IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
with Larry Matheny

 

There’s no doubt slam bidding can be difficult.  It is important to have agreements that allow you to stop when there is no fit or if the overall strength isn’t present.  This partnership had a tool that allowed them to make that decision.

 

Scoring: Matchpoints (Pairs Game)

#10-52

Dlr

E

Vul

E/W

S

K732

H

K7642

D

AK

C

Q4

S

106

H

93

D

QJ98

C

KJ653

  pad  

S

J854

H

J10

D

765

C

10987

 

S

AQ9

H

AQ85

D

10432

C

A2

West

North

East

South

  

 

   Pass

   1NT

   Pass

   2C

   Pass

    2H

    Pass      4D*       Pass       6H

    Pass     Pass       Pass

 

 *artificial

 

 

BIDDING:  North’s hand was strong enough to invite slam but not insist upon it.  This N/S partnership has several agreements to show slam invitational sequences.  North’s bid of 4D showed a heart raise, a balanced hand, and was invitational to slam.  South liked his controls and accepted.

 

PLAY:  The play was easy with declarer eventually losing only a club trick. While this is not necessarily a difficult hand to bid, several pairs reached the slam in notrump and were defeated.  They did not have an agreement that allowed them to invite slam in a suit contract.  

 

 

Copyright ©2010 Larry Matheny