Bidding and play of two interesting hands played at a local club
Hand No. 1
Dlr:
North
Vul: None
A
A
K
A
Q2
9732
653
10 8 5 4
J4
KQ84
J7
2
22
2
6
10
K 10 7 3
J 10 5
84
KQJ7
9865
6
A Q 10 9 2
963
At all tables E/W are in 3NT with West as declarer. At the tables Declarer makes 11/12/13
tricks.
Problem
How should the hand be bid to find either 6H or 6NT?
Bidding the hand:
After three passes ( assuming South does not bid a Weak Two in Diamonds) West will open
the bidding with 2NT (Balanced 20-22 Points).
East has 10 High Card Points (HCP) and two 10s. All the points are “working” especially the
Clubs. Game is certain. What are the chances of a slam?
1
The No Trump Slam
If West is maximum, the partnership has 32 HCP plus two 10s.
Usually 33-34 points are needed for a small slam.
However, East is good enough to try for 6NT.
East bids 4NT (Quantitative) which asks West to bid 6NT if maximum.
West duly obliges and hopes his King of Diamonds is in the right place!
Final Contract:
6NT by West
The Major Suit Slam
East would like to know about West’s holding in the majors.
If East bids 3C (Stayman) West will bid 3H . However, East does not know that West has 5
Hearts so bids 3NT which probably ends the auction.
However, if the partnership uses some form of 5-card Stayman over 2NT to ask for a
5-card major, then 3C from East will bring 3H from West.
East now knows they have 30-32 points and an 8-card fit in Hearts.
The partnership’s Ace and, if required, King asking bids should lead to a final contract of 6H.
Final Contract: 6 Hearts by West
Verdict
a. 6NT is the wrong side of good in Pairs (Diamond guess etc).It's only easy because of the
Spade position.
b. 6 Hearts is much better as you have time to test Spades as follows: Win lead, draw 2
trumps, then 3 Clubs discarding a Spade, then 3 Spades ruffing high, back to dummy with
trump to discard 2 Diamonds on long spade and Club Jack. None of this is necessary this time
as Spade Q falls.
2
Hand No. 2
Dlr: South
Vul: Both
10 8 6 5
A72
J65
Q43
Board
No 7
14
Q72
KQ63
942
987
J9
10 8 4
A K Q 10 8
A 10 5
12
7
AK43
J95
73
KJ62
7
At the tables North played 3NT three times and 1NT once. South played 3NT twice.
North usually made 9 tricks on a Heart lead.
South made 10 or 12 tricks after the likely Spade lead.
Question
How should the hand be bid so that South is declarer in 3NT?
Solution Two options are given which depend on your partnership’s bidding style.
South has a semi balanced hand with 14 HCP. The opening choices are 1D or 1NT.
Opening 1D
Because of the strength of the Diamond suit, the hand is strong enough for South to open 1D
and then rebid 1NT over North’s 1S.
With 12 points, North readily bids to 3NT
The bidding sequence would be (with East/ West silent):
1D - 1S - 1NT - 3NT
Opening 1NT
South is maximum for his 1NT opener.
North with 12 HCP knows a game is likely if South is Maximum.
Should you look for 4S or 3NT?
3
Looking for 4S:
North bids 2C Stayman, South bids 2D.
North bids 2NT showing the balanced hand and 12 points
With a maximum 1NT south bids 3NT.
In summary,
1NT - 2C - 2D - 2NT - 3NT
Looking for 3NT
The partnership needs a bid to invite game in NT or a bid to ask South to define the point
count of the hand more precisely.
1. For many partnerships North would bid 2NT to show 11/12 points. South then bids
3NT.
2. For some partnerships North would bid 2S to show 11+ points (says nothing about
Spades). South would bid 2NT with 12 points or 3NT with 14 points as in this case.
4