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Hand Analyses         14th November, 2007

 

 

 1

♠ J

QT6

K85

♣ AKQ975




Bidding Quiz (South)

♠ KQ953

9742

AT3

♣ 6

          North

West             East

          South

♠ T762

K

QJ2

♣ J8432


Dlr     North   
Vul     None 



 

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♠ A84

AJ853

9764

♣ T

West    North   East     South

            1♣       Pass    1

1♠        Dbl      3♠        Dbl

Pass    Pass    Pass

 

North’s Double was a Support Double, showing 3 of Partner’s Hearts.  East’s 3♠ was preemptive, and a rather poor bid in our opinion, considering all those defensive values.  We are delighted to report that it got what it deserved when South found a matchpoint Double.  You may well ask “What exactly is a matchpoint Double?”  Well, if Ambrose Bierce had been a bridge player he might have come up with a definition such as “A Double which draws comfort from Partner’s legendary sense of humor on those occasions when the final result is -530 or -670”  Put plainly, a matchpoint Double is no sure thing.

 

Against 3♠ doubled, North leads the A♣, then shifts to a trump.  South wins the Ace, continues trumps, later wins the A, and plays a third round of trumps.  Now all that Declarer can manage is 4 trumps, a Heart ruff, and two Diamonds, for down two.  No legendary sense of humor required on this one.

 

Over 3♠, South did well not to stretch out a 4 bid, that contract is doomed to be down at least one trick.  Both the red Kings are obligingly on-side but the bad breaks in Hearts and Clubs will be Declarer’s undoing.

 

 

 2

♠ 32

KQ65

9432

♣ T98




Bidding Quiz (West)

♠ KQJT7

AJ

T8

♣ AK63

          North

West             East

         
South

♠ A864

9743

AKQ6

♣ Q

 

Dlr       East
Vul      N-S 


 
 
 
 
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♠ 95

T82

J75

♣ J7542

West    North   East     South

                        1        Pass

1♠        Pass    3♠        Pass

4♣       Pass     4        Pass

4NT     Pass    5        Pass

5NT     Pass    6        Pass

7♠        Pass    Pass     Pass

 

 Adventurous bidding by West, but not unreasonable, and 7♠ is cold when East puts down a suitable hand.  But, perhaps, West had reason to think that Partner’s hand would be suitable, for more on which please see the Bidding Quiz.

 

Squeeze Addendum

Anyone for the matchpoint-inspired contract of 7NT?  There are 12 top tricks and the only hope for a 13th is through a squeeze.  There are actually 6 possible squeezes.  Care to identify them?  Here goes:

A.     North is squeezed in Hearts and Diamonds

B.     South is squeezed in Hearts and Diamonds

C.     North is squeezed in the minors

D.     South is squeezed in the minors

E.      South is squeezed in Hearts and Clubs

F.      Double squeeze (North in Hearts+Diamonds and South in Hearts+Clubs)

It’s also possible that North or South are squeezed in all three suits, if one of them holds 5+ Clubs, 4+ Diamonds and the KQ, but we’ll ignore those as they eventually reduce to one of the above.  And one squeeze that is not listed above is a Heart-Club squeeze against North, that won’t work because she would have both the menaces sitting over Declarer’s holdings and would be discarding after Declarer.

 

Let’s say that North leads the K against 7NT.  That marks North with the Q and we can say goodbye to Squeezes B, E, and F.  All that is required to pull off the squeeze is to win the opening lead, cash one high Diamond (in case a singleton Jack is out there), unblock the Q♣, then run the Spades and cash the two remaining Club winners.  These will be Declarer’s and Dummy’s last three cards:

            Declarer                                  Dummy

                                                         ♠

            J                                          

            T                                           KQ6

            ♣ 6                                          ♣

Did the squeeze work?  How will you know?  It’s pretty simple, all that is required is to watch out for the Q, of course, and to count the Clubs played:

-         If South has both the minors she will either have pitched her Clubs by now setting up Declarer’s Club spot, or else she will have pitched a Diamond, setting up Dummy’s suit.

-         If North was squeezed in the minors she will have suffered a similar fate, only more so because she also has the Q to conserve.

-         If North was squeezed in Diamonds and Hearts, the Q will have appeared by now, or else North will have pitched a Diamond.

So, the keys to making 7NT after the K opening lead were simply to unblock the Q♣, cash the black suit winners, and count the number of Clubs played.  Not too difficult, eh?

 

 

 3

♠ J872

86

Q8654

♣ 73

 

♠ A6

KQJ95

97

♣ AK86

          North

West             East

          South

♠ KT94

AT2

KJT

♣ 954

 

Dlr     South
Vul     E-W 

 


 
 
 
 
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♠ Q53

743

A32

♣ QJT2

South   West    North   East 

Pass    1        Pass    1♠

Pass    2♣       Pass    3

Pass    4        All Pass

 

West has a good hand, but not good enough for a jump rebid to 3♣, nor is it good enough to try for slam after East shows game-invitational values with three Hearts.

