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April 7, 2002

Think About It
This article is an excerpt from one that first appeared in Issue #22 (Jan/Feb 1998) of The Bridge Companion.

Consider the hand shown below:

AQ92

AQJ86

This particular pattern presents some rather unique difficulties. As opener you might choose your longest suit and open the bidding with 1. Partner bids the expected 1 or 1 response and now what? You are describer. You are the crew. What is your rebid?

West	North	East	South
			1
Pass	1	Pass	???

These rebids would show:

1NT - 13-15 points and a balanced hand without a four card spade suit.

2 - 13-16- points and five or more clubs.

2 - 17-21 points and five or more clubs, four or more diamonds, but always more clubs than diamonds.

3 - 16+-18 points and six or more clubs.

Faced with the choices, 2 is the only plausible rebid. That is not too bad with the hand shown. How would you feel about rebidding 2 with the hand in below? The hand value is exactly the same as the first hand.

AKQ2

98632

You would be better served to open 1 so that you might rebid 2. Rebidding a lower ranking suit promises no more than a minimum opening bid, so the strength description is proper. Partner will think you have more diamonds than clubs, but it might not matter. The risk seems superior to opening 1 and rebidding 2!

Look for this pattern. Plan ahead and prepare the way for a reasonable rebid. If most of your high cards are in your doubletons (hearts and spades) it might even be right to rebid 1NT!

Think about it.

=============================================

Recognize the Truth
To become accomplished at declarer play you must recognize the truth, accept it, and find a way to use it. Consider the following hand:

	North (dummy)
	53
	1084
	A6432
West	743	East
???		???
???		???
???		???
???	South (you)	???
	AQ
	AKQJ973
	10
	J65

West	North	East	South
			1
Double	2	Pass	4
Pass	Pass	Pass

West leads the three top clubs to the first three tricks (all following) and then shifts to the 5. What is your plan to make ten tricks?

Answer:

If your plan includes taking the spade finesse then you are just not accepting reality. Would it come as any surprise for me to tell you that the spade finesse loses?

What other assets do you have on this hand?

The long diamond suit in dummy represents potential.

Missing seven diamonds you would expect them to break 4-3 much more than half the time. Add in the fact that West made a takeout double and the chances are almost a sure thing.

You can set up a diamond trick by length. You will need to cash the A and trump trump three diamonds AND get back to cash the established trick after trumps have been pulled. That means you will need four entries.

Do you have four entries?

Yes, with careful planning:

The A.
The 10.
The 8.
The 4.

That will mean you will need to trump the diamonds in the South hand with high hearts and use the 9, 7, and 3 to play to the dummy.

The play:

West cashes three top clubs and leads a small diamond.
Win the A.
Trump a diamond with a top heart.
Lead the 9 to the 10.
Trump a diamond with a top heart.
Lead the 7 to the 8.
Trump a diamond with a top heart.
Lead the 3 to the 4.
Cash the established diamond discarding the Q.
Cash the A and the rest of your heart tricks.

The complete hand:

	North (dummy)
	53
	1084
	A6432
West	743	East
KJ109		87642
2		65
Q985		KJ7
AKQ2	South (you)	1098
	AQ
	AKQJ973
	10
	J65

Note that only the diamond ruff keeps East-West form making 4!

At least try setting up the diamonds, if someone shows up with five diamonds you can always fall back on the spade finesse.

-Gary King

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