October 2022 - 40

showed this exact distribution of
1=6=3=3. 4l was artificial and said
that hearts would be trumps. Opener
signed off for now, but responder
bid 4NT key card Blackwood. The
problem was that opener's response
of 5, two plus the queen, was above
the safety level of 5k. Responder had
no choice but to bid 6k from there.
Depending on your perspective, this
result either shows the danger of too
many artificial methods, or it could
have been avoided with even more
methods (such as 4 asking for key
cards instead of 4NT, saving a crucial
step). In either case, slam was bid off
two aces.
Bridge Bulletin auction: 1k-2l;
2k-3k; 3-4'; 4k-Pass. An auction
to 3NT using standard methods
could barely be concocted, and it
probably wouldn't be realistic.
Scores: 5NT 12; 4k 8; 5k 6; 5l 1
Rice-Stuart 29, Sprink.-MdL 30
Problem 5
North deals. N-S vulnerable.
North opens 3l.
West
East
 J 6 4
k K 8 7
l J 7
' A K Q J 8
Pass
Dbl
 A Q 9 8
k A 6
l A 10 2
' 7 5 4 3
Rice North Stuart South
(3l)
(Pass)
(Pass) 4l (Pass)
4k (Pass) 4 (Pass)
5' (Pass) 5l (Pass)
5 (Pass) 6' All Pass
East had good values over the 3l
opening, but any action other than
pass is heavily flawed. The hand is
light to bid 3NT, missing a spade to
overcall, and the wrong pattern for a
takeout double with only two hearts.
East therefore passed. West had
acceptable distribution and strength
to reopen with a takeout double. The
4l call by East was offering a choice
40 | Bridge Bulletin | October 2022
of games. Because this choice might
have been between the majors, even
on a 5-5 hand, West bid 4k. East
pulled to 4, saying the choice was
between spades and clubs. It was a
rather obvious decision for West to
choose clubs. However, East wasn't
done, and bid 5l to get his side to
slam. West bid 5, probably a little
unsure what East's intentions were,
but 6' clarified them. Slam might
not make, but it is impressive they got
to it.
Sprink. North M. de Leon South
(3l) Pass
(Pass) 4l
Dbl
4k (Pass) 4
(Pass)
(Pass)
(Pass)
5' All Pass
This pair had the exact same auction
with the exact same meanings,
except that East decided to pass 5'.
Certainly East has one of the best
hands possible, given the original
pass over 3l. Whether to bid over
5' may be a matter of partnership
style, depending on factors such as
how light West might reopen with a
double.
Bridge Bulletin auction: (3l)-Pass-
(Pass)-Dbl; (Pass)-4l-(Pass)-4k;
(Pass)-4-(Pass)-5'; (Pass)-6'-
All Pass. Knowing that the 4l cuebid
can be used as a choice of suits, not
necessarily the majors, is important
for this family of auctions.
Scores: 6' 11; 6NT(E) 10;
6NT(W) 7; 5NT(E) 6; 5NT(W) 5;
5' 4; 7' 2
Rice-Stuart 40, Sprink.-MdL 34
Problem 6
East deals. E-W vulnerable.
West
 9
East
 A K Q 10 7 4 2
k A K 9 8 4 k Q 3 2
l Q 9 8
' Q 7 6 4
Rice
1NT
4k
l K 10 3
' -
Stuart
1
4'
Pass
East opened 1, and West responded
1NT semi-forcing (opener will
only pass with a balanced minimum).
The 4' bid by East was a treatment
called an auto-splinter or a self-splinter.
It is a shortness bid made by a
player in support of their own long
suit. So 4' shows a nice 4 rebid but
with club shortness, in case a slam
can be located. West decided to bid
4k which looks like a control in support
of spades, but East passed. There
seemed to be a misunderstanding of
the nature of the 4k call, but at least
they ended in quite a decent fit.
October 2022

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