ANOTHER SPADEWOOD HAND

In his April, 2010 BULLETIN article, Zeke Jabbour wrote about using 4S to show 4-4 or 5-4 in the minors to get to a good slam in a minor when NT is questionable. This works if you use TEXAS but I've never been sold on TEXAS. 1NT-p-4H sounds too much like a sign off, especially if you play with different partners. ONE DISASTER CAN NEVER BE RECOVERED, no matter how many boards you play. In any case Zeke's problem hand is easily handled with a SPADEWOOD 2S. He holds: KT86 A97 A975 A6. His pard holds A5 T65 KQJT KQJT. Most pairs would raise to 4NT and pard would pass. End of story. His pard bid 4S to show the minor suit hand. With a good fit and key cards he bids 6D and makes. What if pard had the SQ and the HQ instead of the SA and HT. Now nothing makes and we would never hear about Zekes toy. I respectfully suggest it is important to 1. find out if you are in the slam range. 2. Do you have ALL the aces. 3. Is there a GOOD 4-4 fit. If so bid the slam! Here, Over 1NT pard bids 2S, opener bids 2NT, minimum. Now pard bids 3C, asks for Aces. Opener has 3 and bids 3NT to show them. (3D=0, etc.) Now you know you have 31 HCP, ALL the Aces and you start bidding your suits. In this case, 4C. Opener bids 4D to deny clubs and show his diamond suit. BINGO, a fit is found and 6D is bid. No guarantees but it is a good contract and it is lots of FUN!

I appreciate your comments. HAPPY BRIDGING, SPADEWOOD.