The Dummy

Playing in a local duplicate with my regular partner, I deal with no one vulnerable and pick up a hand far beyond my usual standard:

AKQ42

---

K109874 2

is the big bid in our system, but it rarely pays to open drastic two-suiters 2

, so I open 1

. I expect some preemption, and I want to get my suits in as soon as possible. LHO overcalls 1

, and partner comes in with a surprise 1

. RHO bids only 2

, and I have to find a call. The bidding up to this point has been pretty tame.

North	East	South	West
1	1	1	2
?

I think the book bid here is 5

, showing the void and heart support, but 3

, 4

, 6

, 2

, and any other number of hearts would have some supporters. This is a tactical situation; I do not want them bidding 6

before I bid 5

, or at least I would like to determine whether partner has first-round club control. I think I am willing to bid a small slam, surely, but I would like to have the chance to stay out of the grand if partner has

Axx. I also would prefer to deter the sacrifice; 7

seems likely to go down only four, 800, which I think is going to be good for them. If I bid 5

and they stay quiet, partner will surely bid 5

after which I will bid 5

and get to know about the

A. I will not know about third round club control, though I suspect I shall not until trick four or so, regardless. These opponents do appear to be lacking in enterprise, but 5

might just convince someone to bid six. 4

, a less assuming splinter raise, only shows a singleton, but is normally bid with great high card strength and a more balanced hand than this. It might elicit a double or a left-handed raise, but I do not think they will trot out six. I also fancy the following possible (dream on) continuation:

North	East	South	West
1	1	1	2
4	Pass	4	Pass
4	Pass	5	Pass
5	Pass	5	Pass
5	Pass	?

I think this sequence should focus on the

Q or a doubleton, since I have shown first and second round controls in the other suits. If I were worried about trumps, I would have used a conventional tool, so clubs is all that is left. More realistically, one of the opponents will bid 5

, but I think I can at least find out about the

A by getting in a spade cue-bid. Of the other choices, 6

seems most reasonable. Partner will surely bid the grand with the

A, but he might also bid it with the Queen. He would not hesitate with Ace third, but I doubt that we shall have the opportunity to identify that holding. 3

will set up a force, but I am not sure that partner will be in the game if they bid 5

, because 3

might not unambiguously set trumps; certainly it does not with this partner. I do not see how one of the tactical underbids will prevent them from bidding what they have, so my choice is 4

. The bidding proceeds:

North	East	South	West
1	1	1	2
4	Pass	4	Pass
4	Pass	5	Pass
5	Pass	5	Pass
5	Pass	6	Pass
?

Clearly, we are missing the

A; now I am worried about going down, so I must Pass. As LHO leads face down (a good procedure in any form of play,) my partner informs her that it is her partner's lead. Not only am I surprised to be the dummy, I note that I have never bid hearts on this hand. The opening lead is the

A. Partner ruffs high, plays a trump to his Jack with both opponents following, and leads the

3 to the King and Ace. LHO ponders these developments for awhile, and after about 10 seconds, partner claims, apologizing for not doing so sooner. His hand was:

Q862

J108753

3 While I am wondering why he did not bid 2

, a weak bid in our methods, he murmurs, ``I didn't want to bid 2

for fear of burying the spade suit. Besides, I had eleven points.'' In response to my quizzical look, he says, ``four points for high cards, three for distribution, and four for the pinochle.''