Question 1 : Janet Vontz (C Flight)

This deal came up in a ladies' individual game. Although the game is not sanctioned, several of the ladies are members of the ACBL, some Life Masters. Level of players:  C.  

N/S are VUL
North is Dealer

           NORTH
            S   K  Q  J
            H   10  5  4  2
            D   A  10  6  3
            C   A  K

WEST                       EAST
S   8                         S   A  10  7  6  5  4  3
H   A  J  8  3            H   9   6
D   J  7  4  2             D   K  8
C   J  6  5  4             C   Q  2

           SOUTH
            S   9  2
            H   K  Q  7
            D   Q  9  5
            C   10  9  8  7  3

NORTH   EAST   SOUTH   WEST
 1N      3S      P       P
  X       P     4C       P
  P       P

4C is down 3.  Here is my question.  Should South know that the double is for penalty? The other contracts are 3SX by East down one; 2S by East, down one.

Panel's Responses

Tom Kniest

It's hard to define a right answer when this auction hasn't been discussed.  Most experts would play double by south as negative, showing values and no particular shape, but suggesting four hearts.  North has an easy pass with his 2 trump tricks and 3 outside quick tricks.  However, as the auction actually went, south had some values and north needs a maximum to come back in.  Even if south isn't sure it is for penalties, she should pass in the absence of any discussion.  She has an easy lead.

Karen Walker

South should pass, and be pretty happy about it. North's double can't be takeout at this level. She's already limited her hand with 1NT, so it's impossible for her to hold the strength and distribution that would make a 4-level bid attractive opposite a passing partner.

En Xie

The double should be penalty. 1NT showed balanced hand with 15-17hcp. With south hand pass should be automatic.

Milt Zlatic

If N was behind the 3S bidder, it would definitely be for penalty. To avoid confusion, I think N has to just pass and take his/her plus score. I don't think partner wants to make you bid at the 4-level when you could be broke. You've got a trick so I would sit it out.

Question 2 : Cheryl Alphin Ward (C Flight)

ALL are Vul and East is the dealer and opens Standard American BUT using 1NT forcing ...

east             south            west            north
1S                P                  1NT             P
2H               P                   ?

West hand:   
S 765
H A 10 5 3
D A 9 8 5 2
C Q

2nd question: Since the opponent hasn't bid the clubs is the 2 points counted for the Q or is there only 2 points counted for the original spade fit and the singleton? 3rd question:  How is the double fit evaluated?

Panel's Responses

Tom Kniest

West was probably thinking about make a limit raise with 3 trumps, initially, but now her hand is gold.  She has great shape and fills in her partner's side suit.  Bid 4S - the small trumps can be used to trump clubs.  I'm sure it's possible to construct hands where 4H is the winning bid, but my choice is 4S.  It's often wiser to play in a 4-4 fit because the 5-3 side fit allows 2 discards from the other hand.  Here, however, 2 diamond discards will do no good.

Part 2 of the question:  Don't count points here; you have a tremendous fit and controls on the outside.  This hand revalues to an opening bid equivalent in support.  If you must count points, generally count the shape points for suit contracts and forget the high card points for Qs and Js.

Karen Walker

The queen rates to be more helpful as an honor than a distributional value, as a singleton isn't really worth a full 2 points when you hold only xxx of trumps. No matter how you count it, this hand is a maximum of 10 support points. That's in the range for a simple raise to 2S, so I'm wondering why West chose to start with a forcing 1NT. This hand doesn't have enough playing strength to treat it as a 3-card limit raise (by jumping to 3S at his second turn).

En Xie

1) 3H.
2) CQ doesn't have much value when partner has Axx(x) or xxx(x). It does have some value when partner has Kxx(x), or AKx(x). With that in mind, I usually don't assign singleton Q two points, unless I know something from the bidding.
3) Double fit usually is good. Here spades fit is not that good though. I'd worry about my spades holding. Looking at my other holdings, I like my hand. Two Aces, 5 diamond suit, singleton clubs, and good Heart support are all good news for partner. I'd think that hand worth is about 11 playing points. So 3H would be my choice.

