Dead Easy

6th October – Board 15. North/South Game. Dealer South.

Slam bidding is so much easier these days with the invention of a gimmick or two.

	North: S Q 9 3 H 3 D Q 10 6 5 3 C 10 9 5 2
West: S 7 H A Q J 10 D A K 4 C Q 8 7 6 4		East: S A K 8 2 H K 9 7 6 5 D 9 7 2 C K
	South: S J 10 6 5 4 H 8 4 2 D J 8 C A J 3

West	North	East	South
			No
1C	No	1H	No
3S	No	4C	No
4D	No	4NT	No
5S	No	6H	End

With his five-loser hand West is certainly worth game once his partner has responded in his second best suit but isn’t a bid of 3S so much better than just bidding 4H? It shows shortage of course and allows his partner to cue-bid at the four-level. 4C might look strange but actually it is spot on. Should his partner not hold the ace the rest of his hand must be huge – as it is – while if he does hold the ace then the king is useful anyway! After a 4D cue East employs everyone’s favourite convention, finds out about the queen of trumps en route and bids the good slam.