Tuesday – A slamming we will go

i was commenting on a Swedish District finals match.  This deal came up.  Think about how you would bid it.  You are not vulnerable against vulnerable and West your opponent deals and passes.  the opponents are then silent throughout.

North ♠ AK6 ♥ K532 ♦ J1074 ♣ KQ

South ♠ 953 ♥ AQJ974 ♦ — ♣ A754

You can see that grand slam makes but can you get there.  This deal is a perfecto.  Every card is perfect for the grand.  Mostly North has no wasted diamond cards, a big heart fit (well four of them is overkill) and lots of controls.  South started off with some version of Stayman.  And when North bid 2♥ over 2♣.  South bid 4♦ (splinter).  The auction proceeded:

South showed 2 keycard with a diamond void and in my opinion (and his partners) heart length.   So there they were in a grand in seven bids.  I thought this was a pretty auction.

At the other table the bidding started the same way but after the splinter it took a different course.  North didn’t take control of the auction.   He just kept describing his hand.  He bid 4♠ over 4♦ .  If 4NT is keycard now (as it would be for almost everyone) South will find they are off a keycard. He had no way of knowing if it was diamonds or something else.  Suppose over 4♠ you refuse to take over and instead bid 5♣ .  North would bid 5♠ and if you have a way of finding out about the ♥ K (some variation on grand slam force where partner shows his trump holding with less than 2 of the top 3 if there is space) you might, maybe, get there.  But most likely South will bid Blackwood and the grand will be missed as happens at the other table

Obviously on the hand it works out better when North bids Blackwood.  Is it clear that is the best bid?  How do you know?  If you bid Blackwood as North you are going to find out what you need to know.  You will find out if you have enough keycards (aces here) and if South happens to have a diamond void.  You should be able to see from your hand that with a partner with slam interest and heart length the missing elements can be determined with Blackwood.  That is why you should take charge.  Don’t be polite and let partner take over.

When you know what to do or how to find out what you need to know then you should take over.