September bidding contest: the results!

Here, the follow-up question was the more interesting one: would you have made the same bids? For indeed, though almost everyone chose to bid 4♣ next, opinions diverged on South’s earlier bids. Among those who were against doubling:

Jill Meyers: “4♣. I would have started off with a 2♣ overcall. But now that I have doubled, I shall bid 4♣ next.”

Kerlero: “4♣. I would have said 2♣ instead of the double. My partner seems to have a poor spade stop since he did not respond 2NT to my double. If he holds the stiff Ace of Spades, for example, I would then only need the King of Hearts or the Ace of Diamonds and Jack of Hearts to be cold for slam.”

Lévy: “4♣. I would not have made any of these incomprehensible bids but started by overcalling 2♣. Is it possible to have a whole auction without ever mentioning a running seven-card suit? So far, South has described a balanced hand of 18-19 HCP without a spade stop!”

Kokish: “4♣. At this point, our hand has hardly been described; that’s an understatement. I would have started with a quiet 2♣. Even though North passed initially, I think that 2♠ should promise a follow-up bid. This would allow South to calmly bid 3♣ before possibly finding Hearts. As North did not bid 2NT or 3NT straightaway, one might guess that he had other plans with a single spade stopper. If this stopper is the Ace, we are not far off slam when he has the King of Hearts or Ace of Diamonds opposite. And as not everyone opens the following hand, ♠A642 ♥K863 ♦A52 ♣63, when vulnerable, we might even be able to picture a grand slam.”

Sure, Kokish‘s analysis is interesting, especially regarding the 2♠ cue bid; discuss it with your partner! But all the same, you need to have nerves of steel to say 2♣ with this monster when you know that if Partner holds ♠A642 ♥K874 ♦J652 ♣3, the auction will stop there… On the other hand, if the sequence turns out not to be short, you will be better-placed, it is true; but that is too aesthetic for my taste. I am more in agreement with those who oppose the nebulous bid of 3♠.

Adad: “4♣. You should decide to show your hand and set Trumps. The 2♠ bid shows 10 points, probably without four cards in Hearts. I would already have said 4♣ on the previous round. Slam is in sight (the King of Hearts will more likely be with East) but if Partner has no ace to mention (with 4♦ or 4♠), we will settle for playing in 5 Clubs.”

Antony Bridge Club: “4♣. It is high time to mention our ambitions for playing in a club slam. It would, by the way, have been clearer for Partner to show this superb suit by jumping to 4♣ on the previous round of bidding. North is now at risk of thinking that our suit is less good.”

Indeed, here, I better understand the arguments. One wonders what this 3♠ bid is being used for. Do one of two things: either, you decide that 3♣ after the 2♠ cue bid is still forcing (even after North’s initial pass) and can in that case say 3♣; or, and this seems clearer, you say 4♣ to show your hand and your ambitions. Finally, some did not criticise the sequence; or even supported it!