Bidding big hands.
Bridge Column for March 19, 2000, By HARVEY BERNSTEIN
North-South vulnerable.  South deals.
                              NORTH
                              S: Void             
                              H: A 9 7 4 3   
                              D: Q 10 8 6 2  
                              C: 9 7 4   
            WEST                             EAST
            S: J 8 7 2                       S: 5 4 3        
            H: K 10 2                        H: J 8 5      
            D: K J 9                         D: 7 5 4             
            C: 8 5 3                         C: Q 10 6 2    
                              SOUTH                         
                              S: A K Q 10 9 6
                              H: Q 6        
                              D: A 2   
                              C: A K J    
          The Bidding://
                  SOUTH    WEST    NORTH    EAST                  
                   2C      Pass     2D      Pass
                   2S      Pass     3H      Pass
                   3S      Pass     4D      Pass
                   4S      Pass     Pass    Pass
     This hand is fairly routine and normally wouldn't qualify as
a "hand for a bridge column" except for the fact that there are
some very important bidding principles involved here.
     The North-South pair are playing "weak two bids" which means
that they cannot open the South hand with what purists would see
as a normal two spade bid.  That bid would show a hand with six
spades headed by two of the top honors and no more than twelve
high card points.  In some cases, only five spades are required
for this bid.
     As a result, South has to open the bidding with a
"conventional" two clubs.  This is an artificial bid which says
nothing about the club suit.  It promises a hand that is
basically one trick short of game by itself.  The two diamond
response is also artificial and only says that North does not
have a positive response, which would be a good five or six card
suit and more than eight points.  
     South now shows his suit by bidding two spades.  If North
had a complete bust he would bid three clubs as a "second
negative".  In this case, North has a few points and so he can
bid three hearts which indicates of at least one trick and a five
card heart suit.
     South bids three spades which at this point is absolutely
forcing.  This is where many players go wrong.  While North is
not at all happy to hear three spades, it is incumbent on that
player to keep the auction open.  The opening bid promised a hand
that could take at least nine tricks and the three heart response
promised one trick, which means that the partnership can more
than likely take ten tricks and must be in game.  The correct
call for North is four diamonds.
     South has heard nothing to improve his chances of making a
contract beyond game and ends the auction by bidding four spades. 
His suit is self sufficient and he needs very little from North.
     West is now in the unenviable position of having to make an
opening lead.  As it turns out, whatever suit he leads gives
declarer a trick, which is unfortunate.  In the end, West decides
to lead a club which comes around to the queen and the ace.
     Declarer plays three rounds of spades.  The spades divide as
well as they can, but the jack does not fall and will have to be
lost at some point.  If you are counting you can easily see ten
tricks - five spades, three clubs, and two red aces.  At rubber
bridge you may be inclined to claim and move on to the next hand,
but this is duplicate and it is important to take stock and try
and determine if there is a safe play for an over trick.
     In fact, there is an easy play for eleven tricks if West
holds the king of diamonds and South plays accordingly.  He
cashes the ace of diamonds and plays his second diamond towards
the queen.  When West wins the king, the queen is in dummy for a
heart pitch, thereby eliminating the heart loser.  Making five is
a very good result.  
     Learning how to handle the auction and play for these kinds
of hands is an important part of a bridge players education. 
They tend to be a lot more exciting than the "part-score" hands
and invariably create big swings during any form of competition.
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