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Deception and Concealment
When we know where the auction is headed, and when we can also be sure that Partner will not mess things up, there are opportunities in the auction for a little bit of skullduggery, either by concealing our holdings, or by proclaiming holdings which we don't actually have. A Partner with a good sense of humor is preferable in such situations.
4th March, 2009 None Vul
Is there any reason at all not to bid 1♦? This may be a controversial suggestion, but consider simply bidding 3NT directly (showing 13-15). Sure, it’s not perfect, for all North knows the defense might rattle off 5 Hearts, for example. But usually they won’t and East will be operating in the dark on his opening lead. Here’s what happens on the actual deal: - If North bids 1♦, and N-S embark on a revealing auction, they will end up in 3NT played by North. The auction will tip off East to a Spade lead, and 3NT will be down one. - If North bids 3NT directly, East has a natural Heart lead, and turns out to be 10 tricks for Declarer! Science is wonderful sometimes (for example on the previous Board!), but on other hands it pays to get where you are going quickly, without giving the opponents any information.
18th June, 2008 Boards 1, 6, 9 and 19
These 4 boards share the theme of TMI. Do your auctions painstakingly explore every possibility before arriving at the obvious resting-place? If so you are giving the opponents way too much information and making it easier for them to find the right opening lead. Or perhaps your unrevealing Neanderthal auctions zip right into 3NT or 4 of a major, not giving away too much information but occasionally missing a good slam. Here are some examples from today’s game:
Board 1 ♠ 842 South West North East ♥ K7 1NT Pass ♦ AKT9654 ?? ♣ 3
Looking at that nice collection, South might briefly entertain thoughts of slam opposite the perfect North hand. In fact, even some almost-perfect hands might work. But matchpoints is nothing if not a practical game. Probably 90% of the time slam will not be a good proposition, and even when it is it might not always be possible to diagnose that with any certainty in the bidding. So, we’d just boot out 3NT here, giving the opponents the minimum of information, and being prepared to apologize profusely if it turns out that 3NT is down one while 6♦ is absolutely cold!
Post Script We might be more inclined to try for slam if our methods allowed us to show that singleton Club at the 3-level. Some partnerships, using Minor Suit Transfers, play that a sequence such as 1NT 2NT, 3♦ 3♥ shows a singleton Heart, but alas that method does not allow a singleton Club to be shown.
Board 6 ♠ 93 North East South West ♥ 5 Pass 1♣ Pass ♦ AKT9875 1♦ Pass 2NT Pass ♣ J52 ??
3♦ here would be natural and forcing, it’s a bid that would typically be made with hopes of slam, as without such aspirations one would normally bid 3NT. Is slam a possibility? Yes, but it’s a remote one, but as on Board 1, even if 6♦ makes it might be difficult to diagnose that in the bidding. So, we’d just bid 3NT.
Board 9 ♠ JT764 North East South West ♥ 4 Pass Pass 2♣ Pass ♦ Q5 2♦ Pass 2NT Pass ♣ Q8432 3♥ Pass 3♠ Pass ??
Slam is remotely possible, perhaps in Clubs or in Spades. But it seems highly unlikely. And also difficult to bid with any confidence. Furthermore, bidding 4♣ here would take us beyond 3NT, something we hate to do when slam is only a remote possibility. So, yet again, we’d bid 3NT, giving up on slam, telling the opponents as little as possible, and asking Partner to choose between 3NT and 4♠.
Board 19 ♠ 97 East South West North ♥ K8742 Pass 1NT Pass ♦ A6 2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass ♣ KT95 ??
Worried about that worthless Spade doubleton? Wondering if 5♣ might be the magic spot and thinking of bidding 3♣ as you commence a scientific search for the right contract? Don’t! Just bid 3NT and let Partner choose between 3NT and 4♥. Bidding 3♣ here is just giving the defense a road map to the right opening lead.
1st November, 2006 Board 11 None Vul
Partner has 15-17, we have 17 with a super-duper 6-card suit. Obviously we are in slam range, though the possibility exists that we are missing two Aces or the AK of Hearts. Then again, the possibility also exists that we can make 7♠ or even 7NT. How to proceed?
Well, we know what we would do. It won’t always work, but we would throw science out of the window and just boot out 6NT. Why overwork the grey matter looking for the perfect grand slam hand from Partner when we can expect at least an average plus just by bidding 6NT directly? And bear in mind that if we decide to try a 2♥ transfer we are just opening ourselves up for a lead directing double. So, 6NT is our suggestion, we like to keep things practical and simple.
6th February, 2008 Board 3 E-W Vul
The opponents are in a strong auction and are likely heading slamwards, Partner has the minors, we have a fit in both suits, and the vulnerability is favorable. What more do we need? We suggest a simple 6♦ here (anything less would be feeble in the extreme), but 7♦ is also tempting.
The Twilight Zone Professor Oddbid tortured us with a bizarre thought and we saw no reason why we should suffer alone. Suppose that E-W get to 6♠ (played by East, of course), and that North makes a lead-directing (Lightner) Double. South would conclude that a Heart lead was called for, no doubt North can ruff that, getting the defense off to a good start. But the fact of the matter is that 6♠ doubled making only 12 tricks (because of the Heart ruff) still scores worse for the defense than 6♠ undoubled making an overtrick. With that thought in mind, what would 5♥ (or 6♥) by North mean in the problem auction? The Professor thinks that this should be lead-directing against their Spade contract, cleverly avoiding the possibility of conceding a doubled slam to the opponents. And his point is? Well, how about a 5♥ bid in the problem auction? If this fake lead-director does not keep the opponents out of seven then nothing will!
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