Hand 1 from a relatively New C player:

Local club game, match points

As South I hold:

S A Q x x

H K Q J x x

D A J x

C x

My partner opened 1D, and the bidding so far is

1D    P 1H  P

1NT P 2C* P

2H   P  ?

*2C is new minor forcing, asking for 3-card hearts support 

Now I know we have game in hearts, and would like to explore slam. We have just begun playing 2/1 and we do play 4th suit forcing.

1)   Will a bid of 2S clearly establish game in Hearts and show a spade control? 

2)   If not, what bid short of 4NT can I make which forces us to game in hearts and suggests a slam?

John Burgener

I applaud the discussing of follow-ups to conventions. It is as important as using these conventions at all. Using NMF all bids except 2NT or a 3 of the supported major (these 2 bids are invitational only) are forcing to game. So 2S does establish a force to the heart game and promises extra values and either a cuebid or a second suit where cover cards are needed to make a slam. In other words it says pard a high card in this suit is needed pard so we can make slam. Have you got it? Pard can raise spades to say I got it or bid where he has power, saying I have this good feature in return, How do you like that? If pard does not show either the K of spades the A of clubs or extra long and strong diamonds we do not want to be in slam. The only other bid appealing to me is 3 diamonds which might get pard excited as well. 2 spades is my preferred choice. Blackwood allows a partnership to know if they are lacking the controls necessary to make slam but more important is to have the 12 or 13 tricks necessary for the slam to make.

Mark Boswell

2S will establish game in hearts and shows a spade control, however, it is not the call I would bid. I would bid 4C which would be a splinter bid. Partner has limited his/her hand by bidding 1NT. With a splinter bid in clubs, partner is a position to tell how good his/her hand is. Note that if partner has no club points, it is hard to construct a hand where slam is not a lay down. With the A of clubs and no other club points, slam may be about 50-50, but with slow club points, slam becomes very poor.

Tom Kniest

1.  New player?  Keep it simple here - Blackwood and bid a slam if pard has 2 aces.
2.  4C would be a self splinter...unless you've agreed that this is always Gerber.  In light of his previous 1NT response, pard would be happy to cooperate with a hand like:
Kxx  Axx  Qxxx  Axx - the proper bid being 4S which implies controls and no wasted values

Roger Lord

From the question, we might assume that responder's 2 Clubs merely asks for a fit buy does not promise game - invitational values.  In that case, over opponent's 2 Hearts, responder can use 2 Spades as a game try, over which opener can sign off at 3 Hearts or make any other bid to accept game.  Subsequently responder is in position to control-bid or otherwise move toward slam it his hand warrants.

Tom Oppenheimer

Partner's response of 2 hearts over your new minor shows 3 trump and a minimum no trump rebid.   With a maximum, partner should jump to 3 hearts.  Two spades would be forcing.  However, my recommended bid would be a jump to 4 clubs.  This bid shows a singleton club and slam interest opposite the right minimum.   This gets partner into the act.  Partner should now like his hand either with no club values or the ace.  With the perfect minimum he should make a move towards slam.  The perfect minimum would look like Kx, Axx, KQxx, 10xxx.

Nancy Popkin

Since partner has now confirmed heart support, I could splinter by bidding 4 clubs, but I think this hand is too strong for that. I would simply Blackwood.

Rod Van Wyk

If you and your partner agree that his 1NT denies 4 spades, then you could use 2 spades to show the ace. However I prefer to use it as a game try. Partner would bid game in hearts if he has help in spades (honor or singleton). Then your hand would certainly be good enough to blackwood. Actually, I think it is good enough directly over his 2 heart bid.

Karen Walker  

The auction would be clearer if you had rebid 2S (instead of 2C) at your second turn. In the auction you actually had, a 2S rebid at your third turn would clearly establish a game force, but it doesn't guarantee that you have five hearts nor a first-round spade control. It could be a second suit or just a value-showing bid that is seeking club stoppers for notrump.

