Deal #16

[straube]

You are South and dealer. V vs V. imps. Uncontested auction.

 

.......................94

.......................7

.......................742

.......................AQJ8763

KJ75.....................................T8

JT86.....................................Q542

J53.......................................QT986

T2.........................................95

.......................AQ632

.......................AK93

.......................AK

.......................K4

 

Outcomes

 

6C S SCREAM

6C S Polish Club

6N S relknes

7C S Moscito

7C S IMprecision

7C S Silent Club

6C S Malfoir

6N N New Big Club

6N N Zelandakh

7C S Meckwell Light

7C S Precision by Free

7C S OCP

7C S Precision by the_clown

7C S Jasmine Club (6C?)

7C S dake50

7C S TOSR

[straube]

You are South and dealer. V vs V. imps. Uncontested auction.

 

.......................94

.......................7

.......................742

.......................AQJ8763

KJ75.....................................T8

JT86.....................................Q542

J53.......................................QT986

T2........................................95

.......................AQ632

.......................AK93

.......................AK

.......................K4

 

SCREAM bids this...

 

1C-1H 16+, 2-4 QPs

1S-2S GF ask, single-suited clubs

2N-3S ask, 3136 or better

4C-4S ask, 4 QPs, 0 or 2 top clubs

6C

 

I'm afraid we miss the grand because we only can approximate responder's shape and don't know of the 7th club. The 6C contract seems better because we can hopefully ruff one diamond in hand.

 

On a side note, I feel like others and would like some part score hands...but not inclined yet to select for these.

[antonylee]

Not very scientific for me...

1♣-3♣ (Polish; natural invite)

3♠-4♣

6♣

[relknes]

You are South and dealer. V vs V. imps. Uncontested auction.

 

.......................94

.......................7

.......................742

.......................AQJ8763

KJ75.....................................T8

JT86.....................................Q542

J53.......................................QT986

T2........................................95

.......................AQ632

.......................AK93

.......................AK

.......................K4

 

1♣ - 1♦

2♠ - 3♣

3♥ - 4♣ (North may also choose 3N here, betting on partner for a stopper, given partner's strength)

4♦ - 4♥ (North may also jump to 6♣ here)

4N - 5♦

6N

 

Akward auction, again... may end up in 6♣ instead.

 

Translation:

S: 16+, N: 0-8

S: hand that would have opened 2♣ and rebid 2♠ in standard american, N: 5-8 points, natural

S: 5+ spades and 4+ hearts, N: 6+ clubs

S: 4th suit, 8+ controls, 5 spades, 4 hearts, forcing to at least 5♣, N: asking for the ace of hearts

S: both major suit aces, asking if north has 2 of the top 3 clubs, N: 2 of the top 3 clubs, asking for the ace of diamonds

S: signing off in NT

 

If North chose to bid 3N after South bid 3♥, South would bid 4N inviting, and North would bid 6♣, showing 6+ good clubs and no diamond stopper (which south should correct to 6N).

 

If North jumped to 6♣ after hearing about South's controls (south's 4♦ bid), then South will probably go to 7♣. North is worried here, however, that if South has a club void, neither 6♣ nor 6N may be making.

 

So, though we may occasionally find 7♣, it depends on a reach by North. Realistically, I think we end up in 6N most of the time.

[hrothgar]

MOSCITO

 

1♣ - 1♦ 1♦ = art GF

1♥ - 2♣ 2♣ = ss clubs or 2 suited blacks

2♦ - 2♥ 2♥ = ss clubs

2♠ - 3♣ 3♣ = middle shortage

3♦ - 3♠ 3♠ = 3127 / 2137 shape

4♥ - 4N 4♥ = RKCB for Clubs, 4N = 1/4

5♦ - 5♥ 5D = Q of Clubs. 5H = yes, denies honor in Hearts or Spades

???

