Hand of the Week - August 31, 2020 - Glenna Shanahan - 2 over 1

 

Background: Glenna(Shanachie5) and Stan (gusher) played this hand on Tuesday, August 25.   The questions were:

• Why didn’t south give a preemptive bid with spades?  
• Why did South bid 4S after your 1D?  
• How did you know to get to 6S after South’s 4 spade bid?

Glenna:

Stan and I play 2/1. So when he bid 4 ♠️, I knew he had more than 6 and he didn’t have an opening hand—just long good ♠️. So look at my hand, he bid 4 ♠️ not knowing if I had any ♠️ and I had support. Plus, he only knows I have 12+ points and I had 18! 4 of a Major is never a shut out as it just shows the hand he had so because I had both support and 6 or more points than he thought, I owed him a 6 ♠️ bid.

 I had 18 or 19 pts. and intended to open it 1 ♦️ and then jump to 2NT which shows 18 or 19!

But, Stan bid 4 ♠️ which is not preemptive—rather shows 6+ (probably 7 or 8) and enough values for game if I have my 12 or 13 pts. Since I had maximum values and a good fit, I bid 6! Sometimes with really strong hands and good fits, you just have to bid the slam because there is no scientific method available.This “table feel” develops over time and many hands played over the years. Not all bid slams are makable, but should be bid, but the hands just don’t work. I felt this one had a 90+% rate to be successful and happened to be right this time. I have been wrong many times as well. 

2/1 works again!!!!!