Jennbridge: Ain't It Grand?

Home from Toronto with plenty of great hands to report, along with some interesting tourist experiences.  On a lovely trip to Niagara Falls I learned that 34 million gallons of water flow over the falls every minute!

In the second qualifying session of the Wernher Open Pairs, I picked up this hand. (Bd. 13--hands rotated.)

♠ 5
♥ K10542
♦ Q9
♣ AKQ109

RHO dealt and passed and I opened 1 heart.  Partner bid 2NT, Jacoby and I responded 3 spades, showing shortness.  He now bid 3NT, which I interpreted as a space-conserving bid, probably looking for a club cuebid.

I obliged by bidding 4 clubs and he launched into 4NT, RKC.  I responded 5 hearts, showing 2 keycards and he now bid 5NT!  What's my call and why?

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The 5NT bid in this situation serves a dual purpose.  It ostensibly asks for kings (either number of kings or specific kings, depending on agreement), but at the same time it confirms possession by the partnership of all the keycards plus the queen of trumps and issues an invitation to bid a grand slam with a suitable hand.  A suitable hand includes one with undisclosed values or a good source of tricks.

I studied my hand.  While I had only 14 points, I had a source of tricks in the club suit.  Next I counted my losers and realized that I had only 5 losers, which is a hand that should be strong enough to produce a slam opposite an opening bid.  So not only did I have a source of tricks, I had undisclosed strength.  I jumped to 7 hearts and received a heart lead.

Wernher Open Pairs

East Deals Both Vul	♠ A 7 4 3 ♥ A Q J 6 ♦ A 8 7 ♣ J 4
♠ K 8 6 2 ♥ 8 7 3 ♦ 4 2 ♣ 7 6 5 3	N W E S	♠ Q J 10 9 ♥ 9 ♦ K J 10 6 5 3 ♣ 8 2
	♠ 5 ♥ K 10 5 4 2 ♦ Q 9 ♣ A K Q 10 9

West	North	East	South
	Bob		Jenn
		Pass	1 ♥
Pass	2 NT	Pass	3 ♠
Pass	3 NT	Pass	4 ♣
Pass	4 NT	Pass	5 ♥
Pass	5 NT	Pass	7 ♥

7 ♥ by South

I drew trumps in 3 rounds, cashed the diamond ace, pitched dummy's losing diamonds on my clubs and ruffed my last diamond, making 7.

I thought we had a nice auction, but was pleasantly surprised to get 32.5 out of 38 matchpoints.

For more information about losing trick count, click on this link to view my booklet on the subject:
http://jennbridge.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archive.html

See you at the table!