Today’s bridge game had the following: two grand slams (we bid one and the other was a hand that was one of the two sets we didn’t get to play, so didn’t get the chance), a 50/50 small slam bid against us, making (the only table to bid it, sigh) … and then there was the following:

S: KQ H: AKQJT7x D: Kx C: Qx

20 HCP, but is it really? The solid suit is worth more than ten points, but the honors in short suits …. ugh. (To my surprise, KNR counts it as 22! But the DK count is 20-, which strikes me as closer. There’s a strong argument for opening 1 Heart at matchpoints You might miss a game if partner has an ace or as little as the club king, if the diamond ace is right; but if partner can scrounge a 1 Spade or 1 No Trump response you can rebid 4 Hearts and that’s about right on values. Or you can open 2 Clubs.

I asked The Imp’s opinion; he shrugged. (Neither bid is perverse).

But I was in fourth seat. LHO passed and Partner …. preempted 3 Spades.

Can we make slam? I need two aces with partner. I dislike preempts with two aces (except in 3rd seat, sometimes heavy), but this partner has done it from time to time. But if I give partner the black aces slam seems at best 50/50, because we might lose two quick diamond tricks. What if I declared? Six Hearts of Six NT? That might work.

But how to investigate? I can’t just shoot Blackwood. (The Imp disagrees, but it is merely pro forma). This is matchpoints, I’m happy missing a 50/50 miracle slam.

What about 3 No Trump? This guards my diamond king, but we might be open the entire club suit, not to mention that LHO might lead a club to RHO’s Ace, and then a diamond through me ends the hand.

If I had any bid that said “I agree spades, and am slammish” I’d make it. (With some partnerships, 4 Clubs after a preempt is a modified Blackwood called “Weak Man’s Keycard,” but not in this one which would let me find out cheaply). So, resigned to being dummy, I bid 4 Spades which ends the auction.

Care to guess which game(s) or slam(s) make?

The answer

It turns out that the only making games are five of either minor … for the opponents!

———- NORTH S: — H: xxx D: QJT8xx C: KJTx

WEST S: A9765432 H: — D: 9x C: xxx –|– EAST S: KQ H: AKQJT7x D: Kx C: Qx

———- SOUTH S: JT8 H: 962 D: A7x C: A98x

Partner had 8 spades to the ace, void in hearts, 2 small clubs and three small diamonds. With the diamond ace offside, the opponents should have taken the first four tricks. (They did not). But with my RHO having a spade void and my partner having no hearts, I can never get in to cash my hearts

Even then the play is admittedly tricky. South must extract all of West minors while ruffing two spades, then deliberately lose a spade to West, pitching a heart from North. West must lead another Spade, letting South pitch another heart from North while ruffing.