This is just the hand that you do not want on the last board playing with a new partner!  Partner puts you in an ambitious 6 Spades just as everyone finishes and starts clearing the tables around you.

South opened 1 Club, West doubled and North bid 1 Heart and you bid 2 spades before partner got carried away!South leads the K clubs.  The problem suit is diamonds. If the K is right then there must be a chance of only losing 1 diamond trick but most of the missing 14 points are more likely to be with South.  ( I said it was ambitious!) What is the best chance?

I think you should assume the 2 red kings are in opposite hands.  If South has the K diamonds you either have to play for it to be doubleton (in which case playing Ace and another will set the diamonds up [and catch a singleton K!) or play for the J to be doubleton in either hand. Then after taking the losing Q finesse, playing the A will drop the J and the suit will be set up.  What if the diamonds are 4-1? If South has KJxx you cannot succeed unless you take a succesful heart finesse, throw a club from hand on the A Hearts, eliminate the hearts and spades and throw South in with a diamond. I think the trumps need to break 2-2. It may be possible double dummy but I would not want to try it at the table! 

I think the line that I would take at the table is as follows:

I want South to have the K Hearts (North is then more likely to have the K diamonds) but South has at most 3 hearts,  so after winning the A Clubs, I would take the precaution of playing A and another heart. This could be over-ruffed if South only had one heart but then the K diamonds is almost certainly wrong and the diamonds are probably not breaking.  If the K Hearts was doubleton then the Q hearts will be good to throw the losing club on, leaving a trump in dummy that can be used to ruff the fourth diamond if they do not break.

The K hearts does not appear, so now draw 2 rounds of trumps, finishing in Dummy.  If they break then you can afford to ruff another heart to try to set up the Qx of Hearts to throw 2 losing diamonds on. (Assumes South has Kxx of hearts but if he doesn't then you are probably losing 2 diamond tricks anyway!)  Unfortunately they do not break - but at least South has the 3 trumps.  This means the long diamonds are with North and so the K is more likely to be right.  Now you have to ruff a heart with the J spades and this drops the K Hearts from South.  So draw the last trump with the Q Spades in Dummy, cash the Qx Hearts throwing the club and a diamond from hand and take the diamond finesse.  The Q wins  giving you 12 tricks - 1 club, 3 hearts, 2 diamonds and 6 spade tricks (4 in Dummy and 2 ruffs in hand.  This is actually a Dummy Reversal - where you ruff twice in the hand with long trumps to get an extra trump trick. Not surprisingly in all the noise and disruption Declarer did not find this line but would have made it if the trumps had been 2-2 or the diamonds 3-2  - it's a tough game!

Jim and John had some ups and downs with Slams on Friday. This is the 'Up'.They were to only ones in 6C on this hand for a clear top. Most pairs were in 5D making 12 or 13 tricks - sometimes doubled!

On many tables South opened 3S and was raised to 4S by North. East has a very unusual hand and has to take a view what to bid. 5S will make unless West leads a Heart for East to ruff or starts with the K diamonds ( or Q clubs) and partner signals (with the QD or JC!) for  a heart switch.  6C or 6D is cold for East/West but it is hard to bid over 4S. Jim bid 4NT over 4S showing both minors and South passed but to no avail as Jim raised 5C to  6C anyway on the basis that John only needs one of the KD or QC to give him an entry to finesse the other - which is likely to be with North anyway because of the pre-empt by South. John must be a very good partner to play with - he had both honours!  

My partner bid 5D expecting that N/S would bid 5S and then she was going to bid 6C to give me a choice. N/S wisely opted out and South cashed her AS so we got a bottom!  See next page for the Down!

They were no so lucky on this board against us!  We play an unimaginably complex set of responses to 2C which are OK as long as we both remember!  Unfortunately my partner missed the double of 2C (when the responses change to another set of complex bids!). 3C was supposed to show a transfer into long diamonds but I interpreted it as showing an A and a K with something in Clubs).  3H was natural but 4D was a really strong bid - a slam try showing the K!  So when John bid 5C I simply jumped to 6H.

