S

-        2♠      P       ?

 

 

What do you bid?

Here is a hand type that I got wrong in the Knockouts and we got wrong in the pairs at our last Sectional. First we know partner has a good weak two – he opened in 1^st seat vulnerable. Let me rephrase – he has a good suit. Looking at the ♠10 in my hand he probably has ♠KQJxxx. Why is this important to know?

 

The reason is that you want to know if he has any point outside of spades. Here the answer is maybe, maybe not. If the heart finesse is onside he has nine tricks. Plus if partner has three diamonds he likely has 10 tricks. For example visualize him holding ♠KQJxxx ♥xx ♦xxx ♣xx. Now if he holds ♠KQJxxx ♥xx ♦xxxx ♣x you are up to 11 tricks with the heart finesse, but North could just as easily be ♠KQJxxx ♥x ♦xxxx ♣xx. Ok, it looks like we want to be in game. Should we consider playing in 3NT?

 

The answer is affirmative. First of all no-trump scores better than a major if you make the same number of tricks. Secondly there are some hands where 3NT makes, but 4♠ does not. Here are two such examples:

 

·        ♠KQJxxx ♥xx ♦xx ♣xxx (Heart finesse is on, and clubs are 4-3, or clubs are 5-2 and they do not lead them, or block the suit.

·        ♠KQJxxx ♥- ♦xxx ♣xxxx on a heart lead.

 

Plus both contracts might make 10 (or 11) tricks. Here are examples:

 

·        ♠KQ9xxx ♥xx ♦xx ♣Axx

·        ♠KQJxxx ♥J10x ♦x ♣QJx

 

The full deal (hands rotated):

 

 

	♠ K Q J 9 8 6 ♥ 7 6 ♦ 6 5 ♣ 10 9 5
♠ 7 ♥ 10 4 3 ♦ K Q J 10 9 2 ♣ Q 6 4		♠ 5 2 ♥ K J 8 5 ♦ 8 7 3 ♣ A K J 8
	♠ A 10 4 3 ♥ A Q 9 2 ♦ A 4 ♣ 7 3 2

 

The winning calls in both hands was 3NT.

 

 

Lessons to Learn

 

 

1)    When considering a bidding decision try to give partner some example holdings and see how many tricks you can make in which contracts.

 

2)    Although not as clear here, sometimes you can deduce that a suit is splitting evenly when the opponents have had a chance to overcall in it, but didn’t.

 

3)    Nine tricks are easier than ten. This is especially critical on a hand where a lot of pairs will not get to game.

 

4)    Even when the opponents can beat a close game, or hold the number of tricks down, the defence is not found, or is not clear from their holdings.

 

 

NEXT PROBLEMS:For the near future all bidding problems will come from the recent Canadian Bridge Championships.

 

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