0021 - Weak Notrump

Here is a fun slam I played with Dave Woods, our resident Canadian. I like playing weak notrumps. I started playing 12-14 notrumps with my friend and partner Marty Nathan formerly Hilton Head and now Atlanta. In addition to Dave Woods, I play weak notrumps with Jamie Traudt and Geoff Phipps.

This deal was played as Board 9 Thu. March 12, 2020 with Dave Woods at the Hilton Head Bridge Club.

Auction: North deals and with 13 hcp and a balanced hand I opened the bidding 1NT. Dave and I play weak notrumps of 12-14 hcp with all systems ON. East-West are silent throughout. Dave bids 2♠ as a transfer to clubs (we play 4-way transfers). My bid of 2NT denies a holding such as Xxx high honor with 3 cards in clubs (i.e., I don't like clubs). Dave said later he knew I didn't like clubs because he holds all the high honors ♣ AKQJ.

here is the complete auction ...

After 2 NT I think Dave bid 3 ♦ as a forcing bid to get me to further define my hand. If after 3 ♦ I had bid 4 ♣ it would have shown a weak hand without much support for the majors. But with the ♠KJ5 and ♥ KQ107 I have good support for the majors so I bid 3 NT. And brother Dave bid 6 NT.

Play: There is not much to the play of the hand. An opening lead of a diamond could have been bad but East was not leading away from the ♦ K6 in a 6 NT contract. I think the lead was a heart but it doesn't really matter. Declarer can make two leads on spades, but not a third, winning: 2 spades + 4 hearts + 1 diamond + 7 clubs is 14 tricks after losing to the ♠ A.

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