Blackwood revisited

After a partnership determines they are in slam range, the ace-asking conventions are used to stay out of slams that are missing two fast losers. It is usually wrong to ask for aces with a void, a worthless doubleton, or a very poor trump holding. Using a cue-bidding sequence gives you the information needed to bid slam.

The Blackwood convention is just such a tool. Bidding 4NT asks partner about his ace holdings: a response of 5C says no or all aces, 5D one ace, 5H 2 aces, and 5S 3 aces. If partner then bids 5NT, he’s asking for Kings and promises all aces are available. Responses to 5NT are the same as above.

Note: Not all 4NT bids are Blackwood. After a”limited” 1NT bid, 4NT by partner is quantitative asking partner to bid 6NT with maximum count and pass with minimum. To show a void responder to 4NT can bid 5NT which shows 2 aces and a void. A response of 6 in the trump suit shows 1 ace and a useful void.

Our Friday, June 24 Evergreen game winners were: 1st Pat Featherston and Dick Brisbin, 2nd Marie Pugh and Ruth Bowles, 3rd Toni Iossi and Beth Shafer, and 4th John and Myrnie McLaughlin.

Featured is board #12 from this game. N/S vulnerable West dealer

NORTH:

S  K Q T 9 5

H  A K T

D  A K J

C  A J

WEST:               EAST:

S  J 4 3                S  A 6 2

H  4 2                   H  Q J 9 8 6 3

D  5 4 3                D  Q T 9 2

C  9 8 7 6 3            C  —

SOUTH:

S  8 7

H 7 5

D  8 7 6

C  K Q T 5 4 2

BettyBonner Steele and Betty Bills had the best N/S score bidding 3 NT making 6 while Pat Featherston and Dick Brisbin had the best E/W score defeating opponents 6NT by 2 tricks.

North opened 3NT and East overcalled 4H getting in the way of N/S communication. Even if N/S doubles the 4H overcall, N/S still has a low score setting only 3 tricks at the most(not vulnerable= 500 not 600 N/S)

Tuesday, June 28 Women’s Club winners: 1st Sonjia McHone and Jayne Shive, tied for 2nd /3rd Jean and Loyd Hill with John and Myrnie McLaughlin.

Since I missed the deadline for last week, here are the results of the July 1 Evergreen game. Winners were: 1st Judy Hurder and BettyBonner Steele, 2nd Marie Pugh and Ruth Bowles, 3rd Ron and Shirley Jeffers, and 4th Pat Featherston and Dick Brisbin.

Tuesday, July 5 Women’s Club winners: 1st Marie Pugh and Loyd Hill,2nd Pat Featherston and Dick Brisbin,3rd Carol Winecoff and Myrnie McLaughlin, and 4th Nancy Brandt and Tom Johnson.