IMPROVE YOUR PLAY

With Larry Matheny

When investigating slam potential, the usual tools are Blackwood (regular or Roman) and cue bids. The old style of cue bidding showed the ace when the suit was first bid. The more popular Italian cue bidding shows first or second round control, either shortness or strength. It is best to show an honor and not shortness when you cue a suit in which partner has made a 2/1 bid. The Serious 3NT convention is also helpful to show a hand that has extra values.

Scoring: Matchpoints (Pairs)

Hand 12-53
Dlr	W
Vul	Both

	Q76
	AQ10975
	6
	A42

	53
	J86
	9843
	K1097

	8
	432
	AK102
	J8653

	AKJ10942
	K
	QJ75
	Q

West	North	East	South
Pass	1	Pass	1
Pass	2	Pass	3
Pass	3	Pass	3NT*
Pass	4	Pass	4
Pass	4NT	Pass	5
Pass	6	Pass	Pass
Pass

*Serious 3NT

Bidding: The auction was standard until the 3NT bid. N/S had agreed on spades and were never going to play 3NT, so this was an artificial bid showing extra values. North cue bid clubs and South’s heart cue bid showed an honor and denied a diamond control since he bypassed that suit. With a diamond control and knowing South held the king of hearts, North used Roman Blackwood (4 aces + spade king) to discover they were missing one keycard and signed off in the small slam.

Play: West led the nine of diamonds to his partner’s king and South had no problems collecting the rest of the tricks.

Copyright ©2012 Larry Matheny