Anybody Home? Perhaps YES!

The message is not getting through, or is it? A few weeks ago I wrote a review on a very similar hand where all Easts opened 1NT and all Souths passed. With any hand that looks like being able to compete, it is usually profitable to do so.

Board 8 from Thursday 12/09/2019
Dealer W Nil Vul

A82
4
JT643
K982
KT9
9863
85
A764
J54
QJT7
AQ9
QJT
Q763
AK52
K72
53

Here we have two passes and 1NT. South can be sure that North will have some support somewhere and the vulnerability is helpful. If NS have a way to ask for a major suit bid by North then South should do so. Nearly every system has a way to show BOTH majors and 44 should be considered sufficient length. Thus, when South bids 2C (as in Landy), 2D (as in Hamilton) or 2H as in my own “Evil”, North has an easy bid of 2S, despite only a three card suit. 4-3 fits are not the best but still manageable, especially when there has been a 1NT opening, so 2S by North with those NS hands will usually hit the spot, if not the jackpot. Replay this board by clicking here.

Well, maybe the message has got through to some extent, because at our club there were a couple of NS pairs in 2S for a shared top. The reader should seriously consider some of my “Evil Acol” bidding suggestions.

The Thursday series has now finished, with the “X(Club)Files” starting next week. To inquire further or to register please email me at villyn@xtra.co.nz