Posted 2007-July-12, 05:01
The bidding is fine.
As an interesting side note. Deciding against cuebidding makes sense, as Opener cannot expect any useful info below 4♥. However, had Responder held one hugely relevant card better, the diamond Jack, he would have qualified as I play for a 4♦ Picture Jump after 2♥, showing heart support with two of the top three honors, three of the top four honors in diamonds, and no club or spade control. Opener could then count 12 tricks, a 13th if Responder held the club Queen.
Opener, as I play, would then bid 5♣, the third step other than a sign-off, to ask about clubs (only coincidentally the strain mentioned), Responder bidding 5♥, which shows that he does have the club Queen and, as a bonus because the answer is at or one below the agreed strain, a rider answer that his diamonds are without the Ace (known as it turns out, but still answered).
Opener could then ask for the heart Jack, if he is super cautious. As the club situation has been resolved, as had the diamond situation, the heart ask is the second of the two remaining asking bids, such that Opener would bid 5NT. As Responder lacks the heart Jack, and also lacks the heart Ace obviously, his answer would be 6♣.
This alternative auction, and Responder's failure to elect that option, would leave me confident in the actual auction that Responder's diamonds are at best KQxxx when he declines to bid the grand over 5NT.
The play -- I think I'm following, and it looks troubling. A much better line would be to win the club Queen, play the heart Ace. Then the diamond Ace, heart Queen, and heart King. Top two diamonds, ruff a diamond, club, club (spade pitch), spade Ace, spade ruff, win the last trick with the diamond 7.
Not winning the last trick with the seven of diamonds is inexcusable. You must not have been very thirsty.
"Gibberish in, gibberish out. A trial judge, three sets of lawyers, and now three appellate judges cannot agree on what this law means. And we ask police officers, prosecutors, defense lawyers, and citizens to enforce or abide by it? The legislature continues to write unreadable statutes. Gibberish should not be enforced as law."
-P.J. Painter.
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