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PROVING THE POINT... all 25 of them!

Sometimes you reach a game contract, with the required 25 hcp and realise after the opening lead that your chances of success range from slim to non-existent! Naturally, the opponents have got off to the best opening lead, for them, and you are in damage control!

That is certainly true playing Pairs where there can be a reward in playing for one down where many suffer a worse fate but although one down as opposed to two down in the Teams environment may earn you a couple of imps, your attitude should be a little more positive if there is a chance, albeit a slim one, of success. Here, then, playing Teams, is today’s hand:

 

 

 

The bidding, though understandable, is not exemplary. If North were really strong, the chances of reaching a good 6 slam would be more difficult with that jump to 3NT. However, a hold in each major, opening values…worse bids have been made! Indeed, there is no game contract in which you would rather be…and there are 25 hcp between the two hands!

Alas, West leads the J. A heart lead would have made 9 tricks almost certain. This is no time to be dreaming of happier thoughts. You are staring down the barrel of 3 spade losers and AK. What’s to be done? Ducking the opening lead is not recommended!

One option is to run your long suit, watch for the discards and hope something favourable happens. Hoping to score a heart trick before the defence take 5 tricks will just not work. Where, though, to win the opening lead? If there is to be good news, it looks like it could be in the club suit. So, maybe win the opening lead in the South hand, leaving A as an entry to play clubs later in the play.

So, K and play off those diamonds, discarding a low club on the 5^th round. West discarded 8 and 9 (low like) after 3 small diamonds while East, with four discards to find, chose a small spade, two small clubs and a heart. What now?

You are not a lot better off than at trick 1. However, there is still some chance in that club suit. So, 9…and the world is about to become a happier place!

 

 

 East will play a higher club than the 9…or really it does not matter if they do not. If they played low, you do have a choice, though there is no wrong one, as long as you withhold your ace! If they play T, you can insert the jack and if they play Q, you must duck and hope!

Such plays will result in down 2 if West still had one high honour in both hearts and clubs but is your best chance of making your contract. Risk going two down with a chance of making 9 tricks. After scoring Q, East will play a spade (Q as they have already discarded one) and you are back in dummy. 7 and you insert J and feel a sense of relief and satisfaction at a contract well played.

At the table, East had overcalled 2 (a “coward’s weak jump”!) making the club play easier but even with no interference, it offered our declarer the best chance of success, at the risk of an extra under-trick.

Never in doubt!

 

Well, with 25 hcp between your two hands, we are told we should be making game. If only….!

STRANGE and STRANGER

 

 

Some sequences occur regularly, others a little less often! The one above falls into the second category. After South’s pre-empt, your partner makes a take-out double.

What did your double of 3 mean?

What do you bid now? You are playing Teams.

Richard Solomon

p.s. I have been asked to mention an up-coming Waikato Bays event this coming Sunday, the Waikato Area Pairs at Cambridge, a friendly and competitive 5A. Please register in the usual way on this website.

 

Naturally, our aim is to promote bridge throughout this country. Clubs can do their own promotion on the NZ Bridge Community Facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/919332668703912  So, that’s the place to advertise tournaments in future rather than in this feature.

 

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