Dummy was a bit embarrased to put down her 1 count even with the void in clubs! As it happened the slam was cold. The trumps broke 2-2 and even if the AC is not led (which it was), there are 12 tricks when the spades broke 3-2.  Ross and Mike also bid 6H but I am not sure they will want to explain how they got there!

A tough break for Jim and John but slams often produce strange results!

The Multi 2 Diamond Convention. (see next page for Defence!)

This convention is an alternative to playing weak 2 bids - eg Benji or Reverse Benji. 

 2C is still an Acol strong 2 bid 23+ or equivalent.

2H/2S are still stong bids as in Acol but the 2D bid is used for a variety of hands including weak 2 bids in the majors.

With about 5 to 9 points and a 6 card major you open 2D and partner (unless they have a strong hand or a good fit for hearts or hearts and spades) simply bids a relay of 2H. If opener has a weak 2 in hearts they pass or convert to 2 spades if their suit is spades.

We use the alternatives for:

 a) 19-20 2 Notrump hand, when we rebid 2NT (We define our opening 2 NT as 21 - 22 which helps partner to decide whether to raise 2NT to 3 NT holding poor hands of 3 or 4 points)

b) very strong hands in the minors with a possible 9 tricks but where you are not strong enough to open 2C.

Over the 2H relay, opener bids 2NT with 19/20 balanced (may contain a 5 card major or a singleton honour) and then we play 5 card stayman.

Over the 2H relay we bid 3C or 3D with the big minor suit hands.  These hands are often played in 3NT. Responder will bid their 4 card major or 3 NT without one.  With a fit for the minor and good controls responded may raise to 4 or jump cue bid.

The more complicated situations arise when responder has a strong hand.  We play that 2NT shows about 15 points and is an enquiry bid.  Opener bids 3C with hearts, 3D with spades, 3 hearts with clubs and 3 spades with diamonds. (Sounds confusing but is logical!)

Over 3C or 3D responder can ask 'how strong? ' by bidding next suit up - opener bids at minimum level with 5-7 points and one up with 8-9.  Responder always has the choive of playing in 3NT or 4 of the major.

eg

2D                        -             2NT

3D (spades)         -              3H (how strong?)

3NT (8-9 points)   -              Pass or 4Spades

(note declarer is the strong hand)

There are 3 other situations which give rise to different bids. 

c) If you have about 13 points and 4 hearts game may be on if opener had a weak 2 in hearts - so bid 2S!  If they actually had spades they simply pass but with a weak 2 in hearts they can bid 3 or 4 hearts as apprpriate (this bid makes it very difficult for the 4th in hand if they have spades!)

d) If you have about 13 points and a fit for both majors, then game in either may be on if opener has a maximum - so bid 3H - opener can bid 3 or 4 H or 3 or 4 S as appropriate.

e) Sometimes you have a hand that wants to be in 4 of either major even if partner has a minimum - so bid 4H - partner will convert to spades if necessary. We have found that you need to be very careful with this bid in case partner has a strong hand!  We play that it guarantees 11 points so that there is a reasonable play for a slam opposite a 19-20 2NT hand.

You may ask why play it!  Firstly it keeps 2H and 2S as strong bids like in Acol but you can still open weak 2s in the majors. Secondly it helps to define the NT bids:

12 - 14 open 1NT, 15 - 16 open one of suit and rebid 1NT, 17-18 rebid 2NT, 19 -20 open 2D and rebid 2NT, 21-22 open 2NT.

It also makes it confusing for the opposition to compete.

Defence to the Multi 2D (not sure I should be telling you this!)

If you have about 13 points, on most occasions the opener will have a weak 2 in one of the majors. You will always have 2 opportunities to bid (over the 2D and over either 2H or 2S - so use them! 

We play that an immediate double shows 16+ so partner can usually know whether game is a possibility. 

