14th October 2015



 S  42
 H  8742
 D  53
 C  AKQJ10

Non-vul vs Vul. IMPs Dealer West

South
West
North
East
Pass
Pass
2C Pass
3C Pass
3H Pass
?





This hand is from a Manchester Division 1 league match played in September.  Your partner opens a game forcing two clubs and then rebids your second suit.  What is your plan now?


Solution

Normally it is better for the strong hand to bid RKCB, and it is usually considered bad to bid RKCB with a small doubleton in case there are two cashing tricks in that suit when a key card is missing.  This hand can sensibly bid RKCB despite holding two small doubletons.   Once partner has opened two clubs it can be guaranteed that the strong hand will have first or second round controls in spades and diamonds. You hope to find partner with four key cards, the trump queen and an outside king,  then you can count thirteen tricks. 

Disappointingly in response to RKCB partner showed only three key cards and six hearts was the limit.

Partner held

 S  AK63
 H  KQJ65
 D  AKJ2
 C  -

At the other table the South hand raised three hearts to four hearts and North passed, worried that he may never have an entry to get to any club winners.