What should I Bid? - Best enquiry for December 2009

Maura Rhodes made the best submission for the month of December.

Hand: Dealer West, with EW vulnerable, I was East on the following deal:

	KJ62  2  10753  7542
A10743  KQ3  J98  KJ		Q85  J  A642  AQ1093
	9  A10987654  KQ  86

Bidding:	West	North	East	South
	1	Pass	2*	4
	4NT	Pass	?

*2 was natural, but game forcing

Comments:     My partner meant 4NT as natural, given that we were Vulnerable and the opponents were not. I thought it was RKCB.

Please could you give us guidelines for this situation, Sartaj?

I think 4NT has to be Keycard and Pass is forcing. After my compulsory X, he could then chose to bid 4NT to play. Does that make sense or can you suggest a better alternative?

Sartaj's Reply:

Maura,

Some rules we have in my partnership are

4NT is takeout if the last bid by them was 4-of-a-major. There are two exceptions

1) We have already established a fit in the other major. Then 4NT is RKC
2) Our last bid was 3NT and they have sacrificed over it. Then 4NT is to play.

It is a simple rule (and even skipping the exceptions is not that bad an idea). It works really well for us.

Another worthwhile agreement is that a bid of 4NT is quantitative if the last bid by us was 1NT, 2NT or 3NT.

Sartaj

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