Missed Opportunity

I was asked to pick a board where the results were all over the place and attempt a narrative as to why.  On Board 8 all pairs made thirteen tricks.  However, it was a remarkable hand in that 7 ♣, 7 ♥ or 7 NT were all virtually laydown contracts.  Despite this only four pairs bid and made a small slam in clubs.  NTs should only be attempted if a poor run of scores needs a boost for a “Top”. 

Perhaps the quote below is fondly applied to west who, after dealing, had to take the initial lead and make a positive response to partner’s strong hand.  After that it was east to deliver the goods.  A good heart fit including the K ♥ presumably with west, club support and Blackwood denoting all four aces between the two hands should have spurred the partnership to a grand slam.  Hope is a species of happiness and the delights would have been amply rewarded.   A grand slam should always be bid if the contract looks a very good bet.

Quote:  A leader is a dealer in hope.   Napoleon Bonaparte

Opening Lead

Board 8 had an interesting problem for east against 3 NT by north.  Standard 4^th highest card was 5 ♦ which was a disastrous choice whereas K ♦ would have fared well.  The 9 ♦ deserves better consideration given that it is a high intermediate card.  Forcing the A ♦, which would have been an automatic choice holding K, Q, 10 ♦, provides a free look at dummy and a chance for partner to indicate happiness or not with the suit particularly if holding 10 ♦.  Alas, it was again the “curse of Scotland” providing the challenge!  If the third highest card had been lower than 9 ♦ then 5 ♦ would have been correct.

A thought about board 3 assuming the appropriate convention is played.  If west opens a gambolling 3NT it is quite easy for east to reach a good scoring slam.  A pre-emptive opening of 4 ♣ would have given a poor score since east does not have enough time to locate the whereabouts of the A ♣ without getting too high in the bidding.  A minor suit game would have been a very poor option.

Conventions

A scots international player was recently asked, “What is the curse of Scotland?”  He replied, “A text message on David Cameron’s mobile from Alex Salmond!”

Board 20 had three interesting features about it.  The “curse of Scotland” was sitting in the north hand.  Perhaps it had an effect on the contract outcome?!

Heather mentioned that west received a hand with no card higher than an “8”.  A genuine Yarborough is one with all cards below a “10”.  It occurs once in 1 826 deals.  The odds of this unique horror are 1 in 16 960 hands.

If north calls a strong Acol 2 ♣ east should double for an opening lead.  South responds with a pass or 2 ♦ if no double was forthcoming.  North can now make 6 ♥ on any lead.   In effect, north has protected his/her club and diamond tenace holdings.  Those pairs playing “Benjamin Acol” had a worse time of it.  An opening 2 ♦ elicited a weak 2 ♥ response.  South was now playing the slam which invited a club lead from west and eleven tricks maximum.

                     Quote:  All cases are unique and very similar to others.  T S Eliot

Signalling

West takes the A ♠ on the third round everybody having followed suit.  Eight tricks are now on top but how should a ninth be developed?  The diamonds could break 3-3 or A ♥ sits with north.  If diamonds are tried first and do not break then north could have A♥, long diamonds and K ♠.  That is two off and a poor score.  

Distribution

Lack of points but strong distribution with a major suit should always be opened.  The question is how.  After a pass from north, east knows that hearts and/or diamonds could barrage his side.  A 1 ♠ call will allow the opposition to easily exchange information.  A Benji weak 2 ♠ will cut N/S bidding space.  A slightly dangerous 3 ♠ given the favourable vulnerability will completely rout the opposition but possibly pre-empt partner.  How would you initially bid the hand after a pass from north?

Sub Minimum Opening

When the spade suit is held, and hearts to a lesser extent, it has a major effect on whether to open the bidding.  When third in hand a sub minimum opening on balanced distribution can have a useful obstructive effect and also indicate a safe lead for partner. 

Study the above minimal hand with a 3-card spade suit.  It is unlikely to generate much harm since one is prepared to pass any response from partner. 

