BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

WHAT would you open on this hand? It IS easy enough to see that you expect to make at least 5 ♣ , even when partner has a Yarborough with a void club. So all you really want to know about is how many aces partner might hold; if he has one, you will play in 6 ♣ ; and, if both, you can safely bid 7nt.

the purpose of featuring such a straightforward hand is to check that you have remembered the Acol 4nt opening bid. You have no need to open 2 ♣ , followed by Blackwood over partner’s response, which will obviously give you the necessary information here.

the initial 4nt bid has a big edge over its normal Blackwood counterpart, because it asks partner to show which ace, if any, he holds by responding in the appropriate suit, and bidding 5nt with two aces. either method works on this hand, but let’s assume that instead of two singletons, east has a void spade and ♦ Kx. now you want to play in the Grand Slam if partner holds ♦ A, and will have to chance 6 ♣ , if he holds

♠ A; with no ace, you’d pass his 5 ♣ response. Whenever you have the chance to use a special bid which crops up so very rarely, it’s a good idea to take it.