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  For Intermediate and keen Junior players...and others. It's Fri   Day. 

The Question to be asked.

Today’s deal should be a promotion for a very common convention but it would seem that the vast majority of those who held the North hand did not use it. What would be your bid with the North hand below?

 

At all 115 tables where the board was played (thanks to X Club), South would have opened 1. At some, West would have overcalled 1.Whether they did or not, North’s next bid should have been a question. What should they have bid?

Whatever your system, whether 1 promised at least 4 or 5 hearts, North should be focused on whether their partner held one or both major aces and if, as is a great idea, one played Roman Key Card, then whether they held the K and Q as well. If they held both missing aces and KQ, then they should set the final contract as 7. If one ace/ key card was missing, then 6 must be a mighty good contract. Missing 2 of the key cards, the partnership should be able to stop safely at the game level, perhaps 5 which should still be makeable most of the time.

For now, the diamond suit is irrelevant. It will certainly become relevant when the play takes place. Yet, it does not matter how many or how few diamonds South holds or whether South has a minimum or maximum opening bid, the diamond suit should be able to be set up for winners. It’s all about aces and key cards.

Playing simple Blackwood (or Gerber if you prefer), South shows two aces. While North could not know for sure of KQ (especially if the Blackwood response was 5), it is surely worth a gamble to bid 6. Even if South is missing both, there may only be one trump loser. Be brave. Bid 6.

However, Roman Key Card is perfect for a deal like this. Where 5 shows 0 or 3 Key Cards, North has two successful approaches. They can either bid 5, to play if partner has 0 of the Key Cards. South would raise to slam with 3. Alternatively, they can presume the reply shows 3. While you could conjure up a hand where South is missing A and AK, that is rather unlikely.

Presume they have 3. Now, check for the Q. 5 asks that. If partner has Q, bid 7. If not, be satisfied with the small slam. You will soon find out if one of the opponents has the 3 key cards you presume your partner should have. They would double and you would start your apology speech! It’s OK. That would not happen.

 

 There are different ways to respond when asked if you hold the trump queen. One common way is to bid the agreed trump suit at the lowest possible level if you do not hold that card (hence 5 above) and bid the suit where you hold an outside king if you do (6 of the trump suit if no king is held).

So, 6 should be reached, whichever approach you took. West leads K. Declarer wins and plays A. With 9 trumps held missing the queen, it is normal to play K next. The news is good. Next, South plays AK (no finesse) and when they play a third diamond, the Q appears. You ruff, play a club to dummy and play 3 high diamonds discarding the remaining clubs in South’s hand. All 13 tricks made.

You do not want to be in grand slam with 4 trumps including the queen missing. Say West had a certain trump trick. You would still make 6 but any pair in grand slam would lose out to all those who played in game. Now, of course, all should make it to 6 but about 90 of the 115 North-Souths did not. 7 above is a lucky make This time, 6 is the place to be.

Do not get side-tracked when you know the question you want answered. I suspect many North players bid 2 and then over partner’s minimum 2 reply signed off in game.

Ask the right question..and the answer may be just what you want to hear!

Richard Solomon

Nb if your Key Card response to 4NT with 0 or 3 is 5, then you cannot ask for the Q below the slam level. You still have the same two options as mentioned above though are committed to slam when partner has 3 whichever approach you take, 5 or 5, the latter the ask for the Q.

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