December 2020 - 16

know what trumps will be, jumpshift if
a suitable minimum hand for partner
will produce a slam.
Show slam interest early and you can
keep your foot on the brake. Thus, an
immediate jump may let you stay low.
With the cards above, if the auction
starts 1♣-1♥; 1NT-3♣; 3NT, North
may feel compelled to bid again. But if
he starts with 2♥ and supports clubs
next, and then South signs off at 3NT
(with a hand unsuitable for slam),
North can pass with a clear conscience.
An expert pair bid these cards:
West
♠Q64
♥ A K Q 10 6 4
♦98
♣A9
1♥
3♥
Pass

East
♠AJ
♥972
♦A5
♣ K 10 7 6 4 2
1♣
2♣
4♥

Making seven (and 7♥ would have
been a reasonable undertaking).
This type of slam - trick-taking
power in two suits and controls in the
other two, but minimum high-card
strength - can be hard to reach. West's
3♥ was forcing; his pass to 4♥ was
automatic.
Maybe East should have chosen a
stronger call over 3♥, but a bid of, say,
3♠ would have been ambiguous. East
did have two aces and a king, but he
had implied as much when he opened
the bidding. The problem was that
after West's failure to jumpshift, he
couldn't catch up.
Weak jumpshifts are descriptive
(though crowding your own auction
seems odd to me). If you want to use
them, fine. Just don't do it because
" everybody plays them. " Study your
results and decide whether they are
worthwhile.
4. A cuebid shows slam interest
Cuebidding is a superior slambidding method; ace-asking inquiries
won't always tell you what you need to
know. Cuebidding allows the partnership to show controls (aces, kings,

16 Bridge Bulletin December 2020

shortness), and at any time either partner can decide whether slam is viable.
Partnerships must agree on issues
of style. For instance, are cuebids in a
slam auction obligatory or constructive? Experts disagree.
♠A J ♥Q J 10 7 ♦A 3 ♣J 8 7 6 3
West

North

East

1♠
Pass

2♦
4♦

Pass
Pass

South
1♣
2♥
?

When given the South hand and
bidding, one world-class expert said,
" Despite my minimum, I am obliged to
cuebid 4♠. " Another stated, " There is
no way I will cuebid with this hand. "
Suppose you hold:
♠Q J 4 ♥10 7 5 4 ♦A Q 6 3 ♣J 7.
Your partner opens 1♥, you issue a
limit raise to 3♥ and he bids 3♠. What
is your call? In a Bermuda Bowl ...
West
♠AK63
♥AKJ96
♦J8
♣K9

East
♠QJ4
♥ 10 7 5 4
♦AQ63
♣J7

1♥
3♠
4NT
6♥

3♥
4♦
5♦
Pass

East's 4♦ - with one ace, no kings
and no high trump honor - induced
West to bid a poor slam. Some might
contend that East's 4♦ cuebid below
game was merely cooperative, but it's
just human nature that West was more
apt to bid aggressively when he heard
East cuebid.
In an Olympiad Teams ...
West
♠ 10 9 7 5 3
♥ A 10 9 8 7
♦AK
♣9

East
♠Q
♥65
♦64
♣A K Q J 10 7 5 4

1♠
2♥
4♦
Pass

2♣
4♣
6♣

Opener thought he had to show his
diamond control despite his minimum,
but if that was the partnership's style,
responder's 6♣ was unjustified.
My view is that a cuebid shows
interest. Mandatory cuebids dilute a
major advantage of the style: to allow
either partner to use judgment. If you
don't like your hand for slam, don't feel
obliged to cuebid.
5. When in doubt, make a try
♠Q 9 6 3 ♥- ♦A J 4 3 ♣K 10 7 4 3
Your partner opens 1♥, you respond
1♠ and he jumps to 4♦, a splinter
showing good spade support, diamond
shortness and at least mild slam interest. What is your call?
Slam will be reasonable if partner
holds:
♠K J 8 2 ♥A K 8 6 4 ♦5 ♣A Q 2,
but poor opposite:
♠K 8 7 2 ♥A K 8 6 4 ♦5 ♣A Q 2.
Which hand does he hold? I don't
know, but he does. Let him decide.
Cuebid 5♦. If slam is possible, make
an effort. Don't mastermind. Involve
your partner. He might even make the
right decision.
In a Bermuda Bowl ...
West
♠94
♥AKJ96543
♦J
♣KQ
West
1♥
4♥

East
♠A73
♥ 10 8
♦K64
♣AJ854

North
East
1♠
2♣
All Pass

South
2♠

Slam thoughts may have crossed
East's mind - West hadn't jumped to
4♥ on chopped liver - but East presumed to rule out slam. If he had tried
by cuebidding 4♠, West would have
had an easy 6♥ bid.
Two caveats: First, avoid a try if the
risk in reaching the five level outweighs the chance of reaching a good
slam; second, avoid a try if your partner
won't be able to make an intelligent
decision.
December 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2020