Third hand bids on three card suits can be real par beaters on occasion.  The suit does not even have to be spades although more caution should then be observed particularly when vulnerable. 

Quote:   It is often easier to fight for principles than live up to them.   Adlai Stevenson

Adapted from, and with thanks to, "Match-Point Bridge" - Hugh W Kelsey

Auto Pilot

A friendly looking contract can become beset with evils.  West reached 3NT and received 8 ♠ lead.  Since it was the correct Pairs contract how should it be played to achieve the best result?

As I write this “HotW” a suggestion has come through concerning Hand 8 where N/S could make 7 ♦.  Despite aggressive club pre-empts from E/W after 1 ♦ from north, south could call 4NT and north would reply 6 ♣.  This shows no aces but one void suit.  Risky but does anyone have any better ideas?  Only one pair called a small slam.

Bad Contract

When dummy is displayed declarer should immediately ask the primary question, “Have I reached the correct contract?”  If not then a risky rescue operation might be needed because simply making a poor contract will rarely score well. 

Several south pairs reached 3NT instead of 4 ♥ and received 5 ♠ lead.  Given the Q ♠ is favourably located for both contracts what is the best method to tackle the hand? 

Eight Card Suit

An eight card suit will be dealt to a specific person almost 47 times every 10 000 deals.  Provided there is some strength like an Ace, King-Queen or Queen-Jack-Ten an opening pre-emptive bid should always be at the four level.  The principal is to come in at the highest level possible then leave anything else to partner.  Two pairs incorrectly bid 3 ♥ whilst one equally erroneously reached 5 ♥. 

Notice that N/S can make 3 ♠ but the partnership has little idea whether game in spades or diamonds can be made.  This is where the psychology of a pre-emptive bid can pay useful dividends.  The opposition will have to dangerously guess or play safe because there is no bidding space left to explore a possible contract.

North leads 10 ♦ giving south a problem on the second trick.  Many simply returned the suit hoping for a diamond ruff.  It was not to be.  One down scored 60% for E/W.

    Quote:  To err is human; to play safe, divine.  (apologies to) Alexander Pope

Recovering Lost Ground 1

North was dealer at favourable vulnerability inside the final three tables.  Four of the previous five boards had produced poor N/S scores so it was accelerate time.  The best method of achieving a good result is to go against the field in likely bidding or play.  Such methods carry nasty risks which could backfire. 

North knew that holding nine minor suit cards the opposition was likely to have a good major suit contract so he opened with a pre-emptive 3 ♣ despite being one card shorter than normal.  East was stymied so had to pass.  South passed leaving west with a nasty decision.  Double was for takeout but an overcall was dangerous, so he passed.  Two off in 3 ♣ scores 85+%. 

Normally, north passed letting east bid 1NT.  South then passed allowing west to call 3NT.   South, unaware of the club situation, led 4 ♠ giving a free finesse so most E/W pairs ran in at least nine tricks.  Strangely enough, the par contract is 5 ♦ by E/W although nobody reached it. 

Study the answer to determine what actually did happen.

Guildford Simultaneous Pairs

This hand occurred last week at Merrow.  West reached 3NTs and got 5 ♥ as an opening lead enabling an immediate successful finesse of the J ♥.  What is the best method of locating the missing ♣ Q when holding nine cards in that suit?  The 6 ♣ was led to K ♣ receiving 10 ♣ from south and 3 ♣ from north.  2 ♣ was now led and north played 4 ♣ leaving declarer to decide whether to play A ♣ or J ♣.  Which card is the correct play?

Before exposing the other hands and checking the answer determine how many tricks there should be with the correct club play.

Weak No Trump

Most pairs play a range of 12-14 points for the opening bid.  Wider ones are possible but the main idea is that partner can assume a middle 13 points opposite for maximum accuracy of point count assessment.  The situation is a little different if opener has 15/16 points.  Call the best 4-card suit then rebid 1 NT after an appropriate response from partner.  This now shows 15/16 points and explains why the hand was originally too strong for an initial weak NT call.  Club shortage has to be risked.