 

At this point in time, you need to decide whether you are willing to bid a safe Six Notrump or risk 7♣

 

7♣ makes if responder has 2 spades and three diamonds

If the pointy suits are reversed, its on a hook

 

I'd bid 7

[awm]

IMprecision:

 

1♣ - 2♣ (strong, natural)

2♦ - 3♣ (GF relay, 6+♣ short hearts)

3♦ - 3♠ (relay, 2137 or 3127)

4♣ - 4♥ (strength relay, 4 RP)

4♠ - 4NT (relay, 0 or 2 of the top clubs)

5♣ - 5♦ (relay, 0 or 2 of the top spades)

 

At this point we have basically the same choice as hrothgar; I will also go with 7♣.

[rbforster]

Silent Club:

 

1♣-1♠ strong; GF bal or clubs

1N-2♣ relay; clubs GF or a good one suited invite

2♥-2♠ strong relay; shortness in major

2N-3♣ relay; 7321 pattern

3♦-3♠ relay; x1x7 shape with 6 or fewer QPs

4♣-4♥ relay; club card, no spade card

4♠-4N relay; no diamond card

5♣-5♠ relay; HHJ in clubs, no spade jack

6N-P count to 12.5

 

Our relay auction is ambiguous for strength due to the possible invitational hand type (as here), but opener knows to expect either AQ♣ or full values. Without exact count on QPs, we aren't able to infer whether the heart stiff is a queen for 13 tricks, and just settle for the known 6N.

[Hilver]

Hilversumse Klaveren (HK)

 

1♣ - 2NT

4NT - 5♣

5♦ - 5♠

6NT

 

Explanation:

1♣ = 16+, not a balanced 16-20

2NT = transfer to ♣, 7+ card, 5-7 HCP, mostly in clubs

4NT = RKC

5♣ = 1 keycard

5♦ = asking for the Queen of clubs

5♠ = Queen of clubs

 

Jan

[Zelandakh]

I dislike this hand intensely, simply because there are so many difficult decisions. The first is whether the South hand is best treated as a game force or as an Acol 2. After South shows the majors and North shows clubs, the next decision is whether North should show some spade support with 3♠ or blast past 3NT to show the super club suit. Then you need tp pick a path through the slam investigations. In the end, I think I would settle for 6NT - 7♣ is only about 70% and I do not think this is enough to risk it on this kind of hand.

 

1♣ = 15+ nat/bal or 18+ any

... - 1♦ = most non-GF

1♠ = 18+ 3-suited or unbal GF (alternative is 2♠)

... - 1NT = ~6-8 (a few months back North could have bid 2NT as a positive with clubs but I have changed this to show a weaker hand)

2♠ = natural

... - 3♣ = natural

3♥ = natural

... - 4♣ = natural (alternative is 3♠; I disagree with relknes' 3NT in the equivalent spot)

4♦ = agrees clubs (NOT RKCB; but if we had shown ♠+♦ then 4♥ WOULD be RKCB)

... - 4♥ = RKCB

4♠ = 1 or 4 key cards (yes, I am aware 3041 is superior with strong hands)

... - 5♦ = K ask

5♥ = ♥K

... - 5♠ = K ask

5NT = ♦K

... - 6♦ = Q ask

6♠ = ♠Q (only)

... - 6NT

 

@rb, I think you found out essentially the same information as hrothgar and awm in your auction. It is not the ♥Q you need so much as a 2137 shape. Even if the shape is 3127 the grand has decent chances. I think the odds favour you bidding 7♣ here and you should consider changing your submission to the top spot (no anti-resulting!).

 

Edited to correct silliness.

[straube]

 

@rb, I think you found out essentially the same information as hrothgar and awm in your auction. It is not the ♥Q you need so much as a 2137 shape. Even if the shape is 3127 the grand has decent chances. I think the odds favour you bidding 7♣ here and you should consider changing your submission to the top spot (no anti-resulting!).