Over partner's 2H, you could jump to 4C (splinter, showing a singleton) to confirm hearts and interest in slam. However, with nothing to cuebid at the 4-level, partner is likely to just bid 4H, which doesn't solve your problem.

I would just Blackwood over partner's 2H. The strong hearts, the singleton and the diamond fit make this hand worth enough to head for slam on your own after you locate partner's heart support.

En Xie  

2S is a good bid. It's not clearly a slam try at that moment. When you bid again later, then it will show 2S bid as slam try and showing spades control. Many players play Roman Key Card response to 4NT ask. You might try it. I use following response to 4NT:
   5C = 1 or 4 Key cards
   5D = 0 or 3 key cards
   5h = 2 key cards without trump Queen
   5s = 2 key cards with trump Queen
( there are 5 key cards, 4 Aces plus trump King )

Milt Zlatic

First, do you play that new minor is forcing to game? Second, it depends on what partner bids over 2 spades. If he bids 2NT or 3C, then bid 3D forcing. Partner should have a pretty good picture of your hand. If he bids 3H or 3S, bid 4D. An alternative bid over 2H would be a splinter bid of 4C showing club shortness and slam interest.  

Hand 2 from a very new Player

Here are a couple of scenarios with the same hand by declarer and different HCP's in the responder's hand.

Scenario 1

Opener         Responder

AKQJx          108652

QJ10             xxx

Qxx              Kxx

Qx                xx

(Opener may have only 4 spades and an added card in any other suit.)

Auction 1

1 NT       2H transfer

3S           P with only 3 points ... pass to show no game

Scenario 2

Opener         Responder

AKQJx          108652

QJ10             K97

Qxx              AK

Qx                KJ9

Auction 2

1NT       2H transfer

3S         4S

If responder has more points does s/he go to Gerber? Should Opener with 17 points go for a small slam?  

Would the rationale apply of arriving at a suit fit early on, especially if the responder has a better hand in Scenario with 1-15 HCP? And in Scenario to with 16 or more HCP?

John Burgener

I would open this hand 1NT but if I did, I would not super accept the transfer. I would respond with 2 spades because this hand is, first, a 6 and one-half loser hand and, second, the jack and probably the queen of spades are wasted values in a 10+ card fit suit. Finally as you can see with scenario 1 responder hand even 2 spades may be too high. In the scenario 2 hand if opener super accepts I would bid 4NT RKC Blackwood 1430 and likely make 5S (opener's response) If my pard super accepted a Jacoby transfer to 2 spades I usually look to cuebid in response 15 or more HCPs less with couple of first round controls. I do not like to and seldom use Gerber over a Jacoby sequence Here I believe 4C guarantees first round control of clubs.

Mark Boswell

If there is a 17 point hand with 5 fitting cards that should not give a super acceptance, this is it. (I would not really criticize a super acceptance because of the 5 th spade, but no one should be proud of it.) Remember Q's and J's are over rated in the point count system and A's and K's are under rated. You have a very poor 17 count. The QJ of spades lost their value once you discovered the 10 card fit in spaded. Notice how much better the hand would be in the second scenario if you could turn in the QJ of spades in with the Q of clubs for the A of clubs.

Tom Kniest

Problem 2 poser is asking us to write a book.  No thanks.
With the good hand, responder should RKC over 3S - game bids always end the auctions.  Since you are off 2 key cards, you'll play 5S which is laydown.

Roger Lord

Only the hand writing in Scenario 2 is appropriate for a jump to 3 Spades.  With any maximum fitting hand which includes primary outside strength, opener should control-bid in that outside suit, over which responder can sign off at the three or four level or cuebid or bid Blackwood.

Forget Gerber.  Use a non-jump to 4 Clubs as a control-bid.  On Scenario #2, over 3 Spades, responder need not try for slam, in as much as he already knows that 2 aces are missing (else opener would have cub bid one of them).

