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is?

Where to next?

Under one third of the North-South pairs bid today’s North/South cards to quite a reasonable slam, many being satisfied to play in 3NT. Let’s see what our Panel would bid at a key moment in the bidding.

 

 

To some degree, this question depends on your system agreements. Let us say 2 is natural, 10+hcp. 2is 4^th suit forcing but it is up to you as to whether it is 1-round or game- forcing.

I feel it easier if one plays a 4^th Suit Forcing bid as “forcing to game”. It saves the doubts about whether both partners agree on the nature of subsequent bids. This treatment does restrict the use of this convention on marginal game deals but it does avoid having those bidding accidents.

However, it does seem our Panel are clear that the action they all take is 100% forcing:

Stephen Blackstock “3: Logically this should be 100% forcing: with invitational values but lacking spade support I would bid 2 then 3, or 2 then 2NT. There is no need to go through 2 with an invitational hand. I can’t be looking for a 4-4 heart fit as with 5440 shape North’s rebid is 2, not 2.”

Michael Ware “3: This is game forcing. Just because 2 is a one round force, doesn't make this non-forcing. Bidding 3 over 2 is non-forcing.”

Nigel Kearney “3: We are still looking for the best denomination. Fourth suit followed by repeating your own suit is forcing, regardless of whether 2 forced us to game or not. If I had an invitational hand with clubs, I would have bid 3 last time.”

So, no matter how you play 4^th suit Forcing, it would seem the rebid of responder’s suit is game forcing for the reasons given above. Our next four panellists go for “game forcing” thus making their next bid straightforward:

Kris Wooles “3: playing 4th suit as GF and developing my hand slowly and naturally.”

Bruce Anderson “3: as far as I am concerned bidding fourth suit creates a game force, unless for some strange reason there is a partnership agreement to the contrary.

North’s next bid will determine whether we settle for game or try for greater things. Partner would have supported my suit with three clubs, and did not bid NT’s after I bid fourth suit, meaning they have little or no strength in hearts. But he/she could hold Qx; if so that support should be shown over 3, and then a slam is a real possibility.”

Andy Braithwaite “3: showing a good but not solid suit after a gf 2 bid.

(4 would be an unconditional suit set).”

 

Pam Livingston "3:Fourth suit is forcing to game.  Gives us plenty of room to explore our possible slam.  I have great suit contract cards so am not confessing to a heart stop yet."

 

However, one Panellist is less confident about bidding 3 unless we are in a game-force:

Peter Newell “3: It does rather depend on whether 2 is game forcing or not.  If 2 is game forcing then for me it is clear to bid 3. I have a great suit, useful hand, and it is not clear whether we belong in spades, NT or clubs.

 So, 3 keeps the bidding low and shows the key feature of my hand, and allows room below 3NT for partner to describe their hand.  Partner may bid 3NT with a heart stop which I’ll pass or rebid spades in which case spades looks best or raise clubs. If partner rebids 3, I’ll bid 3. “

For most therefore, 3 is game-forcing even if 2 was not. However, there was also some discussion about what our partner has shown by bidding 2.

Stephen Blackstock “An issue I will need to address later in the auction is the meaning of North’s 2 bid. What is this partnership’s “default” action over 2 with a mundane hand, i.e., does 2 show extra length (6+ cards) or does it simply say “nothing more to add at this stage” and thus could be say 5242, 5341 or similar? It is a shame your footnote did not address this as it could be critical to the final contract. An alternative default response for North is 2NT, giving more meaning to a 2 bid – there are of course downsides to whichever way you choose to play.”

I would think 2 would be the default action if partner had nothing extra to say over 2. One main purpose of 4^th suit forcing is to find a hold in the 4^th suit for no-trumps and therefore bidding no-trumps without a hold does not seem wise.

The point about 2 not promising a 6-card suit is also made by Michael Ware whose prediction for a non-unanimous Panel is unfounded:

Michael Ware “Only thing I can think of for a non-unanimous panel is if 2 promised six spades, and somebody bid 3. Dreadful. 6 is still likely to play better than 6 - at this stage.

Indeed, it did play better, Michael. No 3 bidders and just wait as the actual hand unfolds. Firstly, though, some advice if you think 3 is passable:

Peter Newell “If 2 is not a game force and 3 is not forcing (if 3 is forcing I would always bid it), then it is rather a guess. When in doubt bid 3NT, 4 a close second choice. (Hopefully, Michael Ware did not read that line!). However, partner could easily have 5 good spades on this auction and 9 tricks may well be easier but it is really a guess and I don’t see any other bid that is going to help much.”

which really points to the fact that 3 should be game forcing even if 2 was not.  

Well, partner had it all, a 6^th spade, secondary club support and quite a decent hand. It would seem they had enough to raise 3 a level…and then small slam should be reached quite quickly even with the Q missing.

 

 

4 is Minorwood (an efficient use of the next step up once a fit has been established) with 4 showing 1 or 4 Key Cards. 4 asked for the trump queen with South bidding the small slam despite this card being denied.

6 is certainly the best of the available slams, almost cold on a non-diamond lead and even a reasonable spot when the K is/ was led. Declarer can play 2 rounds of trumps and when the news was bad, as above, turn to spades.

As is often the case, it is wrong to take the spade finesse. As long as West has 3 spades, they cannot ruff the third round and when they do ruff the fourth round, there is no diamond trick left for the defence. On the actual deal, the fall of the Q showed another good reason not to finesse.

Meanwhile, it is even money in 6 whether you finesse for the Q or go for the drop. In 6NT after a high diamond lead, you can play AK of one black suit and if the news is bad, decide how you will play the other. (Note that if you start successfully with AK, you can run the clubs but still need 3 spade tricks. If West has Qxx and KQ, they will be squeezed.) Hopefully, you played successfully…as those who found their way to slam deserved a little good fortune. However, for reasons stated, 6 is best.

Richard Solomon

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