October 2022 - 41

Sprinkhuizen Mendes de Leon
1
2l
3'
3
5
2NT
3k
5'
6k
Pass
As continues to be the case with
this pair, the opening bid looks normal,
then the rest requires extensive
explanation. 2l was vaguely like a
transfer, showing 8 or more points
and five or more hearts. 2NT asked
for more information, and suggested
opener didn't mind hearts. 3' by
responder just meant that there was
nothing else to say. " Something else
to say " would have been a five-card
side suit, or lots of extra values. Opener
next bid 3k to set the trump suit.
3 showed short spades. Opener
next bid 5', exclusion key card
Blackwood, showing a club void and
asking for key cards outside of clubs.
5 showed two (the kA K) with no
trump queen, and West bid 6k.
It was interesting that neither pair
played in spades.
Bridge Bulletin auction: 1-1NT
[forcing]; 4'[self-splinter]-4k;
5l-5k; 6-Pass.
Scores: 6 11; 6k 9; 4 7; 4k 6;
5 5; 5k 4
Rice-Stuart 46, Sprink.-MdL 43
Problem 7
South deals. Both vulnerable.
West
East
 A K 8 3
k K
l K Q J 6 3
' K J 8
Rice
1l
2
3k
5l
 Q 5
k J 10 2
l A 10 5 2
' 10 5 4 3
Stuart
1NT
3l
5'
Pass
October 2022 | Bridge Bulletin |
41
West opened 1l, and with
half-stoppers in both majors, East
responded 1NT. West reversed into
2, a natural bid that also shows
extra values. Even though responder
had denied four spades, it can still
be helpful for opener to describe his
hand. East showed his heretofore
hidden diamond support. 3k by West
was a sort of probe looking for 3NT.
With no stopper in either hearts or
clubs, East couldn't bid 3NT. 5' was
a fancy bid called a " Bluhmer, " after
the great Lou Bluhm. It is a bid in a
suit that isn't natural (because East
didn't bid 3' earlier) and shows a
very suitable hand for the trump suit,
diamonds in this case. West signed
off in 5l.
Sprinkhuizen Mendes de Leon
1l
3k
4
3l
4l
5l
Pass
After the 1l opening, East bid
3l as a mixed raise. This treatment
basically shows 6-9 points (or 7-9
depending who you ask) with at least
four-card support. 3k was investigating
the stopper situation for a
possible 3NT. With no stoppers at all,
East retreated to 4l. 4 was an offer
of a contract, but East wasn't interested
and thus bid 5l.
Bridge Bulletin auction: 1l-1NT;
3NT-Pass. Could blasting like this
reach 3NT with no heart stopper?
Absolutely it could. But there is value
in hiding your hand when the final
destination seems likely, and on a
good day, an opponent might lead a
low heart away from the ace if the
suit were unstopped.
Scores: 3NT 11; 4l 6; 5l 4
Rice-Stuart 50, Sprink.-MdL 47
Problem 8
West deals. None vulnerable.
West
East
 A J 2
k Q 9 8 2
l A Q J
' 9 8 6
Rice
1NT
3l
Pass
The 1NT opening showed 14-16
points. 3' was puppet Stayman, asking
about five-card majors, in hopes
of locating a 5-3 fit. 3l denied a fivecard
major, and responder bid the
obvious 3NT. Even though they might
be a point or two short of traditional
game values, this club suit speaks for
itself.
Sprinkhuizen Mendes de Leon
1NT
Pass
After a series of complicated and
artificial auctions, it is amusing
that our Dutch pair ended with the
simplest auction of all. 1NT showed
12-14 points, and that's where the
auction ended. Bidding this game
seemed to be a function of the exact
opening 1NT range being used.
Bridge Bulletin auction: 1'-3';
3NT-Pass. There exist more modern
methods than those which Bridge
Bulletin Standard uses over minor-suit
openings, but simple works
just fine here. 3' is a limit raise.
Scores: 3NT 11; 1NT 7; 2NT 6;
2' 3; 3' 2
Final score: Rice-Stuart 61,
Sprink.-MdL 54
 10 6
k 10 7 4
l 9 8 4
' A K Q 10 3
Stuart
3'
3NT
October 2022

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