 

Playing in 4, West must guess the Diamond suit to make 11 tricks.  That will be easy enough if North decides on a Diamond opening lead, because Declarer will assume that North has not underled the Ace.  If North’s opening lead is a less informative trump, then it won’t be so clear.  Trumps will be drawn, and then a Diamond should be led immediately, there’s nothing to be learned from playing the other suits first, that will just help the defense get a count on the hand.  Better to lead the Diamond right away, putting North to the test, and hoping that, with the Ace, he will jump up for fear that Declarer has a singleton Diamond.  When North plays low, Declarer will reason that she might have hopped with the Ace if she had it, and will usually guess to finesse the Jack.

 

 4

♠ J76

Q832

A8

♣ QJ75


 

♠ AQ94

T96

J65

♣ K64

          North

West             East

          South

♠ K83

AK5

QT92

♣ 832

 

Dlr     West
Vul     Both 


 
 
 
 
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♠ T52

J74

K743

♣ AT9

West    North   East     South

Pass    Pass    1        Pass

1♠        Dbl      Rdbl    Pass

Pass    1NT     Pass    Pass

Dbl      Pass    Pass    Rdbl

Pass    2♣       Pass    Pass

Dbl      Pass    Pass    Pass

 

Here we have one of the most convoluted auctions ever to appear on the Wednesday Game site, even though the bidding never gets beyond 2♣.  We doubt that the featured auction will ever be repeated, but just for the heck of it let’s look at a few of the bids:

-         North’s Double of 1♠:  As a passed hand with 10 HCP’s and both the unbid suits, North apparently felt justified in competing for the part-score.  Perhaps we are influenced by the result, but we question the wisdom of this bid, vulnerable with such a quacky hand.

-         East’s Redouble:  A Support Redouble, showing exactly 3 cards in support of Partner.

-         North’s 1NT:   Clearly North cannot defend 1♠ redoubled, nor does she want to pick one of the two unbid suits.  She’d rather South did that, so she temporizes with 1NT.

-         West’s Double of 1NT:  “We’ve got them now!”

-         North’s Pass of 1NT doubled:  Again, deferring to Partner.

-         South’s Redouble:  South also defers to Partner.

-         North’s 2♣:  N-S are finally dragged, kicking and screaming, into their 4-3 fit.

 

The long-winded sequence is quite informative, and, even before Dummy goes down, East can determine with some certainty that Partner’s shape is precisely 4-3-3-3 (at least if he believes the N-S bidding).  How so?  Here’s the logic:

-         North deferred to Partner on the choice of suit, surely her Clubs and Hearts are of equal length, no doubt 4 cards in each.

-         South was similarly reluctant to pick a suit, no doubt she also has equal length in Clubs and Hearts.  Let’s say she is 3-3 or 4-4 in those suits.

-         If South is 4-4 in Clubs and Hearts, then West must be 4-2-5-2 or 5-2-4-2, and would not be defending 2♣ with such a hand.  So, South must both be 3-3 in Clubs and Hearts, and therefore, by extension, so must West.

-         How many Spades does West have?  East has shown 3 Spades, and it seems unlikely that West would be doubling 2♣ with only 3 Clubs and with an 8-card Spade fit available.  So, surely, he is 4-3-3-3.

 

Having deduced that 4-3-3-3 shape, East will know that his side has no ruffs coming, and that a trump lead is most promising.  Down only one (thanks to the lucky Heart situation), but that’s still +200 and a good board for E-W.

 

 5

♠ Q62

A

T84

♣ AQT532




Bidding Quiz (South)

♠ 743

KJ2

AQ653

♣ 97

          North

West             East

         
South

♠ AJT98

T86543

7

♣ J

 

Dlr     North
Vul     N-S 


 
 
 
 
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♠ K5

Q97

KJ92

♣ K864

West    North   East     South

            1♣       2♣       2

3       3NT     Pass    Pass

Pass

 

East’s 2♣ was Michaels, and South’s 2 showed Club support (and at least invitational values), the so-called “Unusual vs Unusual” convention (or at least a variation of it).

 

3NT has no real chance of success.  Let’s say that East leads a Heart, won by Declarer’s Ace.  Declarer can play a Spade towards Dummy for her 8th trick, but that’s as many as she’ll get.  The good news for N-S is that 3NT down one is an excellent sacrifice against 3 making!

 

Of course, 3 making +140 is not going to happen in real life, but 3 doubled for +530 is a definite possibility.  For example, over East’s 2♣ South might try a natural 2NT, West might venture 3, which could be doubled by North or by South.  There’s a Spade, two Hearts, and a Club to be lost, but that’s it.  And even the Club might go away if North finds the unfortunate opening lead of a Diamond.

 

 

 6

♠ 2

KJ43

KQJ983

♣ 65


 

Bidding Quiz (North)

Play Problem 205 (East)

♠ KT3

76

52

♣ AQJ843

          North

West             East

          South

♠ J9654

AT985

7

♣ K2

 

 Dlr     East
 Vul     E-W 


 
 
 
 
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♠ AQ87

Q2

AT64

♣ T97

West    North   East     South

                        Pass    1

2♣       Dbl      Pass    2♠

Pass    3        All Pass

 

North’s Double showed at least one of the majors, and did not guarantee both.  But when Partner showed Spades North was in an awkward spot.  We’d say that 3 was a definite underbid, as there are some minimum hands for South where game will be have a good play.  Then again, if we bid 3♣ and Partner bids 3NT, there will be many South hands with extras where 3NT has no play.  This being matchpoints, perhaps a tame 3 is the percentage bid.  It certainly is the winner on the actual deal, making 10 tricks.

