|
Hand Analyses 4th October , 2006
When we have 5 Spades and 4 Hearts, and they bid 1♣ or 1♦ in front of us, life is relatively simple, we just overcall 1♠, expecting (or hoping) to get the chance to bid 2♥ later. But, when we are the other way around, as West is here, it’s not so simple. If we bid 1♥ then we can only show the Spades via a reverse of 2♠, a sequence that shows a very good hand. So the choice on the actual hand is to bid 1♥ anyway, giving up on the Spades unless Partner can introduce them, or to double, giving up on the 5-3 Heart fit. Our own choice is to double, but this is by no means clear-cut, many would reasonably bid 1♥, and a few would might unreasonably (in our view) try a Michaels Cue-Bid.
In the featured auction, once West has doubled he must resign himself to passing Partner’s Diamond bids … if he now introduces Hearts now he will be showing a somewhat better hand. But 3♦ works out just fine, down one is a good save against their making 3♣. In fact, North can even make 3♠ on the 5-2 fit, by guessing the Spades correctly (the bidding will help her get this right).
Dissenting Voice: Most players we know would routinely make that light 3rd seat 1♣ opening bid, but we are not at all crazy about it. Perhaps we are out in left field on this one, but as 1♣ has no preemptive value and no lead-directing benefit we would just pass here. But we’re probably in a small minority!
After 3♣, West had the values for game but no fit and no Diamond stopper, and his 3♦ bid was made in the hope that Partner could bid 3NT.
Against 3NT, it seems normal for South to lead the T♦, won by North, and the 8♦ is continued to Declarer’s King. There are 8 tricks now, and the 9th must come from Spades. It looks as if Diamonds are 5-3 (North’s return of the Eight suggests that), so there is the danger of losing 3 Diamonds and 2 Spades if Declarer misguesses Spades. As it happens, there is no misguess, they’re both off-side. That’s the bad news, but the good news is that South has no entries to his Diamonds. The end result is 10 tricks, the defense scoring just two Spades and a Diamond.
We wouldn’t recommend it, but the opening lead that gives Declarer the biggest headache is actually a Heart. Declarer should duck this (precaution against 5-2 Hearts), win the continuation, cross on a Club, and lead towards the K♠. Fortunately for E-W all the defensive entries are in the hand without the good Heart, but nonetheless that is still only 9 tricks for Declarer.
With two outside cards, South decided against a weak jump raise of 3♦ over East’s 1♥. But, when the bidding came back to her she had enough trumps to compete on to 3♦.
There’s nothing to the play, 3♦ goes down one, and just how good or bad a result this is will depend on how E-W do in 2♥. This contract can be beaten if South is clever enough to lead the 9♠, the subsequent Spade ruff is the 6th defensive trick. Should she find that lead? We hesitate to say “Absolutely!”, but with a likely trump entry the Spade lead certainly has some appeal.
Dice-Rolling Addendum: We have to say that we don’t especially care for South’s bidding here, it seems altogether too scientific, at least at this vulnerability. We’d prefer to roll the dice with an immediate preemptive raise, attempting to put West on the spot. And on the spot he will most certainly be! Who could blame him for bidding 3♥ over 3♦? Now, if South can back up her macho bidding with a Spade lead, she will have earned her side a juicy +200.
Most N-S pairs will play this one in a Heart partial, although 4♥ actually makes, thanks to some friendly breaks and luck in Diamonds. Mucho matchpoints for the few pairs that bid the game.
Normally, with that distribution, South would rebid 2♦, but with such a rotten suit we prefer the actual choice of 1NT, even though there is no stopper in the unbid suit.
As is often the case, the play in 1NT is hard to analyze. Declarer has 6 top tricks, and a Spade lead will put the contract in peril. Low from the board, won by East’s Ten … the Q♦ which wins … Heart back won on in hand … losing Spade finesse and Spade return … now, Declarer cashes the Hearts, and plays A♣ and out a Club, end-playing West who is forced to concede a Diamond trick at the end for Declarer’s 7th trick.
Perhaps South would have done better to rebid 2♦ after all, because that is a much easier contract on the lie of the cards, the only losers being 4 trumps and a Spade. An easier way to +90 than via a 1NT contract, no end-play required.
Walsh Note: Walsh players will achieve a minor triumph on this board. North will rebid 1NT, right-siding the contract by protecting the North hand from the Spade opening lead. However, it’s more of a theoretical triumph than anything else, because if East avoids starting with a Spade Declarer will score the same 7 tricks.
If North had been 4-4-4-1 with the same rotten values, she would have bid 2♣ planning to pass any response by Partner. As it was she went the Garbage Stayman route, planning to find a 4-4 major fit, and, failing that, to play in Opener’s better major. She was taking the reasonable gamble that two of a major would be a better home than 1NT.
East’s Double was lead-directing, of course. It’s not exactly the best suit in the world, but there are a couple of outside Aces, so it’s very much the lead that East wants against a No Trump contract. Perhaps West should have competed with 3♣ (that’s an easy 9 tricks, and 10 if North fails to lead a Heart), but in her defense she does have a square hand and is vulnerable.
In Hearts, North will do well to scramble 6 tricks. Let’s say that the defense starts with Clubs, North ruffing the third round. Now, a losing finesse of the Q♦, a Heart shift won by Declarer’s Jack (East does best to duck), A♦ and out a Diamond. Now, one way or another South will stagger home with the all-important 6th trick, and a good board.
South’s 1NT rebid opposite a silent Partner showed 18-19, after which North got into a doubling groove. The first Double was clear-cut, the second was a bit more sporting.
Normal defense will beat this just one trick … for example, A♣, A♠, revert to Clubs, scoring 3 Clubs, 2 Trumps and a Diamond for a lovely +200. Care for some abnormal defense? How about T♣ opening lead to North’s Jack and a Diamond shift for +800!
West’s Double was Responsive, typically 4-3 or 4-4 in the majors. North’s Redouble showed high-card strength rather than good Diamonds (though pretty minimum, we’d say, with that dubious K♣), and then her later 3♦ was very much based on Diamond length.
Credit West for finding the winning 3♠ call with that minimum hand. No doubt he used some Total Trick logic. His side had 8 trumps, and it was fair to assume that N-S had at least 9 Diamonds, so, with 17 total trumps, if 3♦ was making then a non-vulnerable 3♠ for 8 tricks would be a great bargain, even if doubled.
North had an extra trump, and took the push to 4♦. This was well-judged, but down one, nonetheless. Even undoubled, this was no doubt a good board for E-W, earned by that 3♠ call, as we doubt whether many E-W pairs will compete up to 3♠.
The Law worked well on this hand with 18 trumps and 18 tricks (9 each). First the Law persuaded West to compete to 3♠, then it North used it successfully to go to the 4-level.
A triumph for N-S on this board! North rightly refused to sell out to 2♦ holding only two of their suit, and South boldly passed, encouraged by her shortness in Partner’s suit, her good trumps, the vulnerability and her optimistic nature.
Against 2♦ South does not have much of a lead, and will no doubt lead a Heart, it seems least likely to blow a trick. Declarer wins in hand, play A♣ and out a Club, wins the Heart return and now has 5 side-suit tricks. But wriggle as she may, she won’t be able to score more than two trump tricks, and South’s boldness is rewarded with the much-to-be-desired +200.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