This particular hand is interesting because although west has 15 points there is a distinct paucity of intermediate cards such as 10-9-8s.  It is permissible, although slightly risky, to display a bit of uniqueness and open 1NT here.  The same logic would apply if opener only had 11 points but strong middle cards particularly 10-9s associated with a jack.  The real danger is that such bids could become too regular and hence illegal because of an implicit understanding with a frequent partner that is denied the opposition.

The par contract was 1 NT making 8 tricks on 2 ♠ lead from north.  Andrew Robson might have found a brilliant 10 ♥ but we will never know!

Quote:  All cases are unique and very similar to others.  T S Eliot

Slam Sacrifice

Board 22 was interesting.  E/W had good hearts, supporting diamonds, and a possible 6 ♥ exploration.  This slam would fail against proper defence since there are two spade losers.  Strangely, 6 ♦ would make 94% of the time but the 5-0 diamond split chose the other 6%!

The par contract was 6 ♣ * by N.  This slam overcall is rarely possible unless with favourable vulnerability for the barraging side and a complete absence of any defensive trick potential.  It makes for a good meal when successful but indigestion when too enthusiastic.  Normally, pushing the opposition into a five level contract is sufficient.

East opens 1 ♥ and west splinter bids with 4 ♣.  This latter call indicates:

i)                    shortage in the suit

ii)                   one club loser at the most

iii)                 good heart support

iv)                 definite slam interest

North pre-empts with 5 ♣ thus removing any E/W Blackwood intentions.  East calls 5 ♥ and south, with good clubs and no outside strength whatsoever, raises the barrage to 6 ♣ which gets doubled.  North can make nine tricks for a penalty of 500 which is less than 650 for 5 ♥.

Pairs not playing splinter bids would call 3 ♦ over 1 ♥ and N/S should barrage in the same manner as above.   

Quote:  Hope is a good breakfast but it is a bad supper.  Francis Bacon

Dynamic Updating

This hand was played in a “Pairs” contest several years ago.  E/W had fallen behind the field.  Results updating put them lower down the order than their normal expectations. West declared 3 NTs and north led 6 ♠ to Q ♠ and K ♠.  South could see eight top tricks and a ninth through establishing a heart.  Before reading further find the best way to make the contract.

Five Card Major

Perhaps an obvious but easily overlooked lesson is how to bid the above type of hand.  A minimum opening with a five card major suit and unhelpful 5-3-3-2 distribution can herald trouble.  The hand should be opened with 1 ♥ and a rebid of 2 ♥ called if partner mentions clubs or diamonds.  To open with 1 NT is asking for trouble.  Partner might be short in diamonds.

The above hand was not picked from last night but does frequently occur.

       Quote:  Bid with more clarity than claret.   with apologies to Susan Ertz

Splinter Bid - Board 20

A small slam in spades was a reasonable prospect for E/W although nobody bid it.  The contract can be reached via a splinter bid in hearts showing:

i)                    excellent support for spades guaranteeing a game contract

ii)                  shortage in hearts, singleton or void exists

iii)                slam aspirations are possible if partner is interested.

Over 4 ♥, splinter bid, west cues with 5 ♣, east responds with 5 ♦.  West signs off in 5 ♠ showing no heart control and east can now deduce that there is a good play for 6 ♠.    Notice how east gives east three crucial bits of information with only one bid.

South should double the 4 ♥ cue bid asking partner for the correct lead.  Blackwood and all its variations are not likely to pinpoint key controls in what is a very distributional set of hands.

