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CREATING YOUR OWN FUN

On a night where so many of the deals seemed to be routine games (even 6-6 in the majors is fairly common-place these days!), one player decided to create his own piece of excitement.

I am not sure what your thoughts would be when your partner opens a first in hand not vulnerable against vulnerable 3pre-empt and you (West) hear a take-out double on your right. You hold:

 A98754

 J4

 5

AQJ7

I can tell you what mine were as my partner opened 3 too. I was delighted that the opposition were going to play this board, probably in hearts…that is, as long as my left-hand opponent did not make a penalty pass. I passed in my sleep and when I awoke, I found that partner had already made the opening lead. More of that later.

Feitong Chen decided to “walk into the valley of death”. He called 3! I cannot find much upside to this bid which could/ should result in tears, maybe big minus ones.

North passed without any apparent discomfort and Feitong’s partner, Clair Miao, did what she just had to do, raise to 4 even though she was highly suspicious of that 3 bid. That got passed round to North who seemed to be aware that there were an awful lot of hearts around the table. “Double” and the wisdom of the 3 call became very much in doubt.

After calling his shorter major, it would seem that Feitong would at least mention his 6 card one. No. He retreated to what at best would be a 7-1 5 level fit. North pulled out his second double card.

I have seen some first-in-hand favourable vulnerability pre-empts look somewhat less than satisfactory, maybe even worse, and were I Feitong, I would be severely worried how many light this contract would go. Clair received the Q lead….and made an overtrick!

 

It became a simple matter of winning the opening lead, ruffing a spade, drawing trumps (3-3 break was handy), taking the club finesse (even handier!), ruffing another spade, another club finesse (it worked this time too!), a third spade ruff, another club to dummy and enjoyment of two high spades for heart discards. Indeed, it was lucky for the defence that clubs were 4-2 or else Clair would have made the lot.

Did Feitong really ask his partner why she did not bid to 6 after his “constructive” auction or was he still in a state of shock at the outcome?

Boringly, I got to defend 3 which went a quiet 3 down for a pretty handy 300 score though not nearly as handy as Clair’s 650. My condolences to North-South. Most days, they will return with a reasonable plus score.  We can all see this odd auction required a heart lead. Well, it did not. It seems only a club lead (or heart lead, club switch) will beat 5, taking a valuable entry to dummy from declarer before spades have been played.

Clair says she enjoys playing with Feitong. Maybe you can see why!

Richard Solomon

 

 

 

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