“Did I bid badly?”

This Sunday evening, I’m contacted by a new but very talented player from the club of the French girls. It’s easy to see that Marion is very passionate about bridge. I like her style. She is quite a good declarer for a seventeen-year-old and very forewardgoing in the bidding, which is already more normal at her age. By the way, the deal that she shows me confirms it well.

Marion: “Hello coach, my teammates told me that I should not have bid a slam. I wanted your opinion. Here are the two hands and the auction:

Me: “I imagine you were sitting South, right? At least, I feel like I recognize your style.”

Marion: “Yes, well done! But why do you say that? Did I bid badly? We did play a slam with 33HCP on our side.”

Me: “The contract is normal but the sequence isn’t good. You mustn’t say 4NT with your hand.”

Her: “But I have 26 HCP and my partner has at least four since he replied that he had an Ace in a major. That gives us at least 30 HCP in the combined hands. I thought that I was not in danger at 4NT and that I had to tell him that I had more than 24.”

Me: “That’s true, but you forgot two important things…”