NORTH-South
were using 3C as a check-back bid
for the majors. In other words, North’s 3C did not show clubs but
asked South whether he held three-card spade support. As I see it,
this is a waste of a useful natural bid. If you play 3C as natural you
can always bid 3S (forcing) to seek spade support. How would you play
3NT when West leads the three of hearts to East’s jack? You have
eight top tricks and must determine the most likely source of a ninth
trick. Suppose you play the king and queen of spades, intending to
cross to dummy with the ace of diamonds to score any further spade
tricks. You will succeed when spades break 3-3 or the jack of spades
falls in two rounds. You will go down when the cards lie as in the
diagram. A better line is to cash the king of spades and overtake the
queen of spades with the ace on the second round. You will still make
the contract when spades are 3-3 or the jack falls in two rounds and
you give yourself the extra chance that the spade nine will be
doubleton. Here the nine will fall on the second round. You can then
use the dummy’s 10-8 of spades to force out West’s jack. The diamond ace remains as an entry.
What will you respond?
Answer There is a fair chance of a slam and you need to discover as much as possible about partner’s hand. You are not quite strong enough for a jump shift of 3C and should content yourself with a response of 2C. Partner’s rebid will tell you about his strength. If he rebids only 2S, you can jump to 4D, which will be a cue bid agreeing spades and suggesting a slam.
AWARDS: 2C — 10, 3C — 8, 2NT (if played as a forcing spade raise) — 7, 4S — 3, 4NT — 2.
NORTH-South
were using 3C as a check-back bid
for the majors. In other words, North’s 3C did not show clubs but
asked South whether he held three-card spade support. As I see it,
this is a waste of a useful natural bid. If you play 3C as natural you
can always bid 3S (forcing) to seek spade support. How would you play
3NT when West leads the three of hearts to East’s jack? You have
eight top tricks and must determine the most likely source of a ninth
trick. Suppose you play the king and queen of spades, intending to
cross to dummy with the ace of diamonds to score any further spade
tricks. You will succeed when spades break 3-3 or the jack of spades
falls in two rounds. You will go down when the cards lie as in the
diagram. A better line is to cash the king of spades and overtake the
queen of spades with the ace on the second round. You will still make
the contract when spades are 3-3 or the jack falls in two rounds and
you give yourself the extra chance that the spade nine will be
doubleton. Here the nine will fall on the second round. You can then
use the dummy’s 10-8 of spades to force out West’s jack. The diamond ace remains as an entry.
There is a fair chance of a slam and you need to discover as much as possible about partner’s hand. You are not quite strong enough for a jump shift of 3C and should content yourself with a response of 2C. Partner’s rebid will tell you about his strength. If he rebids only 2S, you can jump to 4D, which will be a cue bid agreeing spades and suggesting a slam.