 

Play Problem

When we first analyzed this deal, we mistakenly had West as the dealer.  This gave rise to a completely different auction, one in which East might well end up in 3♠ doubled, a contract which presented an instructive Play Problem.  Rather than waste all that analysis, to say nothing of a good problem, we’ve worked out a way that, with East as dealer, 3♠ doubled might conceivably be reached.  Follow the link for the problem.

 

 

 7

♠ 865

AT53

♣ AKT732




Bidding Quiz (East)

♠ 4

K532

K9864

♣ J95

          North

West             East

          South

♠ AKQJ92

QJT94

Q

♣ 6

 

Dlr     South
Vul     Both 


 
 
 
 
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♠ T73

A876

J72

♣ Q84

South   West    North   East 

Pass    Pass    1♣       1♠

Dbl      Pass    2♣       2

Pass    3       Pass    4

Pass    Pass    Pass

 

 Over 2♣ East must have been sorely tempted not even to bother mentioning his Hearts.  After all, with 4 Hearts likely in the South hand, it was unlikely that 4 would be the right contract.  West would need 4-card Heart support for 4 to make, because, if E-W have only a 5-3 Heart fit, a forcing Club attack would lead to loss of trump control for Declarer.

 

Playing in 4, with a 5-4 fit, the forcing game holds no terrors for Declarer.  He ruffs the second round of trumps and plays on trumps.  South does best to duck two rounds of trumps, in which case Declarer cannot afford a third round (South will win and lead a Club), instead he can retain by control by running the Spades.

 

If East takes the practical course of ignoring his Hearts (over 2♣ we’d suggest 3♠, which East will raise to 4♠) he will end up in a contract that can be beaten with a Heart ruff (or, improbably, even two Heart ruffs), but in practice it won’t be.  South will have no reason to give her Partner a Heart ruff, she’ll lead a Club to North’s King and that will be the end of the defense, making 10 tricks.

 

 

 8

♠ Q3

AKT985

53

♣ 842




 

♠ J84

62

KQ92

♣ AKQ9

          North

West             East

          South

♠ A9652

QJ3

A6

♣ T75

 

Dlr     West
Vul     None 


 
 
 
 
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♠ KT7

74

JT874

♣ J63

West    North   East     South

1NT     Dbl      2        Pass

2♠        Pass    3NT     Pass

4♠        Pass    Pass    Pass

 

North made a DONT Double (showing a one-suiter) and, as E-W were playing “systems on” in this situation, 2 was a transfer to Spades.

 

4♠ is not a success.  There are two Heart losers, and Declarer’s best chance to avoid two trump losers is an “intra-finesse”.  He leads a trump towards his J84, planning to finesse the Eight.  If this forces the King or Queen from North, then he will run the Jack on the second round, hoping that South started with Tx.  Neat play by Declarer, except that it doesn’t work on the lie of the cards and Declarer is down one.

 

It’s hard to see E-W getting to the making 3NT, so we’d expect 4♠ down one to be pretty much a universal result.

 

 9

♠ T2

KJ75

QT75

♣ J82




 

♠ K9754

T

AK92

♣ AK5

          North

West             East

          South

♠ A8

A9843

J643

♣ QT

 

Dlr     North
Vul     E-W 

 


 
 
 
 
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♠ QJ63

Q62

8

♣ 97643

West    North   East     South

            Pass    Pass    Pass

1♠        Pass    2        Pass

3NT     Pass    Pass    Pass

 

We don’t see much reason for West to bid 3 (which is forcing) over 2, surely the chance of a Diamond slam opposite a passed hand is quite remote.  If you played in 3NT you probably made 9 tricks, that looks like the normal result.  But, there’s a double dummy line for 10 tricks which is rather pretty (see below).

 

Did any E-W pair get to 6?  It’s a so-so contract, and can actually be made, notwithstanding the bad trump break.  This line might also appear to be double dummy, but we’ve been working hard to convince ourselves otherwise and we have almost succeeded!  Here we go:

            Club lead, won by Dummy’s Queen

            A♣ and K♣ are cashed (cashing side-suit winners before starting to cross-ruff)

            Spade to the King, and back to the Ace

            Spade ruffed on the board (North pitches a Heart)

            A is cashed and a Heart is ruffed by Declarer

            Another Spade is led, North pitching a Heart, Dummy ruffing

            Diamond to the Ace

Here is the end-position:

                                    North

                                   

                                   

                                    QT7

                                    ♣

            Declarer                                  Dummy

            4                                           ♠

                                                         T9

            K9                                        J

            ♣                                             ♣

                                    South

                                    Immaterial

 

Now Declarer leads the last Spade and Dummy’s J score a trick en passant.  Making 12 tricks.