Tom Oppenheimer

I think the problem with this hand lies with the super accept of the transfer.   A super accept should meet two criteria...good trump support and a great hand.   There is no question about the great trump support, but it is overkill.  The remainder of the hand is trash with no controls.  With the first hand, pass is correct with no interest in game.  With the second hand, I would blackwood over the super accept and then sign off at the five level when I find I am missing two key cards (aces).

Nancy Popkin

1) Answer: For starters, I think opener's hand is too strong for 1NT. I would open 1 spade and I think responder should bid 3 if that is preemptive. I know we are down at least 1, but some hands go like that.

2)  Opener cannot go to slam; he or she has already described his or her hand. Responder can use keycard Blackwood.

Rod Van Wyk

After the 1NT opener, responder is captain and can explore for slam with a good enough hand. This one isn't, especially with no high spades.

The NT opener should not initiate slam. Partner could easily raise to game with an 8 count after the super acceptance. Furthermore, opener's holding outside of spades is terrible.

Karen Walker

The 1NT opener can't make the slam decisions in these auctions. I would move toward slam with responder's hand in Scenario 2, but that's based on the assumption that opener has a better hand than the one in the example.

En Xie

Personally, I would rebid 2S with opener's hand. Even though the spades fit is great. But that hand has too many losers and lack of controls. Also, I'd open 1S instead of 1NT. The Diamond and club suits are weak.
I play 3S rebid as 4+ spades support with good 16 to 17 HCPs. I think playing 4C as Gerber is fine, but I play 4C as cuebid in this case. 4NT would be Ace or key card asking.

John Burgener

Playing 2/1 I think the1H bid is a psych! Open your longest suit first. Its even worse if playing Precision. When I played Precision regularly my tabulations clearly showed that the 2C Precision opener had by far the best results of any opening in the system you even have a systemic sequence to show 5 hearts and 6 or more clubs with 11-15 HCPs what could be better?

Mark Boswell

Playing Precision you needed to open this hand 2C. If you don't, how you are ever going to convince partner that your clubs are self-sufficient and 2 cards longer than your hearts? (Playing Standard American I would open 1C.) You have plenty of playing strength for a reverse. Only with the 2C opener with Precision or a reverse in Standard will partner be able to tell the value of xxx in clubs. I disagree with your partner's original pass. I would bid 2D with that hand. (1NT or a negative double would both be better than a pass.) You don't like the opponents bid of 1S, but I can't imagine NOT overcalling one spade with this hand. You need to get your 6 card suit bid in early. If you don't bid spades now, your sides ability to compete in spades could be lost even when partner holds Axx or Axxx, or KQx, or AKxx or xxxx or other favorable holdings in spades.

Tom Kniest

Definitely open 1C; then the auction should proceed:
1C  1S  2D  X
2H    P  2N  P
3H    P  3N  P
 ?                     I would bid a 4 or 5C bidder here, but at matchpoints, wouldn't criticize 3NT - it might be a great result, depending on the lead.  Imps - definitely 5C.

Roger Lord

First, what happened to an initial response of 2 Diamonds?  (A Flight B player ought to know this would be just a one-round force over the interference bid).

The 1Heart opener is plausible - no one knows what bid will work on such a freak hand.  The auction might proceed : 1H - (1S) - 2D - (2S) - 3C - (3S) - 3NT - P - 4C - (P) - 4S - (P) - 6C.

Tom Oppenheimer

Let's get rid of all the questions except the one that matters, question number two.   This hand should always be opened one club.  Without a one club opener, no reasonable auction can proceed.  After the one spade overcall, partner should bid two diamonds.  You should reverse into hearts at whatever level is necessary.   Partner will now know that your clubs are longer than your hearts and you belong in clubs.  While an aggressive cue bidding auction might land you in six clubs, I think five clubs is a reasonable spot and would score well.  I am a firm believer that hands with a 6 card or longer minor and a 5 card major should be opened in the minor suit unless the minor is so bad it should be treated as a 5 card suit.  For example, with Jxxxxxx of clubs and AKJxx of hearts, I would probably open one heart.

