I know we're supposed to bid a lot with such hands but consider this one:
| ♠ | 8 |
|---|
| ♥ | K T 8 7 |
|---|
| ♦ | 3 |
|---|
| ♣ | A Q 9 6 5 3 2 |
|---|
Shapely indeed but in fourth chair you have to wait. Here's how it starts:
| West | North | East | South |
| - |
1♦ |
1♠ |
2♥ |
|
| | |
Both opponents bidding, they in a forcing auction and we have only the 8 in partners suit. I can't see bidding at this time.
| West | North | East | South |
| - |
1♦ |
1♠ |
2♥ |
| Pass |
3♥ |
Pass |
4♥ |
|
| | |
Now the opponents declare a fit which greatly increases the chance that we have one. Presumably it's in clubs as partner would have bid more aggressively holding seven or more spades. But even if partner has a couple of clubs, we still figure to lose a club a heart and a diamond.
There's another dilemma though. Even though we're red against green there's money to be made against 4
♥. It's never making and so with a club contract uncertain I'll double.
| | ♠ | Q 2 |
|---|
| ♥ | 6 5 2 |
|---|
| ♦ | A K Q 8 6 4 2 |
|---|
| ♣ | 7 |
|---|
|
| ♠ | 8 |
|---|
| ♥ | K T 8 7 |
|---|
| ♦ | 3 |
|---|
| ♣ | A Q 9 6 5 3 2 |
|---|
|  | | ♠ | A K T 7 5 |
|---|
| ♥ | - |
|---|
| ♦ | J 9 7 5 |
|---|
| ♣ | K J 9 4 |
|---|
|
| | ♠ | J 9 6 4 3 |
|---|
| ♥ | A Q J 9 4 3 |
|---|
| ♦ | T |
|---|
| ♣ | T |
|---|
|
Sadly not only does 5
♣ make but when the trumps splint 1-1 it's possibly to ruff three hearts to make 6. However, lots of others thought as I did and doubled hearts.
Down 3 is optimal but several tables slipped a trick. On a spade lead the Ace and King were taken and I pitched a diamond. Partner figured that out pretty quick and gave me a ruff. I could, for style points, under lead in clubs here for a second ruff but playing off Ace and another does almost as well. Declarer ruffs on dummy but later when I win my
♥K I can play another club forcing declarer to either give me an upper cut (ruff in dummy) or concede a spade in the end game (ruff in hand). +500 was worth 11/18 match points.
Bidding challenge time again:
| ♠ | K 9 8 |
|---|
| ♥ | A 8 6 5 |
|---|
| ♦ | A Q 8 6 5 |
|---|
| ♣ | K |
|---|
With silent opponents you open 1
♦ and your partner bids 1
♠.
Since I didn't open a Strong NT I guess I'm playing a Weak NT. Therefore rebid 1NT showing 15-17.
ReplyDeleteOr ... if I inexplicably forgot to open a Strong NT I would have to rebid 2D and hope it doesn't end the auction. I figure partner is more likely to keep the auction open when they don't think I have a Weak NT (which I usually hold for the auction 1D-1S-2S). Reversing 2H on a hand like this is inappropriate in terms of both high card strength and concentration of honours.
My immediate reaction to a strong NT isn't positive but I believe that the best time to open 1NT with a singleton is when it's a King.
ReplyDeleteMaybe on second thoughts 1NT will get you to the right contract more often than other beginnings.
And when that Kingleton is in a minor. If you have a major fit, you'll usually find it through Stayman, transfers, whatever. Especially when P has constructive values.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand what we're worried about here: sure, P might have long diamonds and we play 1NT on a small club lead to the Ace and they cash the suit when we can get +110 in diamonds, but that seems highly unlikely to me. If we're worried that P will bid 3NT on the basis of a club suit, K is so much superior to xx in support.
Getting the strength of our hand off our chest is a good first priority, and if we ignore the prescribed rules, doesn't this hand just *look* like a NT hand: high cards in all the suits and no concentrated values?