Direct cuebiDs - ACBL District 9

SHORTNESS IS KING by Jack LongmanFinding shortness is often the way to bid suit slams without massive HCPs.When you ask, partner may deny shortness, show shortness in an undesirablesuit (KJ74), or show shortness opposite an attractive holding (A62).Here Are 16 Ways To Show Shortness. MostlyAfter A Fit Is Found Or The Bid Confirms A Fit.Shortness Implies A Singleton Or Void.1. Very common is a direct Splinter bidby responder2. Opener can also Splinter3. Responder Jumps after biddingStayman and partner bids a majorIt confirms support, is a slam try andshows shortness4. Responder Jumps after bidding aJacoby TransferResponder must have a good suit,suggests slam, and shows shortness5. Opener shows shortness when partnerbids Jacoby 2NT in response to amajor suit opener6. Exclusion Blackwood shows a void7. Opener jumps to a new suit afterpartner gives a game force invertedraise1♦ - Pass - 2♦ - Pass now bid 3♥ with♠A543 ♥7 ♦A9852 ♣A1048. After partner opens a major in 3 rd or4 th seat, 2NT is very strong raise witha void guaranteed - partner can ask forthe void by bidding 3♣Partner Opens 1♠ - you hold♠J10842 ♥void ♦A963 ♣A742- Bid 2NT9. You bid 2♦ (four card Drury) andpartner signs off at 2 of the major.Now a new suit by responder is called- ONE MORE TRY - and showsshortness♠Q J94 ♥10983 ♦7 ♣AK108- Bid 3♦ OMT26 ACBL District 910. Void showing in response to partner'sAce asking bid - good voids only!11. 3♥ or 3♠ in response to partner's 1NTopener shows shortness1-3-5-4 (4-5) bid 3♠3-1 5-4(4-5) bid 3♥12. After 2NT Mini/Maxi, 4♣ and 4♦show shortness in other minor (♣) orin other major (♦) and confirms 4 cardsupport13. After a single raise of opener's Major,a bid below 3 of the Major exceptthe first step shows shortness - thefirst step asks for responder's help(Kokish)14. Partner Opens then gives you adouble raise of your major suitresponse - the first step asks forshortness15. 3♦ asks for shortness after a 3♣Bergen raise - Holding♠KQ J5 ♥AK9853 ♦A53 ♣voidAfter you Open 1♥Partner bid 3♣ big Bergen and youask with 3♦Partner bid 4♦ and you now bid 5♣ExclusionPartner showed one Key card and 7♥should be cold16. 3 of the other major asks for shortnessafter a 3♦ Bergen bidlongnales@tampabay.rr.comSBNxBarnet Shenkin’sIdeas about Logical ThinkingCan you defeat Meckstroth’s Slam?Possibly the most important aspectin Defense is counting. Test yourselfagainst Jeff Meckstroth.Your Hand, West:♠KJ975 ♥5 ♦J7 ♣AQ1084You North East Meckstroth1♠Pass 2♥ Pass 3♦Pass 4♦ Pass 4NTPass 5♠ Pass 6♦All PassYour spades are so strong, you resistthe temptation to lead the ♣A and startwith the ♦7.You See In Dummy:♠VOID ♥AK974 ♦K8643 ♣972Your Hand:♠KJ975 ♥5 ♦J7 ♣AQ1084Meck takes partner’s Q with K, andruffs a spade. He now plays ♥A ♥K andpitches a club. You wish you had startedwith the ♣A, but can you recover, tobeat Meckstroth in his slam?You know that declarer started with adistribution of 6-1-5-1. He needs threeentries back to hand, to set up spades,and one more to cash the last spade.He has four trumps left. Another wayto count is, that there are six losers indummy. One can be discarded on the♠A, and four ruffed. Unless Declarersets up the sixth spade he still has a loserand you will also make your ♦J as anoverruff.Full Hand:♠VOID♥AK974♦K8643♣972WestEast♠KJ975 ♠32♥5♥Q J10862♦J7♦Q♣AQ1084 ♣KJ65South♠AQ10864♥3♦A10952♣3If you ruff the ♥K, you have givenhim the necessary timing to establishthe long spade and cash it. If countinghelped you discard, you defeated theslam. How did you do?For more tips, stories and live online lessons, join Barnet’s FREEonline club at www.shenkinbridge.comwww.District9ACBL.org 27