July 24, 2002
How Do You Play? and Interesting Pair of Hands
How Do You Play?
This hand came up in a recent class. Yes, 3NT is a superior contract but you find yourself in 5
after an aborted slam try. What is your line of play?The auction:
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July 24, 2002
How Do You Play? and Interesting Pair of Hands
How Do You Play?
This hand came up in a recent class. Yes, 3NT is a superior contract but you
find yourself in 5 after an aborted slam try. What is your line of play?
The auction:
| West | North | East | South |
| 1 |
|||
| Pass | 1 |
Pass | 3 |
| Pass | 3 |
Pass | 3 |
| Pass | 4 |
Pass | 4 |
| Pass | 5 |
Pass | Pass |
| Pass |
West leads the 10.
| North (dummy) | ||
 Q94 |
||
| Q732 |
||
|
1098 |
||
| West |
A62 |
East |
| ??? |
??? |
|
| ??? |
??? |
|
|
??? |
??? |
|
|
??? |
South (you) |
??? |
| 103 |
||
| A10 |
||
|
AKQJ7 |
||
|
KQJ3 |
Plan the play.
++++++++++++++++++++
The answer:
| North (dummy) | ||
| Q94 |
||
| Q732 |
||
|
1098 |
||
| West |
A62 |
East |
| KJ76 |
A852 |
|
| J864 |
K95 |
|
|
654 |
32 |
|
|
109 |
South (you) |
8754 |
| 103 |
||
| A10 |
||
|
AKQJ7 |
||
|
KQJ3 |
Win the club lead in the South hand, pull trump, and lead the
10 playing West for
AJx,
KJx, or
AKJx. If West wins the
spade and leads a heart you will have to hope the heart honors are split (or
both with West in which case you can do no wrong) and guess which defender has
which one (playing West for the
K by going up with
the Q or playing East
for the K by playing
low and using the power of your
10).
If East wins the spade and leads a heart you will have no choice but to play
East for the K. If
West holds it you are going down since they will set up a heart trick before you
set up a spade discard.
==================================================
Interesting Pair of Hands
With everyone vulnerable what do you bid with this hand as South?
| North | ||
| ??? |
||
| ??? |
||
|
??? |
||
| West |
??? |
East |
| ??? |
??? |
|
| ??? |
??? |
|
|
??? |
??? |
|
|
??? |
South (you) |
??? |
| J9854 |
||
| KQ10642 |
||
|
7 |
||
|
9 |
| West | North | East | South |
| Pass | 1 |
??? |
Do you overcall 1?
Do you overcall 2?
Do you make a conventional direct cue bid to show both majors? (Assuming you
play Michaels Cue Bids)
Let us assume you choose 1
(reasonable). The auction continues:
| West | North | East | South |
| Pass | 1 |
1 |
|
| 2NT | Pass | 3NT | ??? |
Now what? Can you imagine anything but a pass?
++++++++++++++++++
The answer:
| North | ||
| AQ76 |
||
| 3 |
||
|
J10842 |
||
| West |
852 |
East |
| K2 |
103 |
|
| J987 |
A5 |
|
|
K95 |
AQ63 |
|
|
KJ63 |
South (you) |
AQ1074 |
| J9854 |
||
| KQ10642 |
||
|
7 |
||
|
9 |
A victory for two suited cue bids as long as you get partner to bid spades.
Strange hand indeed. E-W are cold for an overtrick in 3NT if played by West. With a spade opening
lead ten tricks are easy. With a heart opening lead declarer wins the first
heart and cashes eight minor winners and simply exits with a diamond. North must
give West an eventual spade trick.
N-S are cold for 4!
South loses only 1 heart, 1 diamond, and 1 club.
The lesson? With 6-5 you need to bid. If partner has a fit for one of your suits
will likely take a great number of tricks and partner is highly likely to fit
one of your two suits.
-Gary King