Sittard BC Internal Championships Imp Teams 2002

Session 02, Baandert, Sittard, May 14, 2002

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Boards 09-12

Copyright © 2002-2025 by Michel Franssen

Recommended bidding sequence:

1ª = Needs alert, for in Walsh approach, South may bypass a longer ¨-suit.
2¨ = Reverse bidding on a 1444-hand is from ideal, but 2NT is a much longer way out of the line.
2© = 4th Suit Forcing.
3© = 4-card suit, so he holds a specific 1444.
4§ = Slamtry in clubs.
4© = 1st or 2nd round control of hearts, denies ¨-control at the same time.
4NT = RKCB.
5ª = 2 or 5 out fo 5 aces, plus the queen of trumps.

East starts a trump, but North wins in hand, dumps 2 diamonds, ruffs 3 spades in hand, cashes §K, and if West ruffs ªT now, §8 will bring the 12th trick.

The Lions won their match against the Carpenters (Timmermannen) on this particular board. The Carpenters rushed like cheetah's all the way to 7§, while the northern Lion kind of underestimated his comrade's judment, to which he added little worthy of a lion:

1© = Highly discouraged, especially when vulnerable.
2NT = Also highly discouraged, should show a balanced hand with a good 17 to a bad 19 hcp, and of course, a ©-stopper. We would try to trap EW by passing, hoping South re-opens with a double, which we could then pass out for penalties, or simply cuebid 3©.
3© = Forcing game, since the immediate raise to 3§ or even 4§ would not sound as the slamtry South is entitled to after the strength showing 2NT.
4§ = Slamtry in clubs, since 3© already forced game. Some experts call this "applying the principle of detour".
5§ = Signoff, still only counting high card points, and adding up to 26 or 27 of them.

Recommended, but rather sophisticated bidding sequence:

2§ = 3+ suit, 12+ hcp, forcing game.
2ª = 6+ suit, 11-15 hcp.
3¨ = Promising 5+ § and 4+ ¨.
3© = 4th Suit Forcing.
4¨ = Promising 6+ § and 5+ ¨.
4© = 4th Suit revisited, asking North to decide on trump suit and level of play. South could try 4NT as RKCB for diamonds, but that could lead to disaster in case North does not control hearts.
4NT = Six Aces Blackwood, designating the minors as twinned trump suits for the time being, and the last bid minor as trump suit of which the queen should be shown, if asked for.
5¨ = 0 or 3 out of 6 aces.

It takes two 3-2 breaks, or some honors in clubs or diamonds to drop, but that certainly brings the total chance of success past the 48% required for small slam in a minor suit.

Six Aces Blackwood takes a lot of discussion with partner. If the partners can't bring the discipline to do so, we would recommend to stay out of such close and tough to bid slams.

Recommended bidding sequence:

2§ = Stayman relay, which does not yield a 4-card major to use it.
2© = 4 or 5 hearts, perhaps 4-4 in the majors.
4© = North's hand goes up in value after disclosure of the 4-4 fit.

Even a §-lead cannot endanger the contract, for after §A, ©A and © for the king, West is unable to give his partner a ruff.

Recommended bidding sequence:

1NT = Many sorts of hands, 5-11 hcp, one round force.
2§ = Perhaps a 3-card suit, and 11-17 hcp.
2ª = Downgrading for 3433-pattern.

The game does not make, unless West leads a black suit, but ¨Q for the ace, ¨K, heart to the ace, and ¨J is a much more likely defense.

NS should not worry about 'missing' this unmakable game. Even when North brings ©A instead of ©K, it takes a 3-2 break in spades and a working finesse in clubs to slip through. A 33% game is a losing option in the long run.

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