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or bid?

First time at a high level.

There is a useful guideline that when we introduce a new suit at the three level that the bid is forcing for at least one round. That’s fine for the three level but what about when the bid is made at the four or the five level? Two recent deals illustrate the problem and perhaps the solution. On both, you are playing Teams.

Therefore, try these problems first.

 

Both sides are vulnerable.

 

East-West are vulnerable.

Neither is a particularly easy situation. In the first case, you could have a poor 11-count. Instead, you are just one hcp off a strong 2-level opening. There are four factors that could guide you to the right decision. The first is that, as 19 hcp hands go, yours is not a great one. KQ was always of doubtful value with East’s vulnerable jump to game suggesting strongly that your have 5 hcp counting for just one trick.

The second is that your partner may be a little short of the values for game. Yours may well compensate.

The third is that assuming East has a normal jump to 4 (they do), that the opponent with your hand will be faced with the same problem. Thus, take the mainstream action and the worst you should get would be a flat board. Are you already reaching for the “pass card”?

The last is that bad trump breaks on freaky deals can destroy the safest looking high- level contract. 

At least, when you put down dummy, you can say to your partner that hopefully you have enough hcp.!

 

As you can see, South made a brave bid of 4. As is often the case, South did not have quite enough to bid 4 but they took a reasonable stab. Your extras would be most welcome.

Had you proceeded on to 6, East could produce a Lightner Double (asking for an unusual lead, often as here dummy’s first bid suit). That would mean down 2 though even on a standard heart lead, there will be a heart and a diamond loser. (There are the same two losers in 6NT and even more were the defence to lead diamonds.)

So, the mainstream action would prove right this time.

What, though, in the second case where your partner bid spades for the first time even one level higher? You do have first round control of the three suits other than spades. Partner should have a decent suit there. So, at the very least, you could raise your partner one-level. You will not be down for the first couple of tricks!

Another approach is that partner would not bid 5 without some tolerance for your suit. So, you could bid 6 if you do not like your spade holding. An even braver bid, since you do have great controls could be 6, indicating that you might have the right cards for 7. That bid would give South the opportunity to bid the grand-slam since what else could North have but good controls as South certainly had the spades well under control.

 

 

 

Alas, our North did not see it in the same light and passed 5. The mainstream here would surely have bid to  small slam.

So, was 5 forcing for one round? The jury must be still out as with a better hand South might have bid slam themselves. However, controls and a long suit count for lots on such a deal and whether 5 was forcing (I think it should be), then this was not the time for North to pass.

The grand would not be without risk as on such a freaky deal East could have 5 spades and or 4 diamonds. On K lead, how would you play the trump suit? Fine on this day but there would be a nervy moment as declarer decided whether or not to overtake 10.

Did you record 650 and 1510 by your two decisions on these boards?

Richard Solomon

 

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