Nancy Popkin

I would have opened the hand 1C because the suit is so good. My partners and I use a lot of doubles later in the hand, though, so we can show the other suit (hearts) for example. I think your partner should have bid though; passing with only three spades can lead to trouble, especially when partner has length in spades, too. It could go all pass. Instead, I would tend to bid 1NT because I am a little light for bidding my suit at the 2 level.

Rod Van Wyk

1) With an offensive hand like this, bid your vulnerable game before you consider defense.

2) Definitely open 1C. You can reverse to hearts later. You are not suppressing them.

3) It's nice he showed some life, but neither of you is describing his hand in a way that is helpful to partner. Your partner should have bid 2D over 1S(or even 1NT). Note that 2D after the overcall is only forcing 1 round.

4) The opponents' interference should not bother you on this hand. Here is a natural auction that assumes the opponents make the same bids:

1C - 1S - 2D - 2S

3H - 3S - 3NT* - p

4H - p - 5C - p

6C - p - p - p

* Either 3NT or 4C, rather than X, after the reverse.

Karen Walker

I hate skewing my distribution with 7-5 (or even 6-5) hands, so I would have opened a non-Precision 1C, even at the risk of possibly losing the heart suit. Over the 1S overcall, partner has enough to bid 2D (not forcing to game in competition). Once he chooses to pass 1S, it's probably going to be impossible to bid intelligently to 6C, but you should still be able to get to game.

On your auction, partner might have tried 3NT over your 3C, but with no reason to expect anything more than 5-5 distribution in your hand, he can't bid 4C with xxx.

En Xie

It's a tough hand. First you have to decide which suit to open first. Then your pd's pass made it very difficult for you to make decision. I would bid 5C after pd's double. As you said, it's match point game. I expect 3S will go down one or two for 200 or 500. But 5C has great chance to make. Partner is short in Heart because she/he didn't raise and she/he certainly has some HCPs to double 3S. That hand I probably will open 1C then reverse later. It's a bit shy of HCP to reverse but you have great shape to compensate the deficit of HCP. It's a 4 loser hand. 1H is not a bad choice though. I think it's very close call in between 1C and 1H. I'd bid 2D with your partner's hand to start with. After 3S bid, double seems OK. Another choice is to bid 3NT. Partner has bid 1H then 3C while you have passed originally,that shows good shape and non-minimum hand. With 10 HCPs and good stoppers in Spades and Diamonds. I think 3NT would be a better call. You might try following bidding sequence to reach slam but don't blame me if you go down.
   1C     1S  2D   2S
   3H     3S  3N   P
   4H     P    4S* P
   4N**  p    6C 
 
*   4S = first control in spades 
** 4NT here is not Ace asking, it shows interest in slam.

John Burgener

I agree that the 3C is the proper rebid by North. You did not specify your bidding system, if playing 2/1, 3 hearts would allow more definition in the auction. In Standard I would rebid 4 hearts over either North rebid. Seeing all four hands it is possible to make 4 hearts. But I would also end with four losers because the best way to play the clubs is play to find an honor with West.

Mark Boswell

I am going to assume that you are playing 2/1 game forcing. I would have rebid 3C with partner's hand. Then I would have rebid 3H with your hand. Partner will bid 3NT. As it comes out 4S by you leads to the best spot as the cards lie. There is a good chance you will go down in any game contract since the hearts and spades do not break and the clubs are all off side, but that does not mean you should not be in game with these cards.

Tom Kniest

4H is the best contract.  While it looks pretty hopeless, it really isn't.  Lead a heart at trick 2; ruff the diamond return and play 3 more rounds of hearts; then ruff the next diamond return.  I suspect right will have some problems discarding on all these hearts and will come down to all black cards.  If he ever discards a spade, then dummy's will be good.  If he ever discards a club, they will split 2-2.  Since the first 7 tricks will be 3 round of diamonds and 4 rounds of hearts, east will have to come down to 6 black cards, much to his discomfort.  If west is a good player, he will see the futility of the last force in diamonds and switch to a club...to no avail as a good declarer will still end play east.
    

