The auction is a two-way (actually 4 way, even a pass has significance) communication system as the pairs try to find their optimum contract with limited bids available. In this deal East has only 16 high card points, but a 4 loser hand with first round control in 3 suit contracts and second round control in the other, adding up to real slam potential.

Some players will open the bidding with 1C, but this bid can be made on a ‘nothing’ hand holding 12 points balanced; so let partner know straight away that you are strong, with a 2D bid, if that is a strong unbalanced bid on your system.

A sensible South will pass and West should bid 2S which is a positive response usually showing more than 6 points, together with a 5 card suit.

What do you do now as East/ you could jump to 4NT but this is unlikely to help you much unless partner has both missing aces: Even if partner has no aces but holds the heart King and Jxx in clubs you are likely to make a slam: The bid that I prefer is jump to 6S; this acknowledges the positive response and must have a fair chance of making the contract, knowing that partner has a maximum of 3 points in spades. It also gives no in formation to your opponents, so the person making the opening lead has no help from the bidding.

¹ artificial strong unbalanced

Results

2CE =4; 3CE +2; 4SW +3 (twice); 5SW +1; 5SW +2.

N-S 1^st G Dempers & N Wood……..56.7% 

        2^nd J Faulkner & A Ridderhof…55.6%

E-W 1^st J Tagg & E Jurgensen……..64.2%

        2^nd Dianne & David Long……...61.6%