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 Slam Bidding 13 by David Bird

We return to the important area of bidding slams.

These auctions will use various conventions described elsewhere in this series.

Question 1

  Your Hand
 A Q 3
 A K Q 8 6 4 3
 K
 7 5
 
Q: 1 - You are South. What will you bid next in this auction?
SouthWestNorthEast
--1Pass
1Pass1NTPass
?


 Your choice:
A: 2. No heart bid can describe these cards. 4NT would be a natural limit bid.

The answer is to use 2 as a puppet to 2, to play there or show an invitational hand, and 2 as a game-forcing checkback bid. This is known as Two-way Checkback.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 2

  Your Hand
 A Q 3
 A K Q 8 6 4 3
 K
 7 5
 
Q: 2 - You are South. What will you bid next in this auction?
SouthWestNorthEast
--1Pass
1Pass1NTPass
2Pass2NTPass
3Pass4Pass
?


 Your choice:
A: 4. Partner is not particularly enthusiastic, but you must continue bidding on your giant hand.

Your choice is a cue-bid of 4, to show your spade control.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 3

  Your Hand
 A Q 3
 A K Q 8 6 4 3
 K
 7 5
 
Q: 3 - You are South. What will you bid next in this auction?

Partner's 5 is a cue-bid, showing the ace or king of clubs.
SouthWestNorthEast
--1Pass
1Pass1NTPass
2Pass2NTPass
3Pass4Pass
4Pass5Pass
?


 Your choice:
A: 6NT. You are willing to bid a slam now, but if your choice is 6, West may be able to lead a club through partner's K. It is better to bid 6NT. This was the deal:


♠  10 9 7 2

♥  J 7

♦  10 7 3

♣  Q J 9 4

♠  K J 6

♥  9 2

♦  A J 8 5 2

♣  K 10 6

♠  A Q 3

♥  A K Q 8 6 4 3

♦  K

♣  7 5

♠  8 5 4

♥  10 5

♦  Q 9 6 4

♣  A 8 3 2

6NT cannot be beaten as it will be played by the North hand (who rebid 1NT).


Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 4

  Your Hand
 J 9 7 5 4
 K 8
 K 9 5 3
 9 2
 
Q: 4 - What will you bid next on this South hand?
SouthWestNorthEast
--1Pass
1Pass4Pass
?


 Your choice:
A: 4. Your partner is showing a big hand with four-card spade support and short diamonds. Holding a fifth trump and the golden K, you should cooperate with a 4 cue-bid.


Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 5

  Your Hand
 A K 10 6
 A J 7 6 3
 
 A K 8 5
 
Q: 5 - What will you bid on this North hand?
SouthWestNorthEast
--1Pass
1Pass4Pass
4Pass?


 Your choice:
A: 6. Partner has a heart control and some interest in slam, which is all you need to hear. You take a shot at 6.

Your result so far:
Open Question

Question 6

  Your Hand
 J 9 7 5 4
 K 8
 K 9 5 3
 9 2
 
Q: 6 - What will you bid on this hand?
SouthWestNorthEast
--1Pass
1Pass4Pass
4Pass6Pass
?


 Your choice:
A: Pass. Partner has placed the contract and you have nothing further to add.

This is the whole deal:

♠  Q 3

♥  Q 10 9 5 2

♦  Q J 10 6

♣  10 4

♠  A K 10 6

♥  A J 7 6 3

♦ 

♣  A K 8 5

♠  J 9 7 5 4

♥  K 8

♦  K 9 5 3

♣  9 2

♠  8 2

♥  4

♦  A 8 7 4 2

♣  Q J 7 6 3

How will you play the spade slam when West leads the Q?

You ruff and play the ace-king of trumps, finding a 2-2 break. What now?

You should cross to the K and finesse the J. If this loses to the Q with East, you will know that the suit is 4-2 at worst and one ruff in the South hand will establish it.

As it happens, the heart finesse wins. You can then cash the A, ruff a heart, ruff a diamond, ruff a heart in the South hand and play your last trump, squeezing East between the minor suits for all 13 tricks.


Your result so far:
Open Question

Play this Hand

Now that you've bid five hands, let's see how your play goes.

Overall Results

Your results:   out of    Average: 

What next? You may enjoy playing our prepared hands series.
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