October 9, 1999
The Match Game and The Amazing 4
ContractThe Match Game
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October 9, 1999
The Match Game and The Amazing 4 Contract
The Match Game
Below are listed ten auctions and ten hands. Each hand matches with exactly one
auction. Match the letter of the appropriate hand with the number of the correct auction.
Answers are given below.
The auctions:
| No. 1 | No. 2 | |||||
| West | East | West | East | |||
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|||
| 2 |
Pass | 1 |
1NT | |||
| Pass | ||||||
| No. 3 | No. 4 | |||||
| West | East | West | East | |||
| 1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|||
| 1 |
2 |
1NT | Pass | |||
| Pass | ||||||
| No. 5 | No. 6 | |||||
| West | East | West | East | |||
| 1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|||
| 2 |
2 |
3 |
Pass | |||
| 3 |
4 |
|||||
| Pass | ||||||
| No. 7 | No. 8 | |||||
| West | East | West | East | |||
| 1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|||
| 3 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
|||
| Pass | Pass | |||||
| No. 9 | No. 10 | |||||
| West | East | West | East | |||
| 1NT | 2 |
1NT | 3 |
|||
| Pass | 3NT | Pass | ||||
The hands:
| A | B | |||||
| West | East | West | East | |||
| QJ43 |
K7 |
KJ53 |
AQ962 |
|||
| Q6 |
AJ742 |
AQ |
J753 |
|||
 AK7 |
84 |
KJ10 |
A76 |
|||
| KJ87 |
Q953 |
7543 |
8 |
|||
| C | D | |||||
| West | East | West | East | |||
| 8 |
K9643 |
A653 |
72 |
|||
| A865 |
KQ93 |
A974 |
K852 |
|||
| K7 |
86 |
5 |
K74 |
|||
| KJ7643 |
Q9 |
KQ54 |
9872 |
|||
| E | F | |||||
| West | East | West | East | |||
| 98 |
J63 |
K864 |
732 |
|||
| KQ64 |
J9752 |
853 |
A9742 |
|||
| A5 |
K6 |
AKJ5 |
8762 |
|||
| AQ743 |
862 |
AQ |
8 |
|||
| G | H | |||||
| West | East | West | East | |||
| J87 |
K1096 |
A653 |
72 |
|||
| K107 |
A8 |
A95 |
Q873 |
|||
| K9 |
Q1074 |
73 |
KQJ |
|||
| AQ743 |
862 |
KQ53 |
9764 |
|||
| I | J | |||||
| West | East | West | East | |||
| 85 |
A97 |
K864 |
QJ73 |
|||
| KQ64 |
J8732 |
A65 |
J743 |
|||
| A8 |
K5 |
QJ2 |
K7 |
|||
| AQ753 |
982 |
K87 |
953 |
|||
The answers:
Here are the answers to The Match Game quiz. Think about what kind of hand you searched
for after analyzing the auction. This is the same mental process you use to help you
decide what to do at the table during the auction. Refer to the Modern Standard Bidding Summary to try
to understand any questions that you missed.
1-D
2-H
3-J
4-G
5-C
6-E
7-I
8-B
9-F
10-A
-----------------------------------------------------
The Amazing Four Heart Contract
Take a look at the following hand. Can you make ten tricks in hearts without a trump lead? You can if the defense leads anything but a heart.
| North | ||
| 743 |
||
| 65432 |
||
| Q86 |
||
| West | KJ |
East |
| AQ10 |
8652 |
|
| J87 |
9 |
|
| 2 |
AKJ1093 |
|
| 765432 |
South | AQ |
| KJ9 |
||
| AKQ10 |
||
| 754 |
||
| 1098 |
No way, you say?
It appears as though the defense should be able to take at least eight tricks (3 spades, 3
diamonds, and 2 clubs).
What if I told you that it was WEST in four hearts?
As long as North does not lead a heart then West can come home with ten tricks!
If North leads a spade:
West wins the spade in hand. Finesses the club queen and cashes the A. Lead a spade
and cover whatever South plays. Play a diamond finessing the J. Cash
two more top diamonds discarding clubs. Return to the West hand with the third spade. West
now has eight tricks in and is leading from the West hand. West leads a third round of
clubs and overtrumps with the 9.
With four cards to play this is the situation:
| North | ||
| |
||
| 6543 |
||
| |
||
| West | |
East |
| |
8 |
|
| J87 |
|
|
| |
1093 |
|
| 7 |
South | |
| |
||
| AKQ10 |
||
| |
||
| |
The lead is in the East hand. On any lead, if South trumps low then West scores the J for the
tenth trick. If South trumps high then the J becomes a natural trick and will take
the tenth trick.
On a diamond or club lead West can negotiate to the exact same position. The only lead to
keep West from ten tricks is a trump lead.
An amazing hand.
The lesson?
However bleak your chances never give up. Play the cards and make the opponents defeat
you!
Thanks!
Gary King