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Ignore at Your Peril

Who cares about clubs? Lowest of rank, outbid by all. They have far more status in “500” than in bridge. Ignore them at your peril, though.

Take the opening lead to 3NT on Board 15. West opened a strong 1NT with East raising directly to 3NT. North held on lead: 

852    9643     T5    AJ64. Be thankful you only have a choice of 4 suits from which to choose!

I remembered a textbook or three mentioned it was good to lead a major in this situation. This may be true but was not the case here, unless you chose your shorter major and partner was alive to a quick switch:

 

 

Declarer won the heart lead and did not relinquish the lead until trick 10! Of the 11 North players on lead, 5 chose a heart and two a diamond. Two chose a spade and two 4. Only one of the leaders of each black suit beat the contract. After that club lead, South should return their fourth highest club, not just because it is technically correct but that, at trick 5, it saves North from having to guess which major suit ace their partner holds. 4^th highest anyone, even if it is a club?

On the next board, partner and I stoically opened up both major suits for declarer while being painfully unaware that we had three club tricks to take. Yet, that was in 1NT with  just an overtrick at stake.

There were far more serious matters to consider when, on Board 23, South opened a vulnerable 3 in first seat. The big decision belonged to East holding:

532         AKJT97           K  K83

West                  North       East           South

                                                                   3

3NT                     Pass           ?

David O’Shaughnessy had a great source of tricks and enough high card points to make slam a high possibility. Which slam and how to proceed?

There were twin dangers here, being off a couple of aces and then if he, East, became declarer in 6, a possible club ruff, since North might not have any clubs. David used Gerber to ensure there was only one ace missing and then avoided the danger of a ruff by bidding 6NT. He was unable to transfer to hearts but had he been able to do so, the contract could have been safe if North was indeed void. However, as you can see, that was not quite the actual situation:

 

 

At 4 tables, a club lead did not help the declarers who were in 6. Other than at David’s table, the rest were in game. In 6NT, David’s partner, Steve Boughey, lost the lead to the A at trick 1, won the diamond exit and did all the right things, cashing the A and then returning to hand to take the heart finesse to make his contract. That was worth 14 imps to Steve and David.

Maybe more players should have been like David this evening and not have ignored the club suit.

Richard Solomon

 

 

 

 

 

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