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Deal Analysis
by Mitch Snyder
I'd Rather Be Lucky Than Good.
Here are two hands that fall into this category. Each hand ended in a questionable slam. The auctions could have been better.
First hand: 864 void J9642 AKQ72
I was in third seat and thinking about what I could do with this when partner opened 1D. Wow. The hand just went way up in value, especially if played in diamonds, and right or wrong I’m going to try and get to slam regardless of the ‘point’ value of this hand.
I had 3 possible bids. 2C natural and game forcing, 2D natural (inverted) and game forcing and a 3H splinter. I chose 2D. By setting trump early I might be able to get us into a cuebid (controls) auction that should be effective considering my void. If I bid 2C it will be hard to convince partner of a big diamond fit and 3H takes up too much space.
Partner bid 2NT, showing a balanced or semi-balanced hand with stoppers in both majors. I followed with 3C and partner bid 3NT. Not ready to give up I bid 4NT, quantitative, I thought. Partner bid 5H. With nowhere left to go I bid 6D.
The defenders did not defend well and the contract made. East’s first discard was a high heart implying values there, but as the play continued, he discarded his K & Q of hearts. What was he thinking? Click here to see the whole hand and play.
I’D RATHER BE LUCKY THAN GOOD!
Second hand: AQ3 A8 AJ54 QT53
I’m in fourth seat and hoping for 3 passes so that I can open 1NT. But no, my partner opened 1S. I’m thinking slam right away. With only 3 card support I don’t have a game forcing spade raise so I start with a game forcing 2 over 1 call. I chose 2D because 2C could be a bid of convenience while 2D is more likely to be a real suit.
Partner continued with 3S. In a 2/1 auction, jumps like that are unnecessary. They take up the bidding space which is the whole point of a 2/1 auction. In the common version of 2/1 that I play, a simple 2S bid would show the 6th spade. A jump to 3S here should be used to show an extraordinary suit such as AKQT743. I know that is not the case since I hold the AQ.
I now have a bidding problem. If I support spades (4S) partner might pass. If I bid a new suit, it’s forcing, but so what; the spade fit is still unknown and we’re already on the 4 level.
I see no option other than 4NT despite 2 possible fast losers in clubs. But I am fairly confident that partner holds the A or K of clubs for his jump bid.
Partner showed 1 key card. It doesn’t feel like the greatest slam, the minors are iffy, but partner did jump so he’s got stuff somewhere, I bid the slam.
A heart was led and declarer saw that there was a club loser and a possible diamond loser. You can avoid the diam loser via a finesse or better yet, maybe you can establish a club winner in dummy. As you can see the club does not set up but the diamond finesse was on and the slam made.
I’D RATHER BE LUCKY THAN GOOD!
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