The slam that never was.
by Mike Yuen on
August 31st, 2009
Good bidding has it own rewards, just not imps this time.
Match 3. Board 1. None Vul. Dealer North.
| North Kiz | |
| ♠ | 106 |
| ♥ | KJ1084 |
| ♦ | KQ |
| ♣ | KQ72 |
 |
|
| South Susan | |
| ♠ | Q2 |
| ♥ | AQ963 |
| ♦ | AJ10 |
| ♣ | AJ6 |
| West | North | East | South |
| 1♥ | pass | 2NT* | |
| pass | 3♥ | pass | 3NT* |
| pass | 4♣ | pass | 4♦ |
| pass | 4♥ | pass | 5♥ |
| pass | pass | pass |
*2NT is forcing ♥ raise. 3 ♥ waiting. 3NT serious-slam interest. 4♣ and 4♦ Q bids. 5♥ ask for ♠ control.
In a bidding contest you expect to earn a 10 for this auction.
In Sao Paulo, many Souths either just jump to 6♥ or after RKC then bid 6. Most were rewarded with 13 imps as many East didn’t find the killing ♠ lead.
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Bridge-related
This is an interesting deal and I blogged about it yesterday. In the Bermuda Bowl match I watched both declarers did not try to find out if they were off the top spades although they both could have. One of the declarers psyched a “Zia” cuebid of spades. They both made it. I would have used science and I would have avoided the slam as did the Susan and Kismet.
In an unrevealing auction (not this one) if the defender on lead has the AK of spades you are going down, most of the time they will lead the spade ace even without the king. You have some chance of getting the lead if they have no spade cards or if they have the king. This makes the slam less than 50% in my books.
Well done ladies.