Column 7B69 (9-8-85) by Richard Pavlicek

Scientific Bidding Avoids Guesswork

Although many old-fashioned players might bid a grand slam, it is doubtful they would have a high degree of confidence until they saw both hands. Not so with Roy Herigodt of Ft. Lauderdale and Herb Rovner of Oakland Park, who bid the North-South hands with pinpoint accuracy.

7 by South

Both Vul	A K Q J 2 A K J 10 9 3 A 6
7 3 Q 10 9 5 4 2 8 7 5 Q 4		10 9 8 6 J 8 6 2 K J 10 7 5
Lead: 10	5 4 K 7 3 A Q 6 4 9 8 3 2

West Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass

North 2 2 3 4 NT 5 7

East Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass All Pass

South 2 2 NT 4 5 6

North’s two-club opening was strong and artificial, the popular adjunct to “weak two-bids;” and South’s two-diamond response was an artificial waiting bid. North then showed his spade suit; South denied support and showed constructive values with two notrump (a three-club rebid instead would be artificial to indicate a “bust” hand); North showed his second suit; and South raised to four diamonds.

North then took charge with Blackwood — not the regular kind, but a modern improvement called “Roman key-card Blackwood.” In this variation there are five key cards (the four aces plus the king of the agreed trump suit) and the step responses are: 0 or 3; 1 or 4; 2 or 5 (without the trump queen); and 2 or 5 (with the trump queen). South’s five-diamond response showed one or four key cards (obviously one).

North still was unsure whether to bid six or seven, so he continued with the cheapest unplayable suit — five hearts. This was another asking bid with the step responses: no trump queen; trump queen; trump queen + 1 king; trump queen + 2 kings; etc.

When South showed the diamond queen and one king, North could bid seven diamonds with almost 100-percent certainty.