🚀 go-pugleaf

Steve wrote:
> 
> Last night pard and I held:
> 
> SOUTH (dealer)
> Qxx
> 10xx
> QJ
> AKQ10x
> 
> NORTH
> KJx
> AJ8xxx
> AK
> Jx
> 
> Most Souths opened 1C or 1NT, depending on methods, and a huge number of
> pairs got to the impossible 6H contract.
> 
> The diamond duplication is, indeed, as ugly as it gets ..but I wondered
> whether folk in here had methods/suggestions to avoid reaching such a
> doomed contract.


Frankly my partner and I avoid getting to the contract by not looking
for it.  It is barely possible that we might get frisky and bid
1C-1H-1NT-2D-4H  (2D is New Minor Forcing and promises 9 points), we
would sill cuebid at this point or, perhaps, south might bid 5H, asking
partner to go on with good trumps (say, the king).  

However, if for some reason we went directly into Ace-asking -- and this
hand is not suitable. we play Roman Key-Card Blackwood.   We would
discover two of the five keycards missing and subside in 5 Hearts.


However, most probably, this hand is going to be bid  1C-1H-1NT-4H.

Bob