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or as even as could be.

Three Two is Good for You.

Sure is when it comes to suit breaks. Certainly, when you find a suit, often the trump suit, breaks 4-1, it is usually a challenge while when it breaks 5-0, it is often a challenge too far, or optimistically, the chance for a top board. Did you need that challenge right now?

 

West leads H2.

West leads 2. You win in hand as East follows low, play a diamond to the ace and a club to the jack and West’s queen. Back comes another trump and again East follows suit. Plan the play.

You had quite a slick bidding sequence. 2 was game-forcing 4^th suit forcing (did not have to be natural) and 3 set the trump suit. 4 was a cue-bid (1^st or 2^nd round control) and key-card confirmed only one key-card was missing..and that South held Q too.

All that remained was to make the contract. Had the J at trick 2 drawn the ace, one club could be ruffed and another (along with a spade) discarded on high diamonds. Alas, your guessing was not inspired (maybe it could not be?) while West had done well to lead and continue trumps (not “well” for the declarer, though!).

So, South had to find a place for 3 losing clubs and a spade loser. They needed a little good fortune, if you call “normal breaks” as lucky! So, play low from dummy on the second round of trumps winning in hand with a high heart honour. It is vital you did that.

East followed with a second round of hearts (that’s good!). So, play a spade to the ace and cash K (only one round for now) discarding your spade loser from hand.

Now K and both opponents followed (another 3-2 break: they do happen). It is suddenly getting a lot easier:

Even if East had the remaining spade, you could ruff high. Indeed, you must ruff high as you will draw West’s last trump as you play T to the J in dummy.

Now you can play Q (glad you did not play it earlier..too right! Not every suit breaks evenly!) discarding one club and then play your two high spades discarding two more clubs. Your remaining trump takes trick 13 and your slam has been made.

“Three Two”: twice wishes came true!

 

Bid earlier, now or not at all

 

 

Imp scoring. Natural bidding. Would you have bid 1 over 1? If not, would you take a bid now: if so, what?

Richard Solomon

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