With less than 16 we either wait for the next round and then double to show 12 - 15 or bid immediately over 2D to show a good 5 card suit  hand (especially a minor if you have neither major)  We play 2H or 2S  as just competitive (good 5 or 6 card suit but may only be 9 -11 points) 3H or 3S as 'intermediate' 12-15 with good suit. With 17-18 and stops in both majors bid 2NT.

In most of these cases partner has a good idea of your hand and can judge where to play.  You need to decide how to play doubles of 2H or 2S (by either partner) - we play them as take out and so you normally only convert a double to penalties if you have 4 trumps and no good alternative.

If everyone played a good defence to a Multi 2D then we might not play it!

There were 2 Multis on Friday which were  good examples- see next page!

Under the new alerting rules most doubles of natural suit bids are assumed to be for takeout (see the EBU announcing and alerting rules under the EBU information on the Home Page) and this certainly applies to Negative doubles - they are not for penalties and do not need alerting.

When would you use a Negative Double?  The most clear cut case is when (say) Partner opens 1 heart and the right hand opponent (RHO) bids 2 diamonds and you have about 8 or 9 points with no good suit to bid. Look at the example above:

Playing Negative Doubles it is easy - just Double to show values but no good suit and no stop in diamonds.  There are lots of precise agreements that you can have - some people promise 4 cards in both other suits, some put a limit on the bid (say 8-10) some play it as unlimited.  Chris and I have found that it is most useful if it simply guarantees 8+ points and 4 cards in the other major (if partner has bit one) or both majors if neither have been bid. This means that if you bid a major it means that you have 5 cards in it and it is forcing for one round.

Opener has usually got a good idea of what to do over the double - with a fit for one of the majors just bid to the highest level that you can justify - It this case I would bid 4 spades because of the singleton diamond, good trumps and the 2 Aces, but you can simply bid at the lowest level on a minimum hand or jump to 3 which is 'invitational'.

Sometimes the opponents will have bid opener's second suit and opener can 'pass' the double and turn it into a penalty double.

It works very well with 5 Card Majors because you know that if partner opens one of a major they will always have a safe rebid if they don't like the other suits and cannot bid Notrumps. (More on 5 Card Majors another time!).

Not convinced? Then what would you bid on the South Hand? What would partner assume?   You could bid 2 Spades - is it forcing?  What would partner do if they only had 3 spades? 

I am still recovering from this board!  I was very disciplined and passed as West with my 6 hearts (we were vulnerable and we promise 6 -10 points with a reasonable suit).  North opened 1S with a good 15 count but then partner doubled (we play strong doubles, 16+). South bid 2S (although there is a good case for playing pre-emptive raises over a double to make it difficult for the opposition). On the 'excuse' that partner probably had hearts, I bid 3H on my 4 points - not to be recommended vulnerable - you never know where you might finish up with an excitable partner!

North showed her good hand by bidding 3S (4 would have been better!) and my enthusiastic partner bid 4D. I assumed that this at least showed tolerance for hearts (she could have bid an unusual 2NT if she had had clubs and diamonds). South, not surprisingly passed on her poor 5 count and I gratefully escaped into 4H, only for North to push onto 4S.  I was hoping that my dear partner would not double or I might have to take it out - not having many defensive tricks!  She didn't double - she bid 4NT!  Pass from South so I had to show 1 Ace, - 5D. North reached for her bidding box - oh good she is going to bid 5S I thought!  No - Double! Partner did not seem worried and pulled out her stop card - 6H! Pass/Pass/Pass.

North led the A spades which I had to ruff in dummy.  Now what?  It looked to me that North had 6 spades and 4 diamods so the hearts were probably 3 -1 which meant that I had to lose a trump trick. I only had 2 more spade losers and a club loser so things were not looking good!

Oh well, one must try!  AD, ruff a diamond in hand, cross to the AC and lead another diamond. South ruffed with the J hearts so instead of over-ruffing I threw my losing club. South led another spade, ruffed in dummy.  K hearts, followed by another diamond.  If South had a trump left and ruffed I could over- ruff  and all the trumps would be gone so I could just cross to the K Clubs and the diamonds were good.  As he trumps were 2-2, I was able to ruff the diamond, draw the trumps with the A and still get back to the KC for the diamonds in dummy to throw away the last losing spade!  +1430.  Partner did not seem that impressed! (but she probably didn't realise that I had bid with just 4 points, vulnerable at the 3 level).