 

Double Dummy Footnote

As we said, if West plays in the less ambitious contract of 3NT, it’s possible to make 10 tricks.  Let’s say that the defense leads a Club, won by Declarer’s Ace.  Now a Heart is ducked (must not play the Ace yet).  Win the Club return with Dummy’s Queen and lose a second Heart.  Win the Club return in hand, cash the K♠, then cross to the A♠.  Now the A is played and a low Heart, which simultaneously establishes the long Heart (9th trick) and end-plays North in Diamonds (10th trick).  Note the importance of not playing that A until the third round of the suit, if it is released too soon the defense will cash their Heart winners and exit with a Club, avoiding the Diamond end-play.

 

 

 10

♠ KJ7

A

AKJ972

♣ 974

 

♠ T5

KT8652

T63

♣ AJ

          North

West             East

          South

♠ AQ932

973

Q

♣ K632

 
Dlr     East
Vul     Both 


 
 
 
 
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♠ 864

QJ4

854

♣ QT85

West    North   East     South

                        1♠        Pass

1NT     2        Pass    Pass

2        3        3   All Pass

 

It’s a fairly friendly hand for West, playing in 3, and 9 tricks should result.  For example, A opening lead, Diamond ruff, Club to the Ace, Diamond ruff, Heart to the King and Ace.  On this line of play there are 3 Hearts and a Diamond to be lost, +140.

 

 

 11

♠ 3

Q

KJ8763

♣ 87432

 

♠ AJ975

AK72

95

♣ A5

          North

West             East

          South

♠ T864

J95

AT4

♣ Q96

 
Dlr     South
Vul     None 


 
 
 
 
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♠ KQ2

T8643

Q2

♣ KJT

South   West    North   East 

Pass    1♠        2NT     3♠

Pass    4♠        Pass    Pass

Pass

 

E-W were playing “Unusual vs Unusual” after the North’s Unusual 2NT, so 3♠ was a purely competitive raise, showing less than invitational values.  Perhaps West’s raise to 4♠ was a tad optimistic in the circumstances, but not an unreasonable guess.

 

4♠ is a lucky make as it happens.  Well, maybe.  Declarer will lose a Diamond and a Club, and is most lucky not to have a Heart loser.  So, it all comes down to the trump suit, and, even with only one entry to the board, it’s probably right to take the deep finesse in Spades.  Making 9 or 10 tricks, depending on that trump guess.

 

 

 12

♠ KQ4

Q9

KQT94

♣ 984

 

♠ 98752

AT73

83

♣ J7

          North

West             East

         
South

♠ T3

86

AJ72

♣ AKT62

 
Dlr     West
Vul     N-S 


 
 
 
 
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♠ AJ6

KJ542

65

♣ Q53

West    North   East     South

Pass    1        2♣       2

Pass    3        Pass    Pass

Pass

 

North had a serious rebid problem and had no real option but to raise on a doubleton.  A likely defense is two Clubs and a Club ruff, after which it’s a simple matter for Declarer to hold her subsequent losses to two Aces for down one.  An uninspiring board!

 

 

 13

♠ AK94

K742

Q87

♣ Q6

 

♠ QJ732

T83

T

♣ J754

          North

West             East

          South

♠ T5

Q95

K96532

♣ A3

 
Dlr     North
Vul     Both 


 
 
 
 
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♠ 86

AJ6

AJ4

♣ KT982

West    North   East     South

            1        Pass    2♣

Pass    2        Pass    3

Pass    3NT     All Pass

 

In a 2/1 system, North’s 2 bid did not usually show extras (though some play that it does).

 

11 tricks are possible in 3NT, and may well be made on this line of play:

            T♠ to Declarer’s Ace

            Club finesse losing to West’s Jack

            Q♠ won by Declarer

            Q♣ won by East’s Ace

            Heart exit is won by Dummy’s Jack

            Clubs are cashed (Declarer pitches a Spade, the Q and a low Diamond)

            Hearts are cashed

 

At this point in the play Declarer can count 10 tricks.  She can also count the distribution.  The Hearts and Clubs will be known, and there is a strong presumption that East started with 2-3-6-2.  If that doesn’t make the Diamond finesse worth risking then we don’t know what does!  If the finesse works it’s 11 tricks, and if West had been dealt the singleton K it will be just 9 tricks.

 

 

 14

♠ 6

54

T98652

♣ 8764




Bidding Quiz (E&W)

♠ AKQJT8

J8

743

♣ QT

          North

West             East

          South

♠ 54

AKQ3

KQ

♣ AK932

 

Dlr     East
Vul     None 


 
 
 
 
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♠ 9732

T9762

AJ

♣ J5

West    North   East     South

                        1♣       Pass

1♠        Pass    2        Pass

3♠        Pass    4        Pass

4NT     Pass    5        Pass

6♠        Pass    6NT  All Pass

 

Has your partnership discussed the meaning of 3♠ here?  No, neither have we, but it seems that it should at least show a very good suit, though not necessarily as good as the one in the actual deal.  East is too good merely to bid 3NT or 4♠, so he cue-bids 4, and eventually E-W come to rest in 6NT, a fine spot indeed.  For more on this auction, please see the Bidding Quiz.

 

Surely most pairs will play this one in slam, and the way to score well on the deal is to make sure that your slam is in No Trump.  This is matchpoints, after all!  Declarer will actually make 13 tricks if North does not find the Diamond lead, but we expect that she will.