  Quote:  A wise man sees as much as he ought, not as much as he can.  Montaigne

Pairs Odds

West opened 1NT so east had to decide whether to play safe in hearts or try for a game.  At rubber/teams it is worth pursuing. A maximum west opening with a diamond fit could produce ten tricks in 4 ♥.  At pairs this is losing tactics.  The odds of 14 points in west’s hand are about 20%.  At most there are only 24 points so distribution has to work favourably against the odds.  Settle for 2 ♥ and get pushed to 3 ♥.  Ten tricks making 170 will still score well since most pairs will not be in game.  Trying for ten tricks when usually only nine can be made will score a bottom. Play with the averages!

Playing transfers over a 1NT opening remember that “transfers on the reds” as a means of weak takeout is only one option.  The system itself is much more powerful when properly used.  If trying for a game east calls 2 ♦ transferring to hearts from partner.  East now calls 3 ♦ showing a four card suit with eleven points.  A shaded ten points with some intermediate cards is risky but acceptable if trying for a top.  West, with only 13 points signs off in 3 ♥.  Notice that west places his partner with one of three distributions :   2-5-4-2,1-5-4-3 or 3-5-4-1.

If playing full transfers east should not try “Stayman” with a five card major suit.  Stayman is used to find a 4-4 fit not a 5-3 or 5-4 one.  Play as above. 

  Quote:    In the field of observation chance favours the prepared mind.   Louis Pasteur

Bipolar Infallibility

Whenever a partnership each has a powerful suit there is a tendency for both individuals to entrench the suit possessed and blunderbuss it through the bidding.  The result is that each end of the partnership becomes poles apart in terms of proper communications.  The trick is for the correct partner, east in this case, to recognise the situation early and deduce which is the better before the bidding gets sky high.  The power of the club suit tends to distract from an even better diamond one in partner’s hand.

East opens 1 ♣, south overcalls 1 ♥, and west responds with 2 ♦.  North jumps to 3 ♥ putting the ball in east’s court.  Knowing that partner has at least five diamonds with good support for them, besides the powerful club suit, the correct bid is 4 ♦ rather than relying on the infallible looking club suit.  West now has an easier decision if N/S barrage in hearts.  Several pairs reached 5 ♦.

A Michaels Cue Bid of 2 ♣ by south showing both five card majors also helps to barrage the bidding.

Quote :  The value of a sentiment is the sacrifice you are prepared to make for it.

                                                                                                                   John Galsworthy

Nine Spades (Board 4)

First, the odds of randomly receiving nine cards in any one suit are slightly above 37 times every 100 000 deals.  Seven tables holding the east cards would have experienced this phenomenon.

West opens 1 ♦ and east simply barrages into 4 ♠ regardless of any nuisance heart interruption from north.  Any pair playing splinters should realise that a high level jump into a major game is a genuine suit call.

The par result playing double dummy is 620 for E/W.  South must find A ♣ opening lead followed by another giving a ruff to partner.  Two pairs kept the contract to book.  An opening 9 ♦ through west’s strength looks reasonable but east immediately plays A ♦ followed by a ruffing finesse through north.  The latter must cover but east ruffs, draws trumps losing K ♠ then leads 6 ♣ to Q ♣.  South will be stymied.  An opening heart lead will also give an overtrick if east plays carefully.  Try it.  Effectively, east can counter anything but an opening club lead.

Quote:  I can do everything he does but in high heels and backwards!  Ginger Rogers

Splinter Bid - Board 21

Firstly, a short comment on board 4.  West should open a pre-emptive 4 ♣.  Eight clubs and a void in spades should induce west to make it as difficult as possible for a N/S game in spades to be bid.  Simply opening 3 ♣ will not work.  North can overcall and 4 ♠ will easily be reached.  The principle of pre-empting is that the pre-emptor opens at the highest level possible then leaves everything else to partner.  Partner can double the opposition, pass or increase the initial bid.

A virtual laydown 6 ♦ was available for E/W but the problem was how to reach it.  Straight ACOL will not suffice.  However, a regular pairing experienced with extra bidding gadgets can get there via a carefully timed splinter bid.  East opens 1 ♦ and west calls 4 ♣.  This is a high level splinter bid which tells partner that:

i)                    excellent support for diamonds guarantees a game contract

ii)                  shortage in clubs, singleton or void exists

iii)                slam aspirations are possible if partner is interested.

