Friday, April 18, 2003 9:57 PM

Slam Bidding Part Deux

PITBULLS:

Playing the vulnerability and table position for slams is a theme for this hand . Sometimes planning is called for when vul against not vul opponents . If there is a chance that they can have a cheap not vul sacrifice against your vul game/slam you should take some precautionary action. I like the bids of two Pitbulls Thursday nite on this hand .

x void Axxxx AK109xxx One Pitbull found herself in 4^th seat with this hand . Only 1 card in the majors and one hell of a playing hand to bid. One Pitbull chose a devious mean to buy the hand and opened 2♣ . This tactic may work to buy the hand and describe the huge playability of the hand . Unfortunately it was against Gandolfo who refused to shut up and they found their cheap sacrifice in 5♠ x . I gave the hand to Pitbull Pat and she came up with a bid I like even better . She opened 5♣ in 4^th chair . This has the advantage of keeping the opponents out with their majors and the disadvantage of not getting to 6♦ . On reflection , the enemy will probably never let you play it in 6♦ anyway so 600 or 620 will be better then +300 or +100 !!!

Years ago there was a convention called Namyats which sacrificed 4♣/4♦ openers to show huge playing hands in the majors 8 ½ to 10 tricks with a long suit . This fell into oblivion because the frequency did not justify sacrificing the 4♣/♦ pre-empt . The solution was to reserve a part of the 2♣ structure for these bids . Ax AKQJ10xx xx Ax . You open 2♣ and when partner responds 2♦ you leap to 4♥ . Since you are jamming partner you are making a “picture bid” of the old Namyats type hands .

One of the reasons the 2♣ bid was invented was so that you do not miss game or slam when partner can not come up with a response . You can not rely on balancers to get you to your game or slam all the time . Opening at the one level with void AKQJx AJxx AQxx is ludicrous in any form of the game and especially IMPS. With this hand , partner held KJxxxx of clubs was not enough to respond but good enough for 7♣ vulnerable to make . One of Edmontons better players opened this hand 1♥ which I find mind boggling. They got balanced to game and played it there but missed their small or grand slam . Another hand opened at the one level was x AKQxxx A AQ10xx and partner did not have enough to respond with Kxxx of clubs. This was enough for 1370 in clubs . Luckily the opponents balanced them into their makeable slam .

The last hand shows very good bidding by Maurice to maximize his chances for a vul slam. Maurice held AQxxx AQx Kxx Kx and heard his partner open 1♠ vulnerable . Maurice bid 2NT and partner bid 3♠ . This 3♠ is no longer a “good hand” playing “serious 3NT” with your Jacoby 2NT . You do know that partner does not have the dog of all dogs because she would have bid 4♠ . Maurice now bid 3NT which is a serious slam try and partner must Q bid . His partner bid 4♦ and Maurice replied with 4♥ . Partner bid 4♠ and Maurice bid 5♦ in which his partner responded 5♥ . It is painfully obvious the partnership is off the club Ace . Maurice must protect his Kx of clubs from the opening lead . Partner could hold 4♦/♥ or the 6^th spade and you would have 12 tricks without needing the club Ace onside . Maurice bid 6NT which has to be the correct contract ! We opened up the slip and the entire field was in 6♠ from the wrong side for 1430 . Maurice made 1440 from the correct side and had a contract that might not depend solely on the location of the club Ace. !!!