 

 

 15

♠ AKJ952

9

Q974

♣ JT




Bidding Quiz (South)

♠ Q63

A8

AK8

♣ 96432

          North

West             East

         
South

♠ T84

JT653

J6

♣ A85

 

Dlr     South
Vul     N-S 


 
 
 
 
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♠ 7

KQ742

T532

♣ KQ7

South   West    North   East 

Pass    1♣       1♠        Dbl

1NT     Pass    2♠        Pass

Pass    Pass

 

South’s 1NT was opposite an overcall, and, as such, the range was a couple of points higher than it would be opposite an opening bid of 1♣ or 1.  Against 2♠, if East gets his Diamond ruff it will be just 8 tricks for Declarer, but he often won’t and that will likely be 9 tricks.

 

 

 16

♠ Q95

AT9

AQ764

♣ 63




Bidding Quiz (East)

♠ AKJ8

QJ54

2

♣ QJT4

          North

West             East

          South

♠ 2

K873

J953

♣ 9872

 

Dlr     West
Vul     E-W 


 
 
 
 
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♠ T7643

62

KT8

♣ AK8

West    North   East     South

1♣       1        1        1♠

3        Pass    Pass    Pass

 

Pretty aggressive bidding by E-W, wouldn’t you say?  All the more so as they were vulnerable.  Actually, we rather like East’s 1 bid, only 4 HCP’s, but nice distribution and a fit with Partner.  3 was maybe a bit much, though, the shape is nice but the hand is quacky.

 

Even so, 3 (undoubled) is a good place to be.  It takes a Club ruff to beat the contract, a good result for E-W considering that N-S have a part-score in 2♠ or 3.

 

 

 17

♠ KQ73

9

QT82

♣ 9743




Play Problem 206 (East)

♠ A9854

875

9643

♣ K

          North

West             East

          South

♠ 2

AKQT4

A75

♣ QJ85


Dlr     North   
Vul     None 



 

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♠ JT6

J632

KJ

♣ AT62

West    North   East     South

            Pass    1        Pass

1♠        Pass    2♣       Pass

2        Pass    3        Pass

4        Pass    Pass    Pass

 

Against 4, South will lead the relatively safe J♠ or the aggressive K.  For the Diamond lead, please see the Play Problem.

 

Here, we’ll assume that South leads the J♠.  Declarer can count 4 side-suit tricks, with no prospect of more, and so must come to 6 trump tricks.  That’s easy enough if trumps are 3-2, just one ruff is required on the board.  But why not try for two ruffs on the board, making 10 tricks even with a bad trump break, and 11 if trumps behave?  Here’s how Declarer might play the hand:

            J♠ lead won by Dummy’s Ace

            K♣ won by South’s Ace

            Spade ruffed by Declarer

            Q♣ and J♣ pitching two Diamonds from Dummy

            Club won by South, Dummy pitching a Diamond

            Spade ruffed by Declarer

            A and then a Diamond ruff

            Heart to the Ace

Now, Declarer leads his last Diamond.  South is down to nothing but trumps, so is obliged to use her trump winner to ruff Declarer’s Diamond loser.  Making 10 tricks despite the bad trump break.  The key plays by Declarer were:

-         not drawing trumps, with the hope of getting two ruffs on the board.

-      playing the 4th round of Clubs and pitching a Diamond; this loser-on-loser play was an essential preparation for getting two ruffs on the board.

 

 

 18

♠ AJ6

84

AKJ986

♣ AT




Bidding Quiz (West)

♠ 532

AK62

T2

♣ K943

          North

West             East

         
South

♠ K974

JT5

Q53

♣ 752

 

Dlr       East
Vul      N-S 


 
 
 
 
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♠ QT8

Q973

74

♣ QJ86

West    North   East     South

                        Pass    Pass

1        Dbl      2       Pass

Pass    3        Pass    3NT

Pass    Pass    Pass

 

 For some players that North hand is too good for an overcall, others will have no problem with bidding 2 here.  We like a fairly high upper limit for our overcalls (let’s say around 18), but it seems to us that the best way to get to our most likely game of 3NT would be to double and then bid Diamonds.  But, in reality, there’s no right and wrong here.

 

3NT is not a great contract, but it does have chances.  The good news for Declarer is that Dummy has two Hearts and that it therefore looks as if West has opened a 4-card suit in third seat.  If West starts with a low Heart (or K and then a low Heart), Declarer wins the Queen and obviously must get the Diamonds going.  But not right away!  If she takes the Diamond finesse and it loses, Declarer will have only 8 tricks, with no way back to her hand for a black suit finesse.  Better management of the entries is required, so Declarer’s theoretically best line is to run the Q♠ (or the Ten).  When it loses, the defense takes its Hearts, but Declarer has an entry back to her hand for the Diamond finesse.  Unlucky!  Both finesses lose and Declarer is down one.

 

The inferior line of playing on Clubs instead of Spades happens to work.  The Q♣ is covered by the King and won by the Ace.  Declarer cannot afford to get back to hand with the J♣, so she plays the Diamonds from the top, and when the suit is 3-2 she has her 9 tricks.

