Your Call 22

What part of “Fourth Suit Forcing” do people not understand? It seems very simple to me, but clearly not so simple to some others. Even natural bidding without any need for the confusion of the idea of the fourth suit should land EW on this deal in 4H and not the very much inferior 3NT or 4S. But let’s see this full deal:

Board 14 from Thursday 22/05/2025
Dealer E Nil Vul

K54
KQJ
T843
T93
QJT872
A743
KJ
J
9852
AQ762
AQ72
A963
T6
95
K8654

Slams 15

How difficult should it be to count to thirteen tricks? That is what all the Norths who responded with a quiet 1H when South opened the bidding with 1D had to do when South’s next bid was 4H, or even a conservative 3H. Or maybe some Souths might open 1H, a legitimate enough Acol opener. Take a look at Board 2 from Tuesday 20/05/2025 at X-Clubs.

Board 2 Dealer E NS Vul

K4
QJ985432
K
AJ
JT32
7
QT5
98743
Q876
J9862
QT62
A95
AKT6
A743
K5

Your Call 23

Unusual No Trumps, partner? And how, and when do you play it? What about Michaels? Same question: how and when do you play that? And a final question: have you heard of ‘leaping Michaels’? The answer is possibly that you have, but what about leaping Unusual No Trumps? When you think about it, why not play the Unusual NT and Michaels to include leaps to a higher level depending on your distribution and strength. Here is a great example of the use of the UNT.

Board 10 from Friday 16/05/2025
Dealer E All Vul

KQ8763
K
KJT764
QT875
9
94
Q9853
AJ96
52
AQT875
A
K432
AJT4
J632
2

Slams 14

Put yourself in the NORTH seat. You have landed in 6H. This has been in part thanks to your own bidding as well as partner’s great cooperation. East leads the QUEEN OF CLUBS.

Slams 13

This slam and the results at X-Clubs tells me that our present day players are somewhat lacking in their communication skills. It also tells me that bidding slams is not necessary for a good result, just being in the best denomination at game level and being able to execute the declarer play will get you over 75%, at least it did for the two pairs who played in 4H and made six. Bidding is about talking to partner and being aware of what both partners need to know, not just set rules about bidding suits and 4-4 fits. Let’s take a look at Board 11 and the NS thought processes.

Board 11 from Friday 9/05/2025
Dealer S Nil Vul

K2
AQJ9
QJ743
A8
983
8742
T5
K652
T76
65
K9862
QJ7
AQJ54
KT3
A
T943

Slams 12

Now put yourself in the West seat and play the 6C slam that you have put yourself in after East has opened 1S and put down the most unhelpful dummy that you have ever seen from an opening bid. North leads the ten of hearts.

Board 13 from 1/05/2025
Dealer N All Vul

QJ42
T972
652
K3
AKQ864
A
AQT974
AK8765
5
QJ97
65
T93
J3
KT843
J82

Slams 11

This deal should have led to a slam, but when it did, it led to the wrong slam. And a lot of the time, it was not even close to a slam, which does make me wonder about how much understanding there is between most partnerships. Let’s see what could, or should, happen in the real world. Take a look at the West hand. Can you imagine not being in a slam after East a) opens a weak two, or b) East opens a legitimate ‘rule of 20’ 1S?
Board 13 from 1/05/2025
Dealer N All Vul

QJ42
T972
652
K3
AKQ864
A
AQT974
AK8765
5
QJ97
65
T93
J3
KT843
J82

Slams 10

This deal occurred at X-Clubs recently but unfortunately it was Board 28 so was only played at some clubs and was not included in the full X-Clubs analysis, but it is of such interest that it is worth discussion.

Board 28 from on Tuesday 22/04/2025
Dealer W NS Vul

984
K7532
76
T85
AJT76
A
A
AKQJ62
Q2
Q64
QJ985
974
K53
JT98
KT432
3

Opening Leads 30

Some well thought out opening leads can have unintended consequences. This could have been one such time, but unfortunately not a single EW pair were in what I would have thought would be the best contract if bid properly, so the opening lead was not as potentially productive as it might have been. But let’s see how things might have turned out if EW had reached what I consider the best contract, and South also made what I would rate the best opening lead, despite my constant admonitions to never lead an unsupported ace. Let’s look at the deal from X-Clubs on Tuesday 15/04/2025.

Board 13. Dealer N All Vul

Q7
J
KT2
KJ97543
KJ43
Q963
93
AT2
AT62
AK742
Q75
6
985
T85
AJ864
Q8

The Guessing Game 08

Declarer is South, in 4S doubled. West leads the queen of hearts. How should declarer play to avoidminus 800 and a bottom board?

Board 6 from Tuesday 8/04/2025
Dealer E EW Vul

82
K632
J6432
T3
Q
QJT8
AT97
KJ87
J53
A954
K5
A654
AKT9764
7
Q8
Q92

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