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Andrew:
4NT as quantitative
A 2 NT response to a 1 NT opener shows 11-12 points and is invitational to game, saying “Partner, are you minimum or maximum for your bid?”.
A 4 NT response to a 1 NT or 2 NT opener is invitational to slam and asks the same question. Opener passes 4 NT with a minimum, and bids 6 NT with a maximim. To make this bid over 1 NT, responder should have 19-20 points; to make it over 2 NT, he should have 11-12 points.
This South opened 2 NT with 21 - exactly in the middle of his point range. When his partner invited slam by jumping to 4 NT, he was in a quandary. He was neither minimum (20) nor maximum (22). Should he or shouldn’t he accept?
The key here is whether he has a good 21 point hand. Aces, kings, queens and jacks are not the be-all and end-all. Tens and nines are important too; as are five-card suits. South accepted the invitation - look at all these positive features in his hand.
Click here to play this hand
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South Deals Both Vul |
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| West | North | East | South |
| 2 N | |||
| Pass | 4 N1 | Pass | 6 N2 |
| Pass | Pass | Pass |
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| 6 NT by South |
| Lead: ♠ 4 |
West led the four of spades (a heart lead would have been best, but is impossible to find from such a broken-honour holding). Declarer counted 11 top tricks: three spades, one heart, three diamonds and four clubs.
The five-card diamond suit would have to provide the extra trick, so declarer won the first trick with his ten of spades, led to dummy’s king of diamonds and returned a diamond, East following small. He was just about to play his queen when he paused for thought.
All declarer needed was one extra diamond trick. This would be guaranteed if he finessed his ten (key play). If the ten lost to West’s jack, then the suit was splitting no worse than 4-2, and the fifth card would be good after cashing the ace-queen. If the ten won, he was home and dry.
West discarded on the ten, so the finesse had been vital. Declarer cashed the ace-queen of the suit, then the ace-king of clubs. He overtook the jack with the queen and cashed the ten, and finally took the ace-queen of spades, and ace of hearts. 12 tricks. Slam made.