Notice how west gives east three crucial bits of information with only one bid!  East can easily deduce that partner must have at least one ace for a slam try.  There is now a maximum loser of one trick only in hearts and clubs the latter because of the splinter bid.  East calls Blackwood.  If west has only one ace then 5 ♦ is the contract.  If two or more aces then slam in diamonds is an extremely good bet.  Note also that the lead comes into east so spades are not an immediate problem if there is one.

East must avoid the temptation of cue bidding the A ♠.  Pass this bid round to west and there is nowhere else to go.  It looks like two rapid losers in hearts so west would exit with 5 ♦.  It is the need to know.  After the splinter east has everything available to move forwards.

  Quote:  A wise man sees as much as he ought, not as much as he can.  Montaigne

All Over the Place

Sometimes it is difficult to reach the correct contract because the cards and competitive bidding interfere with pure text book theory.  On Board 13 N/S would normally make 4 ♠ but the 4-1 trump split together with E/W forcing south with heart leads after taking the initial club trick compels declarer to lose control of the hand.  Proper defence can limit N/S to 3 ♠ maximum although ten tricks were made at some tables.  One E/W pair reached 4 ♣ more by accident than design.  This was in fact the “par” result for the board but not obvious from the travellers.  The heart suit in west’s hand and “false preference” for a major militated against clubs being discovered as a good fit. 

This hand is a good instructive board for all pairs.  East should realise that the spades will not break favourably and therefore attempt to force declarer with heart leads.  West should rapidly get the message and help declarer to capitulate.  Just take that first club trick before getting busy with the heart suit otherwise N/S will get a loser away.

Quote :   Consistency is the maintenance of conventions already inforce.  

Competitive Bidding

After two passes west should open with 1 ♥ putting the pressure on north.  Ordinarily, without opposition competition, north would open with a strong Acol 2 ♠ showing 8 playing tricks with outside strength.  The way to show this now is to cue bid the opponent’s suit and wait for partner’s reply.  With “rubbish” south bids a conventional 2NT and then north decides on 3 ♠ or 4 ♠.  An encouraging, developable club suit and strong distribution should sway north to hope in favour of a game contract.  Only one pair bid and made game although four pairs succeeded with ten tricks.

There is no killing lead for east because the diamond suit lies favourably for declarer.  East might find a safe trump lead.  This type of lead is often overlooked at the outset.  Clubs break normally for declarer so north loses two clubs and one heart trick.

     Quote:  Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.   Martin Luther

Strange Distributions

There is an old news and media adage which states,

“Never let the truth interfere with a good story”.

A bridge parallel would be,

“Never let strange distributions distort a duplicate evening”!

Rather than studying a specific hand last night reflect instead that it really was an evening for unusual cards.  Bear in mind that in about 104 hands from 26 boards (last night’s movement) one should deduce a bit of volatility somewhere but here the boundaries were surprisingly pushed.

Over 104 hands one should reasonably expect:

1.       8 card suit once on 208 boards (half on 104) - actual 2

2.       7 card suit 3.67 times - actual 7

3.       6 card suit 17.3 times - actual 18 (normal)  

4.       6 card suit headed by A-K-Q only 1.21 times - actual 6

5.       A-K-Q holding across any suit 5.39 times - actual 11

NB:  Six card suits are common but tend to convey a skewed impression.

Quote:       Trust me but look to thyself.          Irish Proverb

Grand Slam Sacrifice

Firstly, Board 2 should have been an easy lay down grand slam in either hearts or NTs.  All pairs made 13 tricks but most only stopped in a small slam.  If a regular partnership it is worth reviewing the hand to determine how it should have been correctly bid.

Board 3 was a rare, unusual classic in terms of a potential grand slam sacrifice.  One rarely overcalls into a small slam let alone the above example when vulnerable. 

