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Bidding Problem #12, June 06: In this month's problem, looking at this lovely hand, you hear partner come alive after an initial pass:
 8
 AK98xx
 AQx
 KJx
Matchpoints, no one vulnerable; partner deals and passes and after RHO passes you open 1 Heart. LHO passes and partner responds 2 diamonds (natural-not drury). After another pass by RHO it's your turn. Assume Westchester Standard (2/1 with all the usual gadgets).
Voting:
3: 5 votes
3: 4 votes
3: 3 votes
Upon first picking up this hand, it seems classic to open 1 and follow with a jump to 3 after typical responses by partner such as 1 or 1NT, but 3 of our panelists felt that 3 was also the descriptive bid after partners' 2 call. Panelists Gene Fisher, Robin Brown and Pat Callahan all feel that this call is forcing and expect it to lead to the right strain.
The 3 bidders were in a slight majority (Cliff Nebel, Jeff Allen, Carlos Munoz, Jason Fuhrman and Peter Kalat), but had different reasons for their call. Jeff thinks this hand is too strong and 3 takes up the least room and therefore gives the best chance to explore slam. He doesn't like the splinter with only 3 card diamond support. Carlos lays out his plan depending upon partners' continuations over 3. He'll cue 3 over pards 3 or 3 and then pass if partner then doesn't continue with a Q or convert to 4 if pard tries 3NT over the 3 cue bid. If pard bids 3NT over 3, he'll bid 4 which he feels is a slam try. Peter thinks 3NT is a possibility here at matchpoints and 3 caters to that possibility. But he will ask about key cards if partner rebids diamonds or supports his hearts. Jason also does not like the splinter with only 3 card diamond support and isn't sure that 3 isn't a strong jump shift considering the non-forcing nature of the 2 call. He likes 3 also as the best way to get to the matchpoint 3NT and favors a western cue of 3 over partners' 3 rebid as another attempt to get to 3NT if partner doesn't bid it directly over 3. Jason also states that he will raise 3 here to 4, not mentioning any slam explorations. Cliff wins the award this month for the longest diatribe on the problem (sorry Jason) outlining the possible meanings of every bid over 2 all the way up to 5 and he favors the 3 call over his next choices which are 3 or 4NT. He raises the question about whether 3 is forcing and feels it is not in this sequence. He is sure there is at least a 5 card diamond suit in partner's hand and figures a heart bid here may land him in game with a possible 6-0 fit when there is an excellent shot for slam in a 5-3 or 6-3 fit. He feels the 3 call stands to discover the most about partners' hand, whether it be a 6 card diamond suit, 2 card heart support (3 is not possible since 2 was not forcing) or spade cards as evidenced by partners 3 NT continuation.
The 3 bidders (Rick Goldstein, Nancy Widman, Nancy Molesworth and Joan Gerard) all feel the splinter, albeit not perfect without 4 card support, is the most descriptive bid here leading towards the best game or slam in the best strain (diamonds). All note that the trump fit is at least 5-3 since partner did not respond 1 or 2 and fully expect the diamond king. Rick notes that at little as the K and A should make slam virtually cold. He will put on the diamond slam brakes if partner shows spade values with a 3NT call over 3 but may get excited in hearts if partner shows 2 card support via a 4 call. Nancy Widman will also put on the brakes if partner calls 3NT, fearing that she may hold KQx,x,KJxxxx,Qxx or similar. Nancy Molesworth is not expecting that hand from partner as partner would have opened 2. Of course, in Nancy W's partners feared hand, if the KQ of spades were the A, slam is again excellent.
At the table when this hand came up, I tried 3 and when partner followed with 4, I raised to 5 and we played it there, making six. Partner's hand was Qxx,x,KJxxx,Axxx.
-Ed Z. |
