Julian Pottage
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Unbalanced hands that are not quite strong enough for a game forcing opening are tricky in any system. I would feel uncomfortable about opening 2NT with a small singleton but if it is a singleton honour then a 2NT opening might be the best option. You would need to quote a specific hand for me to say for sure what I would open on it.
If you are playing online, you self announce everything. Partner cannot see what you say, so there is no reason to worry about passing on unauthorised information. Regardless of whether you alert, opponents are allowed to ask about the meaning of a bid. Even if you make a natural bid, the opponents have right to know if you have agreed the strength of the bid – this would be the same online or not.
Hello Angela,
Your hand has 14 cards but whether you have 6 hearts or 7 I agree with your 2H rebid. Your hand is likely to make several tricks with hearts as trumps but be of little value in any other contract. I would play a 1NT rebid as stronger than 6 points – you do not have to bid twice with a minimum hand. Assuming the shape is 3-6-3-1, I would have no strong objection to passing 1S (a new suit after your 1-level response is non-forcing) but still think 2H is better. You would want 4-card spade support to raise to 2S.
Julian
Hi Maire,
Traditional point count says add 1 for a doubleton and 2 for a singleton, which has the same effect as counting for length. You would get 3 points for shape that way. If I knew of a fit, I would count 3 for the singleton rather than 2, which would give you 4 points for shape. Whether Bernard’s method gives 3 point or 4 for shape, I would not query it either way.
What this hand us worth depends so much upon fit. If you open 1H and partner raises to 3H, you should be thinking of a slam. Give partner as little as this and slam has good play:
S 43
H 10987
D A 4 2
C 8 7 6 3Partner will obviously have a much better that that.
Julian
The main objective of bidding is to reach the correct contract. Occasionally in doing so you will tip the opponents off to the best lead. When it comes to slam bidding, it tends to be important to exchange information with your partner to check that you have the wherewithal not only to make twelve or more tricks but also to ensure the opponents cannot take two tricks first.
On this particular deal I would regard the North hand as too good for a splinter. If you play a Jacoby 2NT response, I would do that. If you do not play Jacoby, North starts with a 3H jump shift and then after South rebids 3S North cue bids 4C agreeing spades – you never jump shift with a two-suited hand, which is how South knows 4C is a cue bid.
The opponents would quite often find the diamond lead whatever your auction – if West has the king-queen or ace-king in the suit for example.