 

 

 19

♠ Q92

J83

AQ32

♣ J84

 

♠ AJT86

9654

J7

♣ 32

          North

West             East

          South

♠ K73

AQT

T954

♣ KT7

 

Dlr     South
Vul     E-W 

 


 
 
 
 
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♠ 54

K72

K86

♣ AQ965

South   West    North   East 

1♣       Pass    1NT     Pass

Pass    2♠        Dbl      Pass

Pass    Pass

 

North’s 1NT was maximum, and West’s 2♠ would be considered by some as evidence of insanity.  And vulnerable, no less!  Some players just cannot resist balancing at the two-level, can they?  North, of course, makes a gleeful Double, perhaps she’s seen West’s balancing act before.  As N-S go in search of their 6 tricks and the magic +200, this is how the play might unfold:

            North leads a low Club, the spots reveal all, so South confidently inserts the Nine

            Diamond to North’s Queen

            Club won by South

            Club ruffed by Declarer

            Heart Ten is finessed, losing to South’s King

            K is cashed

            Diamond is ruffed by Declarer

            J♠ is run around

            Spade to Dummy’s King

            Two Hearts are cashed

            Spade to Declarer’s Ace

            Declarer is left with a Heart winner at Trick 13.

 

Oops!  The defense’s magic +200 just became a tragic -670!  This deal teaches us two important lessons:

-         North should be less gleeful in her doubling, or else she should find a Partner who can defend better.  Yes, the winning defense is for South, after cashing the K, to play a 4th round of Clubs.  Now, however and wherever Declarer chooses to ruff this, the defense must come to one more trick.

-         It sometimes pays to make hair-raising balancing bids, all the more so if the opponents can be relied upon to help out during the play.

 

 

 20

♠ 8652

T8

A83

♣ KJ53




Bidding Quiz (East)

♠ J3

J63

QJ95

♣ Q982

          North

West             East

          South

♠ AKT4

K95

K7642

♣ T

 

Dlr     West
Vul     Both 


 
 
 
 
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♠ Q97

AQ742

T

♣ A764

West    North   East     South

Pass    Pass    1        1

2        Dbl      3        Pass

Pass    Pass

 

North’s Double was Responsive, showing the two unbid suits and East’s 3 bid was purely obstructive (see Bidding Quiz).  South might have been tempted to bid 4♣ (which happens to make) but that would have been a stretch.

 

In 3, looking at all 4 hands, it is easy enough to see that the defense can score two Hearts, a Heart ruff and the A♣ and A for down one.  It’s also easy to see how a trick might get away from the defense, allowing the contract to make:

-         South might start with the A, which gets what it deserves.

-         South might start with the A♣ and another Club.  Declarer ruffs this, plays A♠ and K♠, ruffs a Spade, takes a ruffing finesse in Clubs (North covers), leads the established T♠ which is ruffed by South and overruffed, then cashes a Club pitching a Heart.  Making 9 tricks.

-         South might lead a Spade, and a Heart goes on the third round of Spades.

 

In fact, the only way that South can beat the contract is to lead her singleton trump, something which most us avoid like the plague.  So, we expect a bunch of +110 scores in the E-W direction.

 

 

 21

♠ K94

QJ432

KT6

♣ 32

 

♠ AQ3

A65

A53

♣ QJ75

          North

West             East

         
South

♠ T762

KT7

QJ98

♣ 94

 

Dlr     North
Vul     N-S 


 
 
 
 
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♠ J85

98

742

♣ AKT86

West    North   East     South

            Pass    Pass    Pass

1NT     Pass    Pass    Pass

 

Against 1NT, North will probably lead an unfortunate low Heart, won by Dummy’s Ten.  The Diamond finesse loses and Hearts are continued.  Dummy’s King wins, and a Club is led.  Let’s say that South plays the King and shifts to a Spade.  Declarer plays low and North’s King wins.  Now Declarer has 9 tricks.  Expect quite a few +150 E-W scores on this one.

 

 

 22

♠ 94

JT65

AJT7

♣ A53




Bidding Quiz (South)

♠ A765

Q2

K632

♣ 742

          North

West             East

          South

♠ T8

K9843

Q8

♣ KJ96

 

 Dlr     East
 Vul     E-W 


 
 
 
 
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♠ KQJ32

A7

954

♣ QT8

West    North   East     South

                        Pass    1♠

Pass    1NT     Pass    Pass

Pass

 

The Forcing No Trump is an integral part of the 2/1 system, but some pairs, including our featured N-S, have modified this to the “semi-forcing” No Trump.  In this method Opener is allowed to pass 1NT if she has a rotten opener, the usual definition of “rotten” being “12 HCP’s with 5-3-3-2 distribution”.  No doubt an abominable 13 would also qualify.

 

The semi-forcing style has its pros and cons, but it certainly works well here, allowing Declarer to play in 1NT instead of the 5-2 Spade fit.  Both contracts make 8 tricks.

