Bulletin

Best Slam (in English) author kaapo, 14.1.2010 at 20.02.
Summary: Slam bidding BAB Riga vs Alta.

The following board was played in the NFL match BAB-Riga (Latvia) vs. Alta (Norway) on January 5th:

2.       PITnor
 East    ♠ Q85
 NS      ♥ AT432
         ♦ T5
         ♣ Q73
 MaijaLat       karlisr
 ♠ 932          ♠ AKT64
 ♥ K            ♥ Q5
 ♦ AQ43         ♦ KJ87
 ♣ AT854        ♣ K2
       sveina
       ♠ J7
       ♥ J9876
       ♦ 962
       ♣ J96

Both EW pairs used strong club in the match. The Latvians, Maija Romanovska and Karlis Rubins, for BAB-Riga bid as follows:

     1♣*    1NT**    * = strong  ** = positive with 5+♣
     2♠     3♦
     3♥*    5♠       * = fourth suit
     6♦

After a strong, artificial opening and a transfer style response, two natural bids and an artificial fourth suit bid followed. Maija's belated support 5♠ probably described weak trumps, and Karlis had an easy time to show his diamond support, and the Latvians had reached the right slam. With good minor-suit breaks making the contract was easy enough, and +920 was soon recorded. With a cashing ace and trumps missing 5 cards to the QJ, 6♠ would have been a much worse proposition.

The bidding started similarly in the other room too, but changed course after openers rebid:

     1♣  2♣
     2♠  3♥* (dbl)   * = support and 4+ controls
     4♠  4NT
     5♥  6♦
     6NT

Here 2♠ was also natural but at the same time an asking bid, inquirying about spade length and controls. 3♥ was an artificial response showing spade support and at least 4 controls (A=2, K=1), which was doubled by South. Holding a likely valueless ♥Q, the opener tried to slow down, but West carried on with RKC. After the key-card response, West found a 6♦ call. Was it natural or was it perhaps a MeckWell style suggestion to choose either 6♠ or 6NT, I don't know, but East chose 6NT. The Norwegians also avoided the poor spade slam, but unfortubately 6NT was not really any better. Down one, -50, and BAB Riga +14 IMPs.

The match was rather swingy with the end score recorded at 66 - 31 IMPs in BAB Riga's favour, which converts to 23 - 7 VPs.