Sunday, January 22, 2006 9:12 PM

1NT - 6/5 Majors

PITBULLS:

Interesting hand came up today in a team game. Partner opens 1NT (15-17) and you hold AKJxx A1098xx xx void . The relay that BJ and I play over heart transfers makes this an easy hand . I bid 2♦ and partner bids 2♥ so I bid 2♠. This is a relay to 2NT which can only be broken if partner has 3♥ and did not super accept. Partner dutiful bids 2NT and you bid 3♠. This sequence usually shows a 2^ND suit non forcing with hearts as the anchor suit but since it is spades is shows specifically a 6-5 and a game force. With a minimum and agreeing spades partner will just bid 4♠. I have an understanding that you can not commence Q bidding at the 5 level. If you do so , it is exclusion KCB. You bid 5♣ and partner bids 5♥ showing one Ace outside clubs. 5NT bypassing the trump suit is the queen ask so partner bids 6♦ showing the queen and the lower ranking king. Partner now bids 6♥ which is a suit ask and partner bids 7♠ with Kx of hearts.

What is your agreement to show 6-5 in the majors this way ? Do you transfer to hearts and bid spades ? What does that mean ? 5 hearts and 4 spades ? Just a Q bid for a heart slam ? Should you distort your distribution and transfer into spades and bid hearts as a 2^nd suit ? Need to discuss with partner. Tom and I have a toy to show two suiters in the majors so I bid 3♠ which shows a game forcing hand minimum 5-5 in the majors. Partner would bid 4♠ and 5♣ would be exclusion KCB so we get to 7♠ the same way BJ and I got there. Many roads lead to Rome.

At Susan’s table she decided not to open 1NT with her 14 HCP Q10xx Kx AK10 Q10xx so she opened 1♣ and Tom responded 1♥. Susan bid 1♠ so Tom forced to game with 2♦. Susan bid 2NT and Tom now set the trump suit by bidding 3♠. Susan is in a forcing auction so she Q bid 4♦ and got a 4♥ Q bid by Tom . Susan did her duty so she signed off in 4♠ . Tom did not start Q bidding at the 5 level so he bid 5♣. This must be a club Q bid rather than exclusion. Susan replied 5♦ so Tom needs to know whether she has the heart King. Tom has shown many cards in the two majors on this auction so 6♣ should not be interpreted as a choice of slams. 5NT here is also a bid usually reserved as a Grand Slam Force in spades ( 1^st priority ) . Over 6♣ Susan finally bids the heart king and Tom won 17 IMPS by bidding 7♠. At our table they did not distinguish themselves after a strong 1NT opening and aborted their slam try at the 5 level.