A view from the intermediate bench.
A. 4N. 4
shows both majors, so we’re playing in spades. 4
seems wimpish, as I would have bid the same with KQxxx in spades, but how is slam best investigated? 5
or 5N seem blind shots. What would 4N be? If it’s Blackwood, I can bid 5
, 6
, 5N after 5
, 5
, and 5
respectively. That seems ok. If 4N is summat else, I'll get a kicking -- two actually, one from myself too
B. 2N. Presumably 2
may not be a real suit. Qxx isn’t a stop but I’m not promising one with 2N, a bid which describes the hand well.
C. 3
. Qxx isn’t a stop and I would be promising one with a bid of 3N. There is the “I’ve shown a stop in the bidding so don’t need one in my hand” approach, I guess. My 2
may not show 6-card suit, 3
would. Partner has choices then: 4
(with two hearts), 3N with a spade stop, 4m with more shapely minors and 3
asking for a spade stop. With the last two, I’ll sign-off with 5
.
D. pass/3
. This looks to be a 20/20 hand. What’s better, declaring 3
or defending 2
x?
E. x/3
(4
?). They look to have a 64 spade fit, so we ought to have a fit somewhere.
BWS G(a) says 1N is semi-forcing limited at most to GI. Partner could have 31(9m)/32(8m) or 33(xx) 10/11 intending to re-bid 3
. A double will reveal which one. 3
would too, but might deter partner from bidding a 5c
suit? However, a 3
bid seems likely and if partner passes that I’m dithering over 4
, 4
and double. Would banging down an immediate 4
be better?
F. 3N. For the 2
, partner could be balanced 22-24 (with Kx or xx) in diamonds. That’s unlikely as E would then be ATxxx and W xxx, which seem rather meagre holdings for their bidding even if they are white v red. Partner’s probably unbalanced and a tad stronger. However, this is an opportunity to show my stops in the other suits. Partner can still carry on.
G. x. I’ll bid 3
over 2
or try not to go nuts over 3
. I’ll break a 2N Lebensohl transfer with 3
. If partner was intending to continue 3
(showing 4c spades and a heart stop), he can bid 3N.
H.
K/
6. W looks to be 2344/2353 and E 55xx. Partner has made a two-level overcall vulnerable. In the best of worlds, E is 5512 and W is 2353 – I lead the diamond K, partner ruffs W’s A and plays A, K and another club. If I do that with E 5503, E gets rid of a club loser, but are we getting only two anyway?