HOW WOULD YOU PLAN THE AUCTION?

C.C. Wei was a Chinese shipping magnate who invented the Precision Club bidding system. He used to say that you learn a lot more by listening than by talking.

That is true, but sometimes providing information works better than receiving it. This can apply with a bridge hand. Should you describe it and allow partner to choose the final contract, or should you let partner describe his hand before picking the resting place?

That decision must be taken by North in today's deal. Look only at the North hand. South opens one spade. After West passes, what would be your plan?

This decision was faced by 16 robots at Bridge Base Online. All 16 made the same response: four hearts. This was a splinter bid, showing at least four-card spade support, game-going values or more and a singleton (or void) in hearts. That was fine as it went, but when South rebid four spades, what should North have done next?

At the time, 15 passed. The 16th continued with four no-trump, Roman Key Card Blackwood. South showed two key cards (here, two aces) and the spade queen (because he knew of a combined 10-card or better fit). North raised to six spades.

After a diamond lead, declarer drew trumps, discarded dummy's remaining diamond on the second high heart and played a club. South lost only to that ace.

I think it is much better

bridge

for North to respond two no-trump, the Jacoby Forcing Raise. After South rebids three clubs (showing a singleton or void there), North control-bids three diamonds, South control-bids three hearts, and then North can launch RKCB. Copyright United Feature Syndicate

(Asia Features)