What’s your call?
| 3NT | ||||
| 4♣ | 4♦ | 4♥ | 4♠ | 4NT |
| 5♣ | 5♦ | 5♥ | 5♠ | 5NT |
| 6♣ | 6♦ | 6♥ | 6♠ | 6NT |
| 7♣ | 7♦ | 7♥ | 7♠ | 7NT |
| Pass |
Republished from “Famous Bidding Decisions” by Terence Reese and David Bird
Most of the experts “pattern out” (complete the description of their distribution) by bidding 4♥.
The Sutherlins say that after 4♥, “partner should have a good idea what our hand looks like. We are trying for a slam with only three hearts. He may have a high spade and five or six hearts headed by the queen. If so, 6♥ will be a reasonable contract.”
Rigal’s explanation: “I think 4♥ suggests shape rather than denying a club control. Because slam might be cold facing ♠A J x and nothing else, it behooves me to make one effort.”
Stack bids 4♥, saying a 4♣ control bid could be confusing. “There could just as easily be a heart slam but not a spade slam. Partner should highly regard spade values. Something like:
♠A x ♥Q 10 x x x x ♦ x x x ♣x x
would produce a good heart slam, but getting to it will be difficult.”
Sanborn, 4♥: “Bid where I live. I’m letting partner know that club cards are no good. Please evaluate all other cards. Who is to say that we can’t be facing the ♠A K?”
Hampson: “Pattern out and see if partner has a fit for hearts or two spade honors and a good hand.”
Falk’s 4♥: “Partner obviously has at least two spades. If he holds either ♠K J or ♠A J, we are on the verge of slam, so I might as well see if partner can get enthusiastic.”
Boehm: “Bidding out the pattern. We may belong in any contract from 4♥ or 4♠ to 6♦ or 6♥.”
Lawrence clings to 4♠. “Far too many dangers in bidding more. We might not be able to make 4♠, let alone more spades. Imagine partner with the ♣K J 10 5 4 and nothing else.”
4♠ by Lee. “Obviously we could miss a slam opposite the right hand, but I don’t want to show too much slam interest with this bad spade suit.”
Meckstroth emphatically agrees. “4♠. No way to bid slam in my opinion.”
Abdou strikes out on his own with a 4♣ cuebid. “I’ll follow with 5♠ and hopefully partner will get the correct message. 4♥ ‘last train’ is risky lest partner think I have no club control.”
