Friday, July 30, 2021

Weekly Hand Analysis - Vic Johnson - Monday, August 2, 2021 - Did they stop bidding too soon?

 


Question: Opener stopped bidding too soon. Who needed to “carry the ball”? This hand made 7.

Vic:

South

An opening hand to be sure & 1C was the proper opening bid. Rebidding clubs is a good second bid over Responder 1H. An aggressive South would probably rebid 3C instead.

Either rebid promises a six card club suit. A rebid of 2C implies a standard opening point count. A rebid of 3C promises a stronger than standard opening point count (16-17 points).

North

Holding 15 HCPs, North knows as soon as South opens that the auction should continue to at least game. North is responsible for making sure that happens.

A club rebid by South promises a 6 card club suit. It also denies four hearts (holding four hearts South should support hearts). It also denies four spades (holding four spades South second bid should have been 1S).

In the absence of a heart or spade fit & holding a gangbuster club fit North should be imagining game (or maybe even slam) in NO TRUMP. Remember, there are three suits in bridge (Spades - Hearts - No Trump). Clubs are for the golf course. Diamonds are for your finger.

Given that North holds all the heart honors plus the diamond King & the club Queen, it is difficult to imagine that South does not hold an honor or two in spades. North should not worry about their three small spades.

North needs to continue to force the auction to/towards game. How they go about that will depend on their partnership agreement. The easiest way would be to simply bid 3NT on their second call. That would have the unfortunate result of putting East on lead. East would probably lead a low spade forcing South to make a 1st trick critical decision. If they go up with the spade King, they make their contract. If they play the spade Jack, they deserve to go down.


A second call of 3NT by north might also have the unfortunate result of ending the auction short of slam. 




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