1/1 Chapter 6 - A Deadly Sin

Submitted by Vil Gravis on Thu, 16/04/2026 - 16:04

One of the deadly sins in bridge is to overbid to a minor suit game when nine tricks are easily
available in No Trumps. But a bigger sin, in my opinion, is to choose an unmakeable 3NT when
a minor suit slam is a much better proposition

This deal comes from X-Clubs, Tuesday 14/4/2026. It is an EW hand where most EW pairs chose the
impossible 3NT when a minor suit slam was a much better proposition, and just bidding the minor suit
game would have scored over 90%. Let’s take a look at the EW hands and see how we might bid them

Board 16. Dealer East, Nil Vulnerable.

A85
A72
J92
K832
KJ72
KQT854
AJ9

In many ways, it should be easier for Acol players to bid this to 5D, or even 6D, rather than the
hopeless 3NT. This is how the Acol conversation should take place:

  • East: 1D
  • West: 2C
  • East: 3C. This is where it is important that you have a partnership agreement that a raise of partner’s
    minor suit two level response is better than a rebid of your own suit, somewhat equivalent to a reverse
    but not as strong, though game forcing. East has three very good clubs, so raises West to 3C. Now there
    is no need to rush anywhere
  • West: 3D. ... West continues the conversation with a bid of 3D
  • East: 3S. There is no need for any fancy stuff here, East is now showing 4153 or 4054 or 4063 and
    West can now tell that 3NT is not going to be a great spot
  • West: 4NT. May as well employ the great tool of Roman Key Card, since we’re heading for 5D
    anyway. Yes, it is a key card ask in diamonds and not spades or clubs, because West first agreed
    diamonds by bidding 3D. Oops! When East shows two key cards plus the queen of diamonds, West has
    to bid the slam now, though regretting not settling for a quiet 5D

No, there was not even one pair across all the X-Clubs that bid 6D and of those who bid to 5D, some
did make six. But even 5D making five was worth over 80%. With 1/1 the bidding would be similar but
more relaxed, as we would bid 1NT immediately to create a game force situation and 4D would then
later be a key card ask in diamonds