 

 

 23

♠ K7

A9743

KJ74

♣ 97

 

♠ AJ852

AT8653

♣ AJ

          North

West             East

          South

♠ QT96

KJ8

2

♣ QT632

 

Dlr     South
Vul     Both 


 
 
 
 
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♠ 43

QT652

Q9

♣ K854

South   West    North   East 

Pass    1        1        Dbl

3        4♠        Pass    Pass

Pass

 

6♠ is a pretty good slam, though a most difficult one to bid.  We don’t pretend to have any useful suggestions for how to get there, some slams are just not biddable by mere mortals.

How good is the slam?  North will probably lead the A, that will get ruffed, then A, ruff a Diamond, K pitching a Club, Heart ruff, Diamond ruff, etc.  In this line the Diamonds will be set up (and the contract made) whenever the Diamonds are 3-3 and trumps no worse than 3-1, or whenever the Diamonds are 4-2 with trumps 2-2, which works out to around 74%.  On the more adverse breaks, Declarer will eventually lose trump control. 

 24

♠ J72

J72

T42

♣ AKT3




 

♠ 954

K95

QJ986

♣ 87

          North

West             East

          South

♠ AT86

A8643

K

♣ Q94

 

Dlr     West
Vul     None 


 
 
 
 
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♠ KQ3

QT

A753

♣ J652

West    North   East     South

Pass    Pass    1        Pass

2        Pass    Pass    Pass

 

Against 2, the defense must lead a Spade, setting up 6 tricks before Declarer can establish some pitches on the Diamond winners.  Fortunately for N-S, the opening lead of the K♠ is a stand-out.

 

Back to the bidding.  Would you balance in the South seat over 2?  The good news is that you are not vulnerable, and we know that many of you will be tempted.  On this board balancing will work out badly, but it’s hard to blame those Souths that did.  If we were going to balance, we’d bid 2NT for the minors.  But Double might work, too, especially if we happen to have a 4-3 fit in all of the unbid suits.

 

 

 25

♠ AKQT

AJ98

Q65

♣ AK




Bidding Quiz (South)

♠ 9764

6

842

♣ Q8742

          North

West             East

          South

♠ 8

Q542

KJT97

♣ 965

 

Dlr     North
Vul     E-W 

 


 
 
 
 
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♠ J532

KT73

A3

♣ JT3

West    North   East     South

            2♣       Pass    2

Pass    2NT     Pass    3♣

Pass    3        Pass    3♠

Pass    4♣        Pass    4

Pass    4        Pass    5

Pass    6        All Pass

 

North’s 2NT rebid showed 22-23 (or 22-24 for some pairs), then Stayman identified the 4-4 Heart fit.  South’s 3♠ was conventional, showing a Heart fit and making a slam try.  Then some cue-bidding, and N-S eventually stumbled into slam.

 

Against 6, what would you lead as East?  Dr Goodlead came up with a real duesy on this one.  “I lead a Heart, of course”  He reckoned that the opponents had a 4-4 Heart fit, and, if the Ace and King were in opposite hands, the contract was likely to depend on Declarer guessing which one to play first.  Leading a Heart would pretty much guarantee that Declarer played West for the Q.  An interesting thought for next time you are on opening lead holding Qxxx (with no useful spots) in the trump suit.

 

Notwithstanding the devious Doctor, if Declarer does manage to guess the whereabouts of the Q, he needs just to organize a Club ruff for her 12th trick.

 

 

 26

♠ Q874

A

AJT96

♣ 954




Bidding Quiz (South)

♠ AK652

643

Q8

♣ A83

          North

West             East

          South

♠ T93

KT95

K7542

♣ T

 
Dlr     East
Vul     Both 


 
 
 
 
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♠ J

QJ872

3

♣ KQJ762

West    North   East     South

                        Pass    1♣

1♠        2        2♠        3♣

Pass    Pass    Pass

 

South was faced with a familiar opening bid dilemma.  Should she open 1 and pretend that she had 5-5 distribution?  Or should she open 1♣, getting her long suit into the auction, and giving up on a potential 5-3 Heart fit?  Please see the Bidding Quiz.

 

If South opens 1♣, she’ll probably end up in 3♣.  West starts out with the A♠, shifts to the A♣ and another Club.  The defense has held Dummy’s ruffs to just one, but Declarer can still scramble 9 tricks, by continuing with A, A, Spade ruff, Heart ruff, Spade ruff, Club.  That’s 7 tricks, and the QJ will be worth one more, and the last trump is the 9th.

 

If South opens 1, things don’t work out so well.  The auction commences:

            West    North   East     South

                                    Pass    1

            1♠        2        2♠        ??

Now, South is in a bit of a pickle.  She can finally introduce that fine 6-card Club suit, but the bid is forcing, Partner will expect more high cards, and the auction is likely to spiral out of control.

 

 

 27

♠ AK983

J32

82

♣ A62

 

♠ T65

AT96

J654

♣ 94

          North

West             East

          South

♠ 72

K54

KT

♣ KQJT85

 
Dlr     South
Vul     None 


 
 
 
 
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♠ QJ4

Q87

AQ973

♣ 73

South   West    North   East 

Pass    Pass    1♠        2♣

3♣       Pass    3♠        Pass

Pass    Pass

 

If East had not got in the way, then South could have tried a 2♣ Drury bid, but, with that option removed, she was obliged to force to the 3-level with a 3♣ cue-bid.  However, North had no reason to accept the invitation and 3♠ was the final contract.

