An interesting bidding decision arose July 9 at the Bridge Club of Martha’s Vineyard in Vineyard Haven. On board 17 North was dealing, with no one vulnerable:

NORTH
♠10 5
♥A 10 7
♦Q 7 5
♣ A Q 8 4 2

WEST                    EAST
♠ 7                       ♠ A K 6 2
♥ 9 5 4                 ♥ J 8 2
♦ J 10 8 6 4 2       ♦ K 9
♣ K J 3                 ♣ 10 9 7 5

SOUTH
♠ Q J 9 8 4 3
♥ K Q 6 3
♦ A 3
♣ 6

The bidding began as follows:

North         East         South         West
1♣            Pass         1♠             Pass
1NT           Pass         2♥

Let’s stop here. While not universally known, South’s bidding pattern shows a weak hand, typically with 5-4 in the majors. North has the choice to pass or bid 2 ♠. The above South hand was too strong for such an auction.

With this knowledge in hand, a South could be forgiven for rebidding 4♠ instead to end the auction. In case North has a singleton spade or four hearts, there are other possibilities. South could bid 2♦, a common form of new-minor-forcing, to ask if North has three spades or four hearts. Using this system, North is a little crowded and has to rebid 2NT without heart or spade support. Then South bids 4♠. So the auction would proceed as follows:

North          East          South          West
1♣             Pass          1♠              Pass
1NT            Pass          2♦•            Pass
2NT            Pass          4♠             All Pass

• New minor forcing asks North to show major-suit pattern

A handier system uses Checkback Stayman, an artificial 2♣ rebid by South to ask the same question. North can’t pass 2♣, but gets to bid an artificial 2♦to show neither three spades nor four hearts. This system may allow an auction to end at 2NT when South holds 10 or 11 high-card points.

With the above hands, the bidding would proceed as follows:

North          East          South          West
1♣             Pass          1♠              Pass
1NT            Pass          2♣•            Pass
2♦••           Pass          4♠            All Pass

• Asks North to show major-suit pattern.
•• Artificial response shows neither three spades nor four hearts.

Against any lead, 4♠ should make with an overtrick.

P.S.: What happens when North holds both three spades and four hearts? North should rebid 2♥ in response to South’s 2♣. With a 4-4 heart fit, South will bid 4♥. With fewer hearts but five spades, South will rebid 3NT, and North will continue to 4♠:

North          East           South           West
1♣             Pass           1♠               Pass
1NT            Pass           2♣              Pass
2♥             Pass           3NT             Pass
4♠            All Pass

With six or more spades and fewer than four hearts, South will answer North’s 2♥ with 4♠:

North          East           South           West
1♣             Pass           1♠               Pass
1NT            Pass           2♣               Pass
2♥             Pass           4♠               All Pass

If North holds fewer than four hearts but does have three spades, the auction will proceed as follows:

North           East           South           West
1♣              Pass           1♠               Pass
1NT             Pass           2♣               Pass
2♠              Pass           4♠               All Pass