There are various methods of bidding but when south opens 1 ♥ west should barrage with 4 ♣.  There is not much point in north trying a Blackwood 4 NT since east will simply up the club suit.  North should call a straight 6 ♥ putting pressure on east to make the 7 ♣ sacrifice.  It is not easy at the table for east to do this particularly given the vulnerability but such confident bidding from the opposition should have swayed the decision.  West only has to make ten tricks in 7 ♣ doubled to score well.  Nobody succeeded with the sacrifice.

Quote:  Experience is the worst teacher; it gives the test before presenting the lesson.

Oh Doggy Doos

Many years ago in South Africa I once bid a grand slam missing the ace of trumps.  This hand played in a high level tournament in Canada had similar over bidding problems.  North was the culprit offloading south to make a small slam missing two aces.  The only good thing in declarer’s favour was that the opening 6 ♠ went to the A ♠ and a spade was returned.  Declarer now had eleven tricks but the twelfth  could only come from the diamond suit.  West was not known to have had a recent lobotomy so he was hardly likely to duck a diamond.  Try to make the small slam by south. 

Rather than settle for one off declarer tried a bit of chicanery.  After winning K ♠ south ran the clubs discarding J-Q-K ♦!  This was followed by the heart tricks.  On the fourth heart west had to find a discard from A ♦ and J-9 ♠.  West was convinced that declarer had Q-x ♠ so ejected his A ♦.  Declarer then scored the last two tricks with Q ♠ and 10 ♦.  

There is a sting in the tail.  West should have paid more attention to his partner’s cards.  East returned the 2 ♠ at trick two showing four cards and then discarded two more spades.  The ruse could and should have been exposed.

Quote:  Style is a simple way of saying complicated things.   Jean Cocteau

                      With thanks to Steve Becker, “The Globe and Mail”.

Michael’s Cue Bid

Board 14 was a lovely bidding minefield.  Remember that neither side was vulnerable.  East has a minimum opening and south can show both major suits via his/her 2NT conventional bid.  The holding guarantees at least two five card suits.  If west smells the correct rat an effective pre-empt to 4 ♦ puts the cat among the pigeons.  North with a useful eight clubs should punt straight for 5 ♣ going off one or two tricks.  Given that east opened the bidding it is better to place west with Q ♥.  A push to 5 ♦ is a step too far for E/W.  Results resembled an explosion in a paint factory.

                  Quote:  Strength is a matter of the made-up mind.   John Beecher

A Cow Flew By

This expert south declarer had a blind spot.  The opening lead was the A ♥ on which east played the encouraging 10 ♥.  West continued with a second heart to K ♥, ruffed the third round and put dummy on lead with a club.  That was the end of the defence.  Declarer could enter his hand with A, Q ♦ and finesse twice against K ♠ to make the contract.

West woke up shortly afterwards.  How should he have defeated 4 ♠?  Try to solve the problem before reading onwards.

Actually, all he had to do was to discard a diamond on the third round of hearts.  It would have denied declarer a crucial entry for catching K ♠.  West could not have been prevented from making two trump tricks.

Many text books make the point, “Let your trump ripen”.  This is one of those cases.

Quote:  He who lives without folly is not as wise as he thinks.   La Rochefoucauld

From H W Kelsey :  How to Improve Your Bridge

Blind Spot

This deal was played in a multi-team contest where only expert players were invited.  Unfortunately, most south declarers forgot the “expert” bit when declaring 4 ♥.  West led a small trump, east won with K ♥ and returned the Q ♥ south winning with A ♥.  How should south continue?  Before reading further study N/S hands and beat the maestros.

Most declarers tried various themes around the club suit.  Actually, south should deck the hand and claim the contract before confusion stifles the mind! 

