August 2024 - 39

Problem 7
South deals. N-S vulnerable.
West
s A J
East
h Q J 10 7 6 2
d Q 7
c A K 5
Stiefel
1h
3h
5s
Pass
West opened 1h with the extra
values, and East responded 1s.
West rebid 3h, showing at least six
of them, and strength approximately
equal to what he held. East loved his
heart support and extra strength
opposite this bid. He decided not to
worry about the club control and simply
bid Blackwood for hearts. Astute
readers will note that earlier this pair
used 4s as keycard for hearts, but on
this auction there was too much risk
of 4s being interpreted as a natural
bid. West showed two key cards with
the queen of trumps. Knowing an ace
was missing, East signed off in 6h.
Pachtmann Zatorski
1h
3h
4s
1s
4d
5NT
Pass
4NT
6h
The auction began identically to the
other pair with 1h by West, 1s by
East, and a jump to 3h by West. East
bid 4d, agreeing hearts as trumps
and showing a diamond control. West
shows his spade control next, allowing
for his partner to bid Blackwood.
5NT by agreement showed two key
cards, the trump queen and either
the cK or the two pointed kings (dK
and sK). From his hand, East knew,
of course, that it was the cK. He
bid 6h rather than 6NT to protect a
potentially unguarded cK from the
opening lead.
s K Q 9 6 2
h A K 8
d K 9 4
c 9 6
Brod
1s
4NT
6h
Bridge Bulletin auction: 1h-1s;
3h-4d; 4s-4NT; 5s-6NT; Pass.
The 4s bid is to convince East to
be the one who bids Blackwood.
Importantly, it implies no worries
about clubs, which allows East to
chance 6NT at the end. This doesn't
come with any guarantees, but at
matchpoints such chances can be
taken to secure a slightly higher
score. East does have quite a strong
hand for the auction, after all. West's
club control shouldn't be a singleton
or else why didn't they simply bid
Blackwood themselves?
Scores: 6NT 11; 6h 8; 6s 5; 5NT 4;
5h 3; 5s 1
Stiefel-Brod 48,
Pachtmann-Zatorski 55
Problem 8
West deals. Both vulnerable.
West
s 8
East
h J 8 2
d K 10
1c
3c
3NT
6c
s A K Q 10 4
h A 9 7 4
d A 9 7 2
c A K Q 8 7 5 2 c -
Stiefel
Brod
1s
3h
4d
Pass
West opened 1c with the great
suit. East responded 1s in his own
excellent suit. West rebid 3c, stretching
on the high cards but having clear
justification in the form of seven running
clubs. East next bid 3h, hoping
to elicit some spade support from
West. West didn't have that, but he
did have diamonds stopped, so he bid
3NT. East was too strong to pass that.
4d was an attempt to show a hand
like this, significant extra values and
this distribution. Whatever it meant,
West decided to jump to 6c. East got
the message and passed, reaching
the best slam contract, making easily
even if clubs are 4-2.
Scores: 6c 12; 4s 9; 3NT 7; 4NT 6;
4h 5; 7c 4; 6NT/7NT 3; 5c 2
Final score: Stiefel-Brod 60,
Pachtmann-Zatorski 67 2
Pachtmann Zatorski
1c
3c
3h
1h
3d
3s
3NT
6c
5NT
Pass
West opened 1c showing at least
two. East responded 1h, a transfer
showing a normal 1s response. West
made the same upgrade as his counterpart
and rebid 3c. 3d over that
was natural-ish. West didn't quite
have hearts stopped, so he bid 3h,
sort of a waiting bid to force the auction.
East followed with 3s, again
just keeping the auction going with a
bid that looked logical on his hand.
West bid 3NT to show his partial
stopper, which might strike gold if
East had hQ x or some weak length.
East bid 5NT over that, instructing
his partner to bid a slam. West
duly picked his solid seven-card suit,
which East did well to pass.
Both pairs bid very intelligently to
reach slam with a void in support.
Bridge Bulletin auction: 1c-1s;
3c-3d; 4c-5NT; 6c-Pass. After
checking for a spade fit, 5NT asks
West to pick a slam. It's hard to imagine
a more obvious choice than clubs
with the given hand. East has to trust
partner and pass.
August 2024 | Bridge Bulletin |
39
August 2024

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