 

3♠ is quite high enough, we would say.  East leads the K♣, which Declarer wins, then it’s surely best to take an immediate Diamond finesse.  When that wins, the A is cashed, and a Diamond ruffed with the Nine.  If Diamonds are 3-3, then that will establish the Diamond suit and 10 tricks will be possible if trumps are 3-2.  Diamonds are not 3-3, but the good news is that East cannot overruff, so Declarer eventually settles for 9 tricks, losing 3 Hearts and a Club.

 

Yes, there is a double dummy line for 10 tricks, but it’s against the odds.  Finesse the Diamond, cash A♠ and Q♠ and A, and take a ruffing finesse in Diamonds.  This only works beause East has the shortness in both Spades and Diamonds.

 

False-Card Note

In the play of 3♠, when Declarer took the Diamond finesse and then cashed the A, East played the K on the second round.  Does that mean that he started with two Diamonds?  It shouldn’t, at least not against a wily East.  For example, if he started with KJT in the suit then it behooves him to play the King on the second round.  After all, the King and the Jack are equals at this point, and the mantra is “play the card you are known to hold”.  So East, known to hold the K by virtue of the successful finesse, should dump that card on the second round, revealing the minimum amount of information to Declarer.

 

 

 28

♠ AK94

JT84

AT4

♣ K6

 

♠ JT852

A76

J32

♣ Q8

          North

West             East

         
South

♠ 763

95

K97

♣ JT975

 
Dlr     West
Vul     N-S 


 
 
 
 
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♠ Q

KQ32

Q865

♣ A432

West    North   East     South

Pass    1NT     Pass    2♣

Pass    2        Pass    4

Pass    Pass    Pass

 

 Playing in 4, Declarer can count 3 Spades, 3 Hearts plus a ruff in one hand or the other, one Diamond, and two Clubs for a total of 10 tricks.  Did somebody say “matchpoints”?  Yes, indeed, Declarer should be looking for an 11th, and the two obvious routes to that are:

-         Draw trumps as soon as possible, and get the extra trick by playing on Diamonds.  Declarer can play for that extra trick by finessing the T or leading towards the Q.  Both work.

-         Go after two Club ruffs in Dummy, which on the lie of the cards also works.

 

So, the line of play is academic, it looks as if 11 tricks will always be made.  But, for the record, we would go after the two Club ruffs.

 

 

 29

♠ T76

Q764

KT82

♣ AT

 

♠ J9

K92

AQ93

♣ Q975

          North

West             East

          South

♠ K854

J5

J64

♣ 8432

 
Dlr     North
Vul     Both 


 
 
 
 
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♠ AQ32

AT83

75

♣ KJ6

West    North   East     South

            Pass    Pass    1♣

Pass    1        Pass    1

Pass    2        All Pass

 

A friendly hand, with overtricks in Declarer’s future.

 

 

 30

♠ Q7654

A82

AQT93


 

♠ KT8

J97

J82

♣ AKT2

          North

West             East

          South

♠ AJ9

T3

54

♣ QJ8543

 

Dlr     East
Vul     None 


 
 
 
 
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♠ 32

KQ654

K76

♣ 973

West    North   East     South

                        Pass    Pass

1♣       1♠        2♠        Pass

2NT     3        4♣       4

Pass    Pass    Pass

 

Yes, N-S managed to miss their cold 4 (making 5), but it’s hard to fault their auction.

 

 

 31

♠ Q

J92

A7652

♣ K976

 

♠ JT6

AT8

KJT84

♣ J3

          North

West             East

         
South

♠ AK32

643

Q9

♣ Q852

 

Dlr     South
Vul     N-S 


 
 
 
 
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♠ 98754

KQ75

3

♣ AT4

South   West    North   East 

Pass    Pass    Pass    1♠

Pass    2♣       Pass    2♠

Pass    Pass    Dbl   All Pass

 

We don’t blame East for opening that nice 4-card Spade suit in 4th seat, but it certainly did not work out well on this hand.  -300 for E-W.

 

 

 32

♠ A2

J4

T9643

♣ KT85

 

♠ QJT5

A92

AK5

♣ J63

          North

West             East

          South

♠ 763

K763

J872

♣ 72

 

Dlr     West
Vul     E-W 


 
 
 
 
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♠ K984

QT85

Q

♣ AQ94

West    North   East     South

1NT     Pass    Pass    2♣

Pass    Pass    Pass

 

DONT does a pretty good job of getting two-suiters into the auction, but here South has a three-suiter.  South could just bid 2 here showing both majors, or she can bid 2♣ shows “Clubs and another”.  Neither is guaranteed to find the best fit, it really is something of a guess.  Because of North’s dismal majors, 2♣ turns out to be the winning call, but there is a lot to be said for South showing the majors here, it’ll score better if the contract happens to make.  A plus for the 2♣ bid is that it’s South’s best suit if North ends up on lead.

 

Well, if South is lucky enough to bid a DONT 2♣, she’ll play it there, scoring 9 tricks.  If she shows the majors with 2, she’ll probably have the dubious honor of playing in the 4-2 fit, down one or two.

                                                     

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