Proper technique is reverse dummy which guarantees the contract against any card distributions.  Declarer takes three rounds of spades, trumping the third then crosses to Q ♣ for a ruff of the fourth spade.  South now plays on clubs ruffing the fourth round if necessary.  If opponents play their good trump at any time dummy’s now winning 8 ♥ will take care of the losing 9 ♦.

Quote:   I give you bitter pills in sugar coating.  The pills are harmless; the poison is in

              the sugar.                                                                                       Stanislaw Lec

How Many Trumps

Drawing trumps, and how many, is easier to define when all four hands are displayed.  Board 9 was requested from the floor.  It is not an easy hand where north should declare 4 ♠ but what happens if the trump suit breaks poorly?  My partner, not unreasonably, suggested that I should have drawn one round of trumps.  On a likely diamond lead, and probable heart return, north has to decide how many rounds of trumps, and if only one, whether A or K ♠.  Try it before opening the E/W hands.  My question, whose answer is unsure, asks whether there is a maximum percentage play to help guarantee a good match point score.  Only four pairs made the spade game.  Others were fortunate to simply declare a club contract.  Perhaps studied answers could be entered on the “Message” part of our website for all to peruse over a cup of coffee?

Quote:  An elephant is easier to recognise when you see one than it is to define.  

Arthur Balfour, British Prime Minister 1902-05

No Pre-emptive Bid

Tony Forrester once commented that players nowadays open on complete rubbish.  Well, never forget that four lay down grand slams are biddable with only 10 points! 

On Board 12 west must open because shape more than compensates for lack of points.  However, the important rule is that one does not pre-empt in a major suit if four cards are also held in the other major one.  A major suit fit might be missed.  This philosophy also applies to “Benjamin Weak Twos”. 

Several pairs, probably out of habit when holding seven cards, reached 4 ♥ via a pre-emptive bid and escaped because east, not having four spades, raised to game.  West should open 1 ♥ and the bidding can go 2 ♣ - 2 ♥ - 3NT - 4 ♥.    Some east pairs, depending upon style, might want to jump the bidding instead of a club overcall.  Note that west should follow the 3NT response by reverting to hearts.  Seven pairs reached a heart contract.

If west foolishly leaves east to play a dangerous 3NT, as I did, the felony and unfairness is likely to work extremely well.  South cannot find a killing spade lead and any other enables east to bring home the necessary heart suit.

It is worth noting generally that if a major suit contract needs a favourable lie of the trump suit that same positioning will also work in No Trumps.

Three Opening Passes

After three passes south, 4^th in hand, has to resolve a common dilemma.  Holding 11points, and aware that partner could have passed also with the same total, it can be risky to pass with the balance of points but equally dangerous to enter the bidding.  The problem is compounded by N/S being vulnerable.  When 4^th in hand any bid must avoid a negative score. 

This text book question is usually answered by the holding of major suit cards.  With five or less hearts and spades it is always better to let discretion be the better part of valour.  The opposition will simply compete in a major suit.  Here south holds seven major suit cards so this scenario is not a risk.  The correct bid is 1 NT (11 – 15 points) 4^th in sequence.  It can be made!  1 ♣ opening does not have any pre-emptive effect.

Two pairs made a NT contract.  Seven pairs threw in for a zero score and a slightly below average result.

Please note that a declined board is scored as zero for both sides and takes its place in the context of other outcomes.  It not an average result. 

Several pairs failed to sign the traveller.

Quote:  The simplest questions are the hardest to answer.  Northrop Frye

High Level Bid

My guess is that many south hands, after two passes, opened 6 ♣.  West, thinking it was Christmas, weighed in with a double reasoning that with A ♣ and massive outside strength a beanfeast of points would be accumulated.  There were doubles from west and one or two redoubles.  Certainly, if there is a redouble, then west has a very good sacrifice of 6 ♠.  West might anyway, given a small slam opening, simply smell a rat and therefore overcall in spades for a top score.  Nobody overcalled in the E/W position which could be construed as a missed opportunity.

                 Quote:  All our reasoning ends in surrender to feeling.   Blaise Pascal