Set 18 Results

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Board 1, West deals, Nobody Vulnerable

A J 8 5 4 A Q 3 A K 10 K 4

Q 7 6 3 J 2 Q 7 5 A 10 7 2

Scores for Board 1:

6:10
4:7
5:6
6NT: 5
4NT: 4
5NT: 3

6 is good since it makes if either major comes in. 6NT is not as good, because if spades produce only 4 tricks, it will be quite unlikely to get 8 more from the other suits. Is West's hand too good for 2NT? I count 21 prime HCP and a 5-card suit, so I think 2 planning to rebid 2NT is a better valuation. After either start, East will use Stayman to locate the spade fit. Over 20-21, East might not try for slam (unless he has used Puppet Stayman to learn of a 5-4 fit). Over the 2-then-2NT start, East is more likely to head towards 6. In either case, the partnership must have agreements as to what East's actions mean after West's 3.

Board 2, West deals, Nobody Vulnerable

Q 10 5 4 5 2 A 10 3 A 9 8 7

A K 8 7 6 A K Q 10 7 7 6 2

Scores for Board 2:

7:10
6:7

6NT:4
5:3
5NT: 1

If either major behaves, 13 tricks in spades are there (West's diamonds eventually go on East's hearts, and East's diamond loser is ruffed in West's hand).  If East starts with 2 and rebids 2, West will love his hand. Alternatively, East can start with 1 and West will use Drury (maybe 2-way to show 4 trumps). East would like to hear a control-bid of 4 from West at some point, after which it is easy to reach 6, but not 7.

Board 3, West deals, Nobody Vulnerable

A J 5 4 2 K 4 3 4 K 10 9 2

K 8 7 A 6 2 A K 3 2 A 7 3

Scores for Board 3:

4:10
5: 8
4NT: 6
6: 4
6NT: 2

Because there is a likely trick to lose outside of spades, slam is sub-par. It requires not only finding the Q onside (50-50), but a 3-2 spade break. How to stay out of slam? West opens 1 (doesn't he?) and East will probably respond 2. West's rebid now depends on system, but East will raise spades next. Will East drag West into slam kicking and screaming?  

Board 4, West deals, Nobody Vulnerable

A Q K 4 2 Q J 9 J 7 6 5 4

K 2 A 10 3 K 5 4 A K Q 3 2

Scores:

5NT : 10
5: 7
Slams: 4

This is nasty (mirrored distribution), but don't blame me; this deal comes from the Becker archives. If only we could change one little card to be in a different suit, there would be 12 likely tricks. How to avoid this slam? Once West opens the bidding, I can't see stopping short of 6. That's why slam, although "no play" does get 4 out of 10 points--you will have lots of company for -50. Only a pair of relayers, who can discover the exact duplication of values, might have a chance to stop in game.

***Full Book by Larry Cohen with Bidding Practice and results/analysis.***