From: bharat@cs.uiuc.edu (R. Bharat Rao)
Subject: Re: cue-bidding question
Reply-To: bharat@cs.uiuc.edu
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 20:46:36 GMT

spencer@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (S. Spencer Sun) writes:
6S by N, making on a non-spade lead...
>          AT954
>          Q92
>          KQ94
>          A

>J                   32
>AT875               K43
>J652                T83
>T52                 Q8764

>          KQ876
>          J6
>          A7
>          KJ93 

>The bidding was, I think, fairly straightforward.  Duplicate scoring,
>both vul, dealer north (my partner).  Opponents were silent throughout
>the auction.  It went...

>   1S - 2N (Jacoby)
>   3C - 3D
>   3S - 4C
>   4N - 5S (RKC)
>   6S - all pass
>	
>opponents did not lead a heart for unknown reasons (it's the only unbid
>suit) and the contract makes (my partner was aware he was bidding a slam
>that goes down with the correct lead, but bid it anyway, dunno why)

The 4NT by N was, to put it mildly, crazy.  Perhaps, it was brilliant
since it may have convinced East that N was holding the HA for that
bid (I would definitely have hearts controlled, if I launched into 4NT
RKC by N -- only problem it wouldn't be Blackwood on that auction, but
nevertheless :-). 

>Commentary on the hand thus far is welcome, but my real question is,
>suppose either of us had held the HA?  If I have it, then at round two, do
>I show DA or HA first?  How about round 3, do I show CK or the other ace
>first?  Are there any sort of guidelines or do you just wing it...


If you are holding the S hand and partner bids 3C and you have both
red Aces, there is no realy hurry, just bid 3D and wait, and then 4H
(warning, I have played with some partners that this sequence shows
absolute heart control, and asking for secondary diamond cards, but
ignoring that too).... don't worry about it - if partner has a stiff
your CK is unlikely to be of any use (unless he has stiff Ace) so you
show the HA then, unless you have an agreement to the contrary.

In general (other than Jacoby auctions) I personally prefer the
freedom of bidding first and second controls interchangably with a
good partner -- in that way you go ahead and make the bid (or sequence
of bids) that make it clear to partner which suit you need
control/help in.  So, in short it depends on the hand..

>Thanks in advance for any helpful advice.

I dunno how helpful the above is, so consume at your own risk.

A piece of advice though -- after you begin a cue-bidding sequence
play that 4NT is not Blackwood.  Make it a trump cue, so you can get
inferences when you pass 4NT.  The rationale is that once you have
shown each otehr at least one control, you know (a) if to stop (one
suit is open - opponents will usually not be as cooperative as on the
above hand) and (b) if to go on, your question is "do we have enough
tricks".  So, it is best to use 4NT for something other than RKC, as
asking the question will usually only serve to repeat the information
you already have (from the Q-bids) while not answering the question
you really want to ask, i.e., do we have a source of tricks....

IMO, 4NT for even as brain-dead a meaning as drop dead will be more
useful than Blackwood once you have begun Q-bidding...

>Two For America -- Bill 'n' Opus '92 -- This time, why not the worst?
                            ^^^^^
Thank you kindly:-)

Bharat

            
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