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The End Justifies the Means

Match Point Pairs can be a brutal game but should we really be playing for tops and suffer the occasional (or is it more than the occasional?) bottom or look for average plusses? What then about the following?

 

You promised at least 4 clubs with your opening bid, as did your partner with their response. That showed the standard 6- 9 hcp. So, what now?

We have two schools of thought:

Andy Braithwaite “3NT: At Pairs going for the maximum score.”

Pam Livingston “3NT: I'm not sure what else to say - that's what I’ve got.” and the very direct:

Michael Cornell "3NT: As my 4 year old granddaughter would say ‘you must be joking’ I bid 3NT,my first choice,my 2nd choice and  my 23rd choice.

We may not even get a heart lead but partner could hold KJ10 anyway!”

 

Bruce Anderson “3NT: this may not make on a heart lead but I am not playing against the field in that the great majority with my hand will bid game after their partner has shown anything. Obviously, I am presuming partner does not have a four- card major.” 

Ah, there’s an issue, that of only one heart hold. We are going with the field even if the field may be wrong. It sounds like we will have plenty of company if our contract fails. Yet, do we have to bid like this? Two Panellists consider which of our hands are best to play no trumps and come up with different solutions:  

Nigel Kearney “2. I want to invite game but I don't have the right sort of hand to play 2NT if partner is minimum and would prefer 3. For example, he might have Jxx xxx Qxx QJxx (probably 10 tricks in clubs and 7-8 in NT).  If we are going to play 3NT it might be better for the lead to come up to partner's hearts. If he has J10x or J9x and I should declare, we can still arrange that.”

Stephen Blackstock “2: I am assuming no bidding kit to address this quite common situation. Serious pairs will have a method to reach a forcing 2NT so that further investigation can avoid 3NT opposite weak/short hearts (and West has no more than three already).

Opening 2NT is plausible, but single dummy it is inferior here because then investigating minor suit contracts is difficult before the 3NT barrier is reached. On the other hand, 2NT-3NT doesn't help South so much with the opening lead.

 I reject 2 as that will show at least nine black cards; 2 is always "suspect" as a probe for more description from West and at present, 5 or a 4-3 spade fit may play better than 3NT. But at Pairs a 3NT rebid has attractions because the field will do just that, it will often be the right contract, and whenever it matters the heart position will play better from East more often than from West.”

Meanwhile, another vote for 2:

Kris Wooles “2. I’m wary about bidding 3NT off the cuff. Partner might have Ax xxx Jxx QJxxx when on a heart lead 3NT may well go down and 5 makes (even 6 sometimes). I realise I’d bid the same way with 5/5 in the blacks but if partner bids 3 now I’m aiming most likely for 5.”

Well, to get to the best spot on this deal still requires the right action from your partner but without a 2 bid from you now, they would seem to have little chance. You have a maximum 5 hearts between yours and your partner’s hand and it seems unlikely that you can run 9 tricks without losing the lead. So, why not ask partner’s opinion and they have the chance to reach potentially the best contract:

 

Maybe West anticipates their partner having three hearts and thus ruffing a loser in dummy. 3 must suggest playing a 4-3 fit and that must be good for East too.

No ruff needed but even on a heart lead, 4 will make with a 3-3 trump break. The player with A will hold off for two rounds but a third round of trumps sees an end to the defence, and even an overtrick if there is no diamond loser.

Of course, with that line, 4 will fail. With the 4-2 break, declarer can only afford to play two rounds of trumps and then must play the minors for no loser. East would lose two trumps and a heart. Such a line would fail if spades broke 3-3 unless there was no diamond loser.

   but poor score.

Meanwhile a heart lead from either side will see a quick end to 3NT, as long as North chose a high heart. 5 requires no diamond loser which is often unavoidable.

So, was the means justified by the end? It seems so for the 3NT bidders because if you did not score 430 or 460, your result was to be poor. Most did not find the heart lead against 3NT. 4 could be made (as indeed could 5) but just bidding 3NT and hoping got the best result. Whoever said Match Point Pairs brought out the best of bidding!

Fri  is of course for our less experienced players.

Richard Solomon

 

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