Board 19 12-07-2019
Typical bidding on this very distributional hand started with a pass from south followed by a spade from West. North then has four possible bids, which are a take-out double, 2D (longest strongest), 2H (Higher of 2 touching suits), or the Michaels cue bid of 2S showing 5 Hearts and 5 of a minor. My partner chose to use the Michaels cue bid.
East has 4 card support for West Spades, and although having just 5 HCP the distribution of the cards adds value. After the Michaels cue bid East knows that South will probably bid either Hearts or Diamonds, East bids 3S.
I was sat South and bid 4H knowing there was a 5-5 fit. West tried 4S, and North not being vulnerable and a void in Spades decided to bid 5H. East and South both pass, West Bids 5 Spades. I planned to double that I had two Aces if they made I only needed one more trick to get them down. North feels that West could make it and decides to make what I think he felt was a sacrificial bid of 6H. This is passed. I ended up playing teh contract and after a finesse on the Hearts, then playing the Ace of Hearts causing the King to drop. A small diamond to the Ace of Diamonds, play the Ace Spades and then the 8D to the King and run the diamonds. If the Ace clubs was not the opening lead the Queen clubs is discarded on the Ace of spades making 13 tricks. The Ace of clubs was the opening lead and 12 trick was made. This gave a better score than 6D, 980 instead of 940. But East/West could have got a better score than -980 or -940 by bidding 6S going off 2, if this is doubled it is just -500. It is very difficult for East/West to bid this when vulnerable and only having 17 points.
Board 9 31-05-2019
In this hand East/West were vulnerable and North was the Dealer. This hand was played 4 times and went off each time, with the following results 2D-2 by North, 3D-3 by North, 3NT-2 by W and 4C-1 by East.
Neither side has enough for game. Using just point count North passes but taking distribution into account (e.g. using the rule of 20) North can open 1D. South has a good holding in Hearts but partner can not support this with just the Ace. Diamonds was their best suit. In this suit they can make 6 tricks if playing in any other contract only 5 tricks are makeable.
If North passes East will bid 1NT (if playing a 12-14 NT). If North passess and East plays a strong NT then East will open 1C.
If North bids a diamond, then East bids a take-out double, and South might reply to North with 2H, West could bid 2S pushing North into 3D.
North should make 6 tricks if playing in Diamonds,
West should make 8 tricks in NT, and East should make 8 tricks in Clubs.
The best Makeable contract is 1NT+1 by East giving E/W 120 points. N/S interfering with 2D going off 2 is just 100 points. 2S by W which also makes giving 110 points.
Surprisingly nobody played in 2S a bid of Hearts from South should make East West worried about hearts in NT. Fortunately with just the Ace Hearts in North getting to the South Hand to play the Hearts in Souths hand makes their hearts unlikely to make, this makes NT by E/W become better.
If E/W believes that the 3D is makeable by North then bidding clubs at the 4 level going off 1 will be -100 whereas 3D= would -110, So the 4C bid would have been good if N/S could make 9 tricks in Diamonds.