Roger Lord

In a 2/1 system auction, over 2NT (which should be unlimited), responder may not jump to 4H.  To provide space for exploration, he should bid 3 Hearts.  Then, over, say 3NT, responder can sign off at 4 Hearts, the best contract whether opener had a singleton or doubleton.

One way to play and make this contract would be: win diamond Ace, play a high heart losing to the Ace, ruff diamond continuation, play 2 more high hearts pitching a diamond and a club from dummy and watching RHO's discard (probably it will be a diamond).  Now lay the spade King, Ace, and Queen, pitching a club. Maybe LHO will refuse to ruff with his high trump, in which case you ruff the fourth spade.  Say LHO over ruffs and leads a diamond.  You ruff and exit with a club to the ten and RHO wins the Jack.  RHO has to lead away from his club King for your 10th trick, as he has no more diamonds, and if he did your clubs would be good without the endplay.  This, however, is not the best defense.

Against defense without an error, win diamond Ace, play a high heart losing to the Ace, ruff the diamond continuation and play 3 more rounds of hearts and watch what RHO discards.    West wins the third heart and his best play is to return a club; put in the 10, covered with the Jack, and win the Ace. Play your 6th and final heart; RHO has to pitch down to Spades and Clubs.  Play the Spade King  and throw RHO in with a club; he will have to lead into dummy's Q10 of Spades; making 4!

Tom Oppenheimer
I think that your auction is fine.  I like partner's 2 no trump bid as much as any other bid that was available (2 spades or 3 clubs).  On the play of the hand, you have arrived at a point where you need to decide if laying down the ace of clubs gives you a better chance than the jack of spades dropping with squeeze possibilities.   I think you give yourself a little better chance with the second option.  As it turns out, if you lead another heart, the East hand is going to get squeezed in clubs and spades.  There are a number of possible end positions depending on what card West exits with after winning the heart but East is a dead duck on all off them.  If West exits a diamond, ruff with your last trump.  If West does not exit a diamond,  win the return in your hand and cash the last heart.  You need to recognize that East is being squeezed and visualize that he has the Jxxx of spades and the king of clubs, but East will surely have a sick look on his face to give it away.

Nancy Popkin

I hate this hand. It sounds like what always happens to me. I like the rebid of 2NT and I like your rebid of 4H. The best contract is 4S, but I have no idea how you get there. I don't see what you could have done better in the play of the hand either. I totally commiserate. Sorry I'm no help.

Rod Van Wyk

1) 4H is fine. 3H could work, but this time partner will bid 3NT.

2) In matchpoints, you want to be in a major. Most pairs will be down 1 in a suit, or down 2 in 3NT.

3) Your play was normal. You would still have had a chance if the JS fell or if you got a luckier club position.

Karen Walker

Partner's best rebid over 2H is probably 2S, which does not promise extra length. His choice of 2NT is not ideal, but it's better than 3C, which should show something extra whether you're playing a standard or 2-over-1 system.

Without help from the defense, no game contract is going to be easy on this layout, but 4H looks like the best spot. At least you stayed out of the 100-percent hopeless 3NT, which was probably the contract at some tables.

At the point where you cashed your last high heart, you can attack clubs (hoping to score two tricks before you lose two) or you can lead a heart to West and then hope to run the spades.

En Xie

Partner's rebid will depend on your agreement. Without agreement, I think 2NT is fine. With your hand, you can rebid 3H after 2NT and see what pd will bid. 4H is not bad at all. Actually it's the only game contract you have chance to make. The 4H contract can go down only if West switches to spades twice. In other cases, you can make the contract by end playing East.
With Diamond switch, you can ruff then clean up trump. If west switches to a club, dummy covers with C10 and you duck. Then East will be squeezed later after you run your trump. If west switch to diamond or spades, you ruff or take with SK then run your trump. East has to keep all spades and at least KJ of clubs. Then you can throw her/him in with spades or clubs.