 

I'd had the same thought. Rob, is there a reason why we shouldn't amend your auction to 7C? You're counting on ruffing a diamond or a spade finesse if pd only has two diamonds. Seems like a 70% grand or so.

[rbforster]

Zel and straube - you're right of course. I wasn't thinking about the extra ruffing chance, which, with the backup hook, should make the grand a good bet.

[Siegmund]

Malfoir will reach 6C, probably the same way as Antonylee's. (1C-3C is constructive 6-9ish, 6+ clubs no 4CM.) I won't know about the 7th club in time. At least I will know there is no need to look for a 4-4 heart fit, so I can concentrate on clubs after 3S-4C.

 

Unassuming Club uses a strong 2C and a preemptive 3C response so the in-between hand has to start with 1D. This produces a really slow start to the auction:

 

1C-1D

1H-2C (19-20 bal, or 19+ 2-suited, or GF / artif 6-9... jump to 3C now would be 0-5 with 7 clubs)

2S-3C (finally a couple of natural bids)

3H-4C (a couple more natural bids, and everybody starts to panic)

And now hopefully opener believes responder and we carry on to 6C. Here again I will not be confident of being able to play 7C, even after I know partner has CAQ.

[JLOGIC]

1C 3C (Strong, 2 of the top 3 seventh and out)

4C 4H

7C

 

My idea with 4C is to get partner to cuebid his shortness. If he has no shortness then I will play 6. When he shows short hearts then it is likely he has 3 diamonds, and if he doesn't I'm on a spade hook.

[Free]

1♣-3♣ (16+ ; INV good 7 card, concentrated values)

4♣-4♥ (sets trumps ; odd nr of keycards and ♥ cue)

7♣

 

Since responder showed a ♥ cue and I hold AK, he has a shortness. Grand is at worst on a finesse, but the chance is much bigger that responder holds only 2 ♠s. Responder can have 3=0=3=7, 2=1=3=7, 8+♣, and when he holds a 3=1=2=7 we need the ♠ hook.

 

South already knows that partner has ♣A, so he'll see if he can get a cuebid. Any suit he cuebids (4NT being a ♦ cue) will be shortness, in which case we'll bid grand. If he bids 5♣ denying a cue, he has 2=2=2=7. There's no need to be afraid of not showing ♣Q, since he pretty much implied it with his 3♣ bid (and when opener is looking for grand, he can still verify with 5NT).

[antonylee]

Unassuming Club uses a strong 2C and a preemptive 3C response so the in-between hand has to start with 1D. This produces a really slow start to the auction:

 

1C-1D

1H-2C (19-20 bal, or 19+ 2-suited, or GF / artif 6-9... jump to 3C now would be 0-5 with 7 clubs)

2S-3C (finally a couple of natural bids)

3H-4C (a couple more natural bids, and everybody starts to panic)

And now hopefully opener believes responder and we carry on to 6C. Here again I will not be confident of being able to play 7C, even after I know partner has CAQ.

 

Actually I just realized that responder may be a little too weak for 3♣ (I don't really know...) so the auction may start 1♣-1♦; 2♠-3♣ and now we're at the same same spot as you are after three rounds.

[straube]

Actually I just realized that responder may be a little too weak for 3♣ (I don't really know...) so the auction may start 1♣-1♦; 2♠-3♣ and now we're at the same same spot as you are after three rounds.

 

What's your full auction then?

[antonylee]

1♣-1♦ (various hand types)

2♠-3♣ (0-8 or 9-11 with a bad minor... yes that is quite horrible)

3♥-4♣

4♦-4♥ (keys? 1)

4♠-4N (♣Q? yes and no king)

6♣

 

or something ugly like that.

[straube]

1♣-1♦ (various hand types)

2♠-3♣ (0-8 or 9-11 with a bad minor... yes that is quite horrible)

3♥-4♣

4♦-4♥ (keys? 1)

4♠-4N (♣Q? yes and no king)

6♣

 

or something ugly like that.

