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This is an oldie, but a goodie! One of our loyal members sent us the above hand and asked us how we thought the bidding should go. We don’t think many of you are going to agree that the methods proposed below represent old-fashioned bidding, but the methods described were in the employ of world-class American players as early as the 1970’s. Others may cross their eyes and skip right down to the Monday results...however, think of it as a glimpse into the future!
Ai, yi, yi, yi, here we go!
South deals and looks over his hand. To his delight, South has something near 10 tricks: seven solid hearts the ♠Kx is ½ a trick and the ♣AQJ are 2 ½ tricks. Specifically, South has only a few important cards needed to fill out his hand. The obvious cards of use to South are the ♠A, the ♦A, the ♦K (if held with the ♦A), and the ♣K. Yes, the ♠Q and even the ♠J and the ♦Q are of lesser importance.
Let’s see how we can extract from North exactly which of these cards North holds...or doesn't hold.
First, South opens 2♣. This is clear, and North bids 2♦ waiting. Instead of woodenly rebidding 2♥ with this monster, South can show a super strong hand with an Independent Solid Heart suit by jumping to 3♥ over North’s 2♦ waiting response. North must understand that South is setting hearts as trump and demanding North to Cuebid aces up-the-line. North may not be deterred by his trump void!
South North
2♣ 2♦
3♥ is how we begin the auction with South announcing, “My hand is game forcing and hearts are trump! Tell me your specific Aces, then I wanna ask about Kings!”
Here is a logical, if slightly complicated response scheme for North to show all his Aces and Kings (and even Queens) to South.
South North
2♣ 2♦
3♥ asking for Aces and Kings with the following responses by North, the Responder:
3♠ “Partner, I have no Aces, but I have at least one King. You can ask me about them if you like”
3NT “Partner I have the ♠A, but since I had to bid 3♠ with Kings and no Aces, I am
making a 'Substitution Bid' of 3NT.”
4♣ This response is easy; a Cuebid showing the ♣A.
4♦ This response is easy; a Cuebid showing the ♦A.
4♥ This response is logical and easy; a raise denies any Aces or Kings, bad news.
4N This response is hard but very rare and unusual; it shows any two Aces.
South’s hand is repeated now for convenience of the reader:
South
♠ Kx
♥ AKQJ10xx
♦ x
♣ AQJ
The bidding so far:
South North
2♣ 2♦
3♥ 4♦
It’s bad news for South that North does not have the ♠A, South now knows for certain that there is at least one spade loser because North skipped over his 3N response showing the ♠A. Can South find out if North has the ♣K without getting past 5♥?
YES! Since hearts were arbitrarily agreed upon as trumps, South can bid the next suit above trumps to ask for Specific Kings. Over 4♦ South cannot use 4♥ to ask for Kings because the trump suit is hearts and trumps are always reserved for signing off. Instead, South proceeds to the first suit above hearts, 4♠, which artificially asks for Specific Kings.
South North
2♣ 2♦
3♥ 4♦ showing the ♦A, denying the ♠A and ♣A by inference.
4♠ is the first unbid suit above 4♦ by North and now we use the following to show any
Kings.
What is a logical response scheme?
5♣ This response is easy; Responder shows the ♣K.
5♦ This response is easy; Responder shows the ♦K.
5♥ This response is logical and easy; returning to trumps denies any Kings.
5♠ Could be used to show the ♠K BUT. . .
4N Is a non-utilized bid which can be used to show the most economically inefficient King to show (the King which is the farthest away from the 4♠ bid which asked. So, 4N can be used as a Substitution Bid to show the ♠K and save space to ask for Queens!!!!
One last time to repeat the hand:
South
♠ Kx
♥ AKQJ10xx
♦ x
♣ AQJ
And the Final Auction, a Masterpiece!
South North
2♣ 2♦
3♥ Asking Specific Aces 4♦ showing the ♦A.
4♠ Asking Specific Kings 5♣ Showing the ♣K.
6♥ Thanks much Partner!
South knows that there are 11 sure tricks: 7 hearts in hand, Partner’s ♦A, and the combined ♣AKQ. If North has the ♠Q, the hand is cold, if North has four or more clubs to the King, South needs either a favorable club break, a non-diamond lead or the ♠A to be onside.
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