The saddest part is that afterwards I realised that I had misplayed it!  If South had returned a club after I failed to over-ruff I could not get back to enjoy my diamonds in dummy  after I had drawn trumps.  In fact I need the trumps to be 2-2 and so I should have simply drawn trumps, finishing in dummy after ruffing one diamond, and I could have got back to dummy twice in clubs to throw the 2 spades away, just losing a club at the end.  My only excuse is that I was still in a state of shock from being in 6H on a combined 19 count!

Some Norths may well open this 3H and South will raise to 4 to make it difficult for West. It certainly does as the obvious bid with 4 spades is Double and who can blame East for passing with no spades and what looks like 3 tricks!  4H is cold against any defence.

Chris opened 2D, East passed and I bid 3H (invitational to 4H or 4S). This is more difficult for West as North could have 19 - 20 points or South could have 5 spades. Partner is unlikely to have more than 12 or 12 points as they did not bid and N/S sound as if they have about 20 points between them. West passed and North bid 4H which makes easily.

Unfortunately for E/W 6C or 6D is cold!  Over 2D (or 2H) I would bid on East's hand.  Over 2D you guess that North has a weak 2 in a major and partner may well double for take out if you pass. East's hand is too good to just bid 3C over a double and jumping to 4 may not be right if partner wants to play in the other major or in 3NT.  You are worth one bid so get it over with!  You would have a job keeping me out of  a slam with West's hand once partner has bid 3C!  If north or south  has a strong hand then they may well play in 3NT or 4 of a major and I want to tell partner what to lead.

Over 2H there is more reason to bid,  Partner almost certainly will double or bid spades. I don't know what I am going to do - so I am solving the problem now by bidding my hand first!

This hand shows the value of a strong Double of the Multi 2D.  If West knows that East has 16+ then her hand is worth a bid.  With 2 suits Double is best.  East can happily bid 4S knowing West has about 8 points.

East's hand is too good for 2S. If they bid 3S - would it be forcing or premptive?

A good defence to a Multi takes away some of its advantages.  Fortunately not many pairs have one!

After some complaints the week before about the number of very flat boards, we decided to turn up early on Friday and give a good shuffle to as many boards as possible before they were dealt.

This was one of the results!  No doubt there were many different sequences to get to a slam with both West and East competing show their wonderful suit. Fortunately East was in control as Hearts outrank diamonds.  East should appreciate that they hold the key card in the K clubs and needs it to be led up to so that the defence cannot take 2 quick tricks before all the losers go away on the diamonds.  Most pairs were in 6H with 2 pairs making 13 when South did not lead their A clubs. 

It is always difficult to know whether to cash an Ace against a slam and this hand is a good example. Leading the Ace against 6H is best here but look what happens if a very clever East tries to get a top by bidding 6NT.  If you lead the A clubs it holds it to 12 tricks but this is still a bad score - but if you lead a spade ........  Despite declarer looking as if they have 17 top tricks, she cannot get to the hearts without leading a club and then South gets a club and 3 spade tricks for 3 off!  It is a hard game to get right some days!

When you make a mistake bidding!

Insufficient Bid

Any bid, pass, X or XX  can be accepted or condoned by LHO – no penalty.

Bid out of Rotation

Before any player has bid:

when RHO’s turn to bid :

–        if RHO passes then bid repeated – no penalty.

–        If RHO bids then if offender repeats denomination then partner must pass for one round – if different then partner must pass throughout. Lead penalties may apply.

When LHO’s turn to bid

–        can be accepted or condoned

–        if not. then bid withdrawn and partner must pass throughout and lead penalties may apply.

When Partner’s turn to bid:

Unless condoned offender’s partner must pass throughout and lead penalties may apply.

LHO = Left hand opponent RHO = Right hand opponent