 

I think you have some difficult choices. For example after opener rebids 3H, you could show spade tolerance with 3S. The 4C bid is attractive because it suggests (I think) some values and a good suit, but it's pretty directional and you don't have the ten. Anyway, your auction makes sense, but so does a 3S bid and I'm wondering what others would do in North's position. I don't think 3S sets spades. Perhaps opener would bid 4C himself and responder would key card. What do you think? Help from the group?

[JLOGIC]

I would definitely bid 4C not 3S, my hand is AQJxxxx and out I'm certainly going to bid clubs at least twice, I really want to play in clubs and I want to get across the message to partner that that is what my hand is about. Bidding 3S is just taking a good thing too far, it's ok to make very strong statements/directional bids if your hand is completely about one thing, in fact that's what you hope to do.

[straube]

I would definitely bid 4C not 3S, my hand is AQJxxxx and out I'm certainly going to bid clubs at least twice, I really want to play in clubs and I want to get across the message to partner that that is what my hand is about. Bidding 3S is just taking a good thing too far, it's ok to make very strong statements/directional bids if your hand is completely about one thing, in fact that's what you hope to do.

 

That was fast :) Thanks for your input. Makes sense.

[antonylee]

Edit: 3♣ is like 3-8 or 9-11 (2♠ is not strictly forcing, which may be a bit underbid but well). Otherwise I think that yes, I have more than enough clubs to bid them twice.

[straube]

Edit: 3♣ is like 3-8 or 9-11 (2♠ is not strictly forcing, which may be a bit underbid but well). Otherwise I think that yes, I have more than enough clubs to bid them twice.

 

I haven't studied Polish very much though I read a book on it once. How do you establish a GF if not jumping? I had the impression that you were in a GF.

[antonylee]

WJ05 has 1♣-1♦-2M=21-23ish; 1♣-1♦-2♦=art. GF (now 2♥=double negative and higher bids are whatever you decide to play, in our case 2♠=5-8 balanced, 2N-3♥=transfers (5-6 in a major, ~7-11 in a minor) (perhaps it would be more useful to use 2♠ for some harder stuff like two or three-suiters but honestly the GF opposite 1♦ came up approximately once in one and a half year so we didn't really optimize this))

Yes it means that strong hands with 5♦4x are quite hard to bid. Usually some combination of canape sequences and specialized jumps to the 3-level handle them.

 

If you think not GF'ing with opener's hand is ridiculous (perhaps it is, indeed...) I could also see

1♣-1♦

2♦-2N (clubs)

3♠-4♣

6♣

 

More opinions are welcome :)

[straube]

WJ05 has 1♣-1♦-2M=21-23ish; 1♣-1♦-2♦=art. GF (now 2♥=double negative and higher bids are whatever you decide to play, in our case 2♠=5-8 balanced, 2N-3♥=transfers (5-6 in a major, ~7-11 in a minor) (perhaps it would be more useful to use 2♠ for some harder stuff like two or three-suiters but honestly the GF opposite 1♦ came up approximately once in one and a half year so we didn't really optimize this))

Yes it means that strong hands with 5♦4x are quite hard to bid. Usually some combination of canape sequences and specialized jumps to the 3-level handle them.

 

If you think not GF'ing with opener's hand is ridiculous (perhaps it is, indeed...) I could also see

1♣-1♦

2♦-2N (clubs)

3♠-4♣

6♣

 

More opinions are welcome :)

 

I think I would open it a strong 2C and then I'd be catapulted into game after bidding two suits (I suppose I could rebid 2N). I guess you're on the cusp between a 2S and a 2D rebid...but one auction may have easier continuations than the other so not sure what I would do. Maybe Justin can advise...

[antonylee]

By the way the reason why 2♠ does not create a GF is that 1♠ (and 1♥) also has to handle WNT hands (1♣-1♦-1N=18-20), and thus is NF (responder is expected to pass with 0-(3)4). So hands with 21-23ish have to go to 2M.