Treasure Mine - Systems & Style - Chapter 2 - 4cM - Part V

(The recent world championship gives us a treasure trove that can be examined to study systems and style implications for success. For this chapter of the study, 4cM stands for 4 card majors, and our look at the recent world championships will focus on the use of openings that show 4 card majors).

The semi-finals had these pairs using some form of 1st/2nd seat 4cMs:

1 Geir HELGEMO - Tor HELNESS, Norway - 1H Opening
2 Terje AA - Jorgen MOLBERG, Norway - 1H Opening
3 Andreas KIRMSE - Michael GROMOELLER, Germany - 1H Opening
4 David GOLD - Tom TOWNSEND, England - 1H/S Openings
5 Jason HACKETT - Justin HACKETT, England - 1H/S Openings

That is 5 of the 12 pairs in the open semi-finals were using some form of 4cMs, in 1st and 2nd seat, and not in a big club system. We haven't seen that in ages, and it's one of the reasons why we are looking at how these methods did in the event.

In both semi-final matches we saw a 4cM opening with a 3-4-3-3 - here are Helness-Helgemo:

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The Hacketts had the same HH auction in the England-Germany match. In that match, both Easts led a club against 3NT and both Wests got in with the spade ace to switch to a red suit - England switched to a heart (even though North had bid hearts), 3NT making, Germany switched to a diamond, 3NT down 1. Italy also switched to heart, 3NT making, while the West for Norway led a diamond against 3NT by South (North passed, South opened 1NT 12-14) - this created three diamond tricks to go with the major aces for down one.

Board 14 saw the Hacketts create a problem for the German West:

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South opened 1S with a 4-2-3-4 13 count, and over West's double, North made a raise to 2S with 4Ss and 1 point - with a good raise North would make an artificial bid to show it. This left West with a rebid problem, which he nicely solved with 3NT.

Board 22 of the match saw a German 4cM opening:

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At both tables 4H was reached, down one. On board 26, England started with a 4cM:

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The Hacketts reached the same 4H contract as the Closed Room. Note East's rebid of 2NT even with no diamond stopper - 2NT is used here to show hand type (only 4Ss, no good rebid), and does not promise stoppers.

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England made the contract when North underled the club ace to declarer's jack. Declarer arranged a diamond ruff and wrapped up 620. At the other table a heart lead was won the heart ace (not best on this layout), and declarer played a club to the jack and ace, and North cash the heart king and switched to diamonds. Declarer had no quick entry back to dummy's good clubs and was down.

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The first board of the 4th segment saw a 1S opening by England:

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The Vugraph record is incorrect here - I believe East passed and the complete auction is 1S-2C;-2NT, by NS, making three. In the Closed Room it was 1NT(11-13)-3C(invite);-3NT, and with a spade lead and the club king nicely placed, that was making three for 6 IMPs to Germany, now ahead 99-85.

The next board had the Hacketts showing suit quality is not a consideration for their 4cM openings:

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2S was +110. In the Open Room, the English NS decided to balance against a slow auction to 2S, and since opener had rebid 1H, ended up picking the 4-3 diamond fit to play in, for -200, and 3 IMPs to Germany, now ahead 102-85. The next four boards were 4, 17, 2, and 13 IMPs to England, and after a series of battles England finished the segment 152-123, well on their way to the finals.