How Good is Your Slam?
Continuing the theme of the last article – 'how good is your slam?' – there are a number of other considerations to be borne in mind. The first is that the percentages necessary for bidding six and seven level contracts, roughly 50% and 60% respectively, are calculated assuming your opponents do the right thing. That means if a small slam is possible but not in fact making., they manage to stop in game – not overshoot to the five level, play in the wrong spot or, in some extreme cases, miss game and play only a part-score. This consideration is even more relevant when assessing whether to go onto the grand slam level. What are the chances the opponents will simply play game?
Two recent hands demonstrated these concerns, the first from the Suffolk Clubs teams of Four, won by the Ipswich and Kesgrave club represented by Peter Sutcliffe / Peter Gemmell, Maria Allnutt / Debby Marriott.
Dealer North
- 983
- AJ843
- A92
- K4
- 52
- ---
- KQJ73
- AQ7654
Unfortunately South had a natural spade lead even without the pointers from the auction. The trouble with the conventional overcall of no-trump over no-trump is that though everyone knows that it shows a strong two-suited hand, no-one seems clear about how to bid thereafter. I have consulted my library and all the titles fail to clarify the continuations even if they mention the sequence at all. We were similarly in the dark, hence three clubs as a convenient waiting move. His next call had more volition and I was discouraged to hear him bid my void. West did still have a very strong hand and I could have held enough to make all the tricks lay-down. Still we were far from on sure ground and another call might have been less precipitous. There were mixed feelings when we discovered the opponents only in three diamonds.
| How to bid on this sequence? Well lets say partner always bids 3♣ then you bid | ||
| 3♦ with diamonds and spades or clubs; | ||
| over 3♥ bid as 3♠ to 4♣ but showing diamonds | ||
| 3♥ with hearts and diamonds | ||
| 3♠ with spades and clubs | ||
| 3N with hearts and clubs but 4♣ with a very good one | ||
| 4♦ with both majors | ||
Or you can agree to bid suits on good hands or even skip suits you can support. Amuse yourself with such sequences, just talk about them with your partner.
The second example comes from a Premier Division Winter League match,
- AK93
- AQ5
- AJ74
- AK
- QJ72
- K4
- K83
- Q653
My leap to slam cut short proceedings. We had located the spade fit after I started with the artificial two clubs and partner showed some values but no good suit with his response. He then asked for major suits and we discovered the 4-4 fit. After a single cue bid I effectively gave up on the grand slam that was a claim after trumps were 3-2. It is a hard contract to reach with any certainty but I did not feel comfortable with my decision at the time. In the other room the auction was:
This unhappy contract was quickly down. West's five no-trump was intended as 'bid 7 if you have extras, six anyway' but interpreted as asking for kings. West thought himself to be facing a balanced hand with five poorish hearts. It's hard to construct a hand when six hearts is better but I have a lot of sympathy for West nevertheless.
Published Saturday 3.Mar.2001