Milt Zlatic

Don't count points on this hand. Partner is probably short in diamonds and I have a stiff in the other suit. To bid any less than 4 hearts would be a sin.

It's not a double fit since the three small spades are a liability. Aces are undervalued. If the QC was the QS, I'd splinter with the hand. I don't like the 3 small spades in a heart contract.

Question 3 : Matt Diehl (B Flight)

You are not vulnerable (I don't remember if the opponents are vulnerable or not).

Your partner opens a weak 2 heart in first or second seat showing 6-card suit and 5-11 hcp.

Opponents pass throughout.

You hold:

: Qx

: Ax

: AKxx

: AKJ9x

Your partnership agreement is (i) 2nt is asking for a feature [ace or king], (ii) 3 clubs is artificial and asking for shortness, and (iii) a new suit is not forcing.

Your partner actually holds:

: KJx

: K10xxxx

: x

: 10xx

So, my questions are:

1. First of all, without the benefit of knowing your partner's hand, should you be thinking slam (assume you feel the match could probably go either way up until this point)?

2. Second of all, assuming the answer to the first question is "yes," given your partnership agreements, what would be the best way to attempt to get to a slam?

Panel's Responses

Tom Kniest

3.  Part 1 - while the methods described are very good, Ogust might be better on this hand; partner could indicated a hand with a good suit AND a good hand.  Now you're interested in slam.  With the methods described, no; no way check without getting to the 5 level which might not be safe.

Part 2 - Assuming yes, RKC

Part 3 - 6H because of the potential spade ruff.

Karen Walker

I'd investigate slam with 2NT, as I need a spade honor in partner's hand to even think about bidding past 4H (a singleton spade is too unlikely when I hold only two). Some partnerships play that after 2H-2NT, opener will show a spade feature only if he also has good trumps, which would be a handy agreement here. If you don't play that and opener bids 3S, I'd try keycard Blackwood.

1430 keycard would be helpful, as opener will respond 5C (1 or 4 keycards). That gives you room to ask for the trump queen with 5D and then stop in 5H. If you play regular keycard, opener will bid 5D to show one keycard and you'll have to guess about the heart queen. I don't think this is too big a dilemma, as the odds of finding 12 tricks dropped precipitously when I found we were off a keycard. Even if partner has the “perfect” major-suit holdings (spade king and heart KQ), slam isn't a sure thing, so I'd settle for 5H.

En Xie:

1) Yes,I think with the hand, we might have slam somewhere.
2) With the agreement you have, I think it's very hard to find Diamond fit. So I think better just consider the possibilities in 6h or 6c.
3) Following are two bidding sequences you might think about:
   a)  2h      2NT             
        3s      4C
        4D*    4NT
        5C**   6C
   *  support for club and singleton/void in D
   ** 0 or 3 keycards
 
  b)  2h         3c
       3d*       4c
       4s**     4N
       5c***   6c
       * singleton/void in D
       ** club support with SA or SK
       *** 0 or 3 keycards
 
For both bidding sequences, you need an aggressive partner. Actually with the hands you and your partner have, the slam has less than 50% of chance to make.

Milt Zlatic

a) First of all, dump the feature and play Ogust. You can find out about the quality of the suit and whether partner is on the top or bottom end of his bid. When you bid 2NT to ask, partner will show you a bad suit and a bad hand, and you can settle in a quiet 4H.

b) I'd be thinking slam but that doubleton QS turns me off. If partner showed a good suit with a good hand, then I would just bid it and hope they don't find the lead. (or you could make the Roger bid of 2S if that would be forcing.)
c) Depending on what partner tells me about suit quality and strength would determine what slam to bid. I would strive for 6H since partner may have to ruff up the club suit to set up a pitch.