Useful Convention #07-37

IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
with Larry Matheny

Here's another example of a convention that can get you to the right slams and keep you out of the bad ones.

Scoring: Matchpoints (Pairs)

Hand #37
Dlr	W
Vul	E/W

	AJ5
	K1053
	Q9542
	A

	96
	QJ86
	1087
	9763

	1072
	A9742
	63
	1042

	KQ843

	AKJ
	KQJ85

West	North	East	South
Pass	1	Pass	1
Pass	2	Pass	5*
Pass	6	Pass	7
All Pass

*Exclusion Blackwood

BIDDING: North's best rebid was a raise of his partner's spades. Raising with only three cards is acceptable holding honor third along with shortness in a side suit. After hearing the diamond bid and the spade raise, South leaped to the five level in hearts. This was the Exclusion Blackwood convention asking for the number of aces OUTSIDE of the heart suit. North showed two aces and South bid the grand slam.

PLAY: There was nothing to the play with declarer quickly claiming thirteen tricks. It's clear to see that standard Blackwood would not have helped in the auction. The response of two aces would not have told South which aces North held. This is a convention you and your partners might want to consider.

Copyright ©2007 Larry Matheny.