A nice day for the beach, with only eight tables here. Congratulations to Darrell and Jan for a sizzling 78% and Marion and Bobbie for a super 71 %. I'm running out of adjectives, but you all did very well.
Next Monday we'll finish the review of Lesson 4. Don't miss the takeouts. There will be no advanced lesson Thursday.
Check back tomorrow and Wednesday for my comments on today's boards.
Have fun in the sun!
Dave
PS Comments added to boards 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14 and 15.
North opens 1 Diamond and South responds 1 Spade. North rebids 2 Clubs and South stops to think. He will bid No Trump, but 2 or 3? The former promises at least 11 HCPs and North will pass with his 12 HCPs. The latter assumes partner has 13 HCPs (He doesn't), but he makes it anyway. Smell a game, bid a game.
East opens 1 Spade and West responds 2 Clubs to promise 10 or more points and force partner to describe his hand. East rebids 2 Hearts to show his two suits and 13-18 points and West stops to think. He has only 8 HCPs, but decides that his Clubs are self-supporting and reevaluates to 18 points. He jumps to 5 Clubs and makes it for the top. Good job, Connie!
South opens 1 Spade, West doubles (Big) and East advances 3 Hearts to show his best suit and 9-12 points. South passes and West stops to think. He is interested in slam, but would like to know if partner has Diamond support. He is sure that partner won't pass with his 9 or more opposite 17 or more, so bids 4 Diamonds to show his suit. East raises to 5 Diamonds and West raises to 6 Diamonds. It makes for the top.
It is important to note that if East merely advances 2 Hearts, he could have nothing. West has to bid what he thinks he can make and will miss the slam. I love it when the hands illustrate what I talked about in the lessons.
West opens 1 Diamond and East responds 1 Heart to force partner to describe his hand. West rebids 2 Diamonds to show his 6 or more Diamonds and 13-16 points. East reevaluates to 20-21 points and knows that his Diamond support makes partner stronger. He is interested in slam and jumps to 4 No Trump (Blackwood) to check on the Ace of Spades. West responds 5 Clubs and East stops to think again. They have a sure Spade loser and could possibly lose a Club or Diamond. I bid a cautious 5 Diamonds, but Darrell bid the slam.
That's how you get 78%! Good job!
A few pairs made 12 tricks in Clubs, Hearts or No Trump, but no one bid the slam. How should it go?
North opens 1 Heart and South responds 2 Clubs to force partner to describe his hand. North rebids 3 Hearts to show his 6 Hearts and 17 or more points. South rebids 3 Spades to force partner to bid again and North stops to ponder 3 No Trump versus 4 Diamonds. He has 15 HCPs and knows partner has 10 points, but isn't sure of partner's HCPs. Partner is looking for something, but is it a Diamond stopper or perhaps slam? It looks like a misfit, so he downgrades to 15 points and bids 3 No Trump.
The only path to slam that I can see is for South to take the initiative. After partner's jump to 3 hearts, he might decide that his Clubs are self-supporting and reevaluate to 20 points opposite partner's 17 and just blast to 6 Clubs.I don't think I'm comfortable with that, but Desperately Seeking Slam might be.
West opens 1 Heart, North passes and East responds 2 Diamonds. West rebids 2 Hearts and East stops to think. He's already shown his 10 points, but hasn't show his support for partner's Hearts. He knows that his support gives partner at least 16 points, so he jumps to 4 Hearts. I was overly cautious, but Darrell bid the game and Jan made it for the top.
More reasons for 78%. Good job!
North opens 1 Diamond and South responds 2 No Trump. North raises to 3 No Trump and makes it with an overtrick for a good score. Bobbie found another overtrick for the top. Good job!
East opens 1 Spade and South doubles for takeout. North has 15 HCPs, good Spades and figures partner for the other three suits, so bids 3 No Trump. If South has a big double with a different distribution, he can correct as needed. It makes for the top.
West has a balanced hand with 18 HCPs, so opens 1 Club. East is too strong for 1 No Trump and too weak for 2 No Trump, so responds 3 Clubs to show 10-12 points and 5 Clubs. Most Wests had 3 No Trump on the table before you saw their hand move. Everyone made an overtrick and I made two overtricks for a good score. Mr. 78% somehow made 3 overtricks for an even better score. When you're hot, you're hot.
Ted chose to go with the Clubs, bid an unlikely slam and made it for the top. Definitely a pajama bid.
