THE GOSPORT EAR (Number 31) by LEPUS

♠ Kxx     ♥ Axxx  ♦ AKxxxx   ♣ void

♠ AQxx  ♥ xx       ♦ void         ♣ KQJTxxx

So, the contract to reach is [6♣](!)

The first few bids are straightforward: -

[1♦] [2♣] /
[2♦] [2♠] (a) /

(a) Responder's reverse is, at least, Game Forcing (GF).

Now Opener has some choices, which are, in no particular order, [3♠], [2N], [3♥], [3N], [3♦], and [4♠].

In a GF situation it is usual to play fast arrival bids as weak and showing no interest in a Slam, however Opener has a suitable Quick Trick (Aces and Kings) hand, and from his point of view there could well be a Spade Slam (even Grand Slam) were responder to show a 5-card spade suit (5.6, or 5.7, in the black suits).

On that basis we can rule out [4♠] (additionally responder would expect a 4-card fit, say something like ♠ Jxxx ♥ KJT ♦ AKxxx ♣ x with no first-round Heart control).

[3N] may be as little as 12 HCP, responder after all has shown an opening bid, so, on that basis, [2N] is certainly preferable to [3N].

[3♠] looks reasonable (even though a Moysian fit) as the Club suit can either be ruffed in the short trump holding, or a ruffing finesse can be played (passing the ♣ K if not covered).

[3♦] should merely show, say, ♠ Qx ♥ KTxxx ♦ AKJxxx ♣ void.

[3♥] has something going for it: 4:6 in the red suits, first-round Heart control, but most partnerships would expect this to show a Spade fit: -
♠ KJxx ♥ ATx ♦ AKxxxx ♣ void (not strong enough for Opener to reverse as no fit for Clubs, however ♠ KJTx ♥ x ♦ AKxxxx ♣ Ax would be sufficient).

So it's close as between [2N] and [3♥], but the former bid is probably the least worse choice.

[1♦]                  [2♣] /
[2♦]                  [2♠] /
[2N]                 [3♣] (b) /
[3♠] (c)            [4♦] Qbid (d) /
[4♥] (e) Qbid   [6♣] (f)    End

(b) Responder shows 4.6, or 4.7 in the black suits.

(c) Now [3N] looks less attractive without a secondary Heart stop, for responder can have no more that 3 red cards.

(d) Of course, by agreement, this may just show a "fitting Qbid", something like ♦ Qx 4.1.2.6 (or ♦ Qxx 4.0.3.6), however responder could have shown this sort of fit at the 3-level, so it is better to treat this as first- or second-round control.

(e) Better than [4♠] as the Ace is worth showing (Quick Trick hand!). If instead Opener has misread the situation and bids [5D] then simply [6♣] from responder will disabuse him.

(f) The more timid player might essay RKCB, and after [5♣](0-3) retreat to [6♣], however responder needs too much for Opener not to have already 'pre-empted' him, say: - ♠ KJT ♥ Ax ♦ Axxxxx ♣ Ax with [4N] over Responder's [2♠](!)

♠ Qxx          ♥ Kxx      ♦ AQT  ♣ AKTx

♠ AKTxxxx  ♥ AJxxx  ♦ void   ♣ x

[1♣] [1♠] /
[2N] [3♥ ] /
[3♠] [4N] /
[5♥] [5N] /
[6♥] [7♠](!!) End

Let's assume that you get a Diamond lead, Ten Jack, and you ruff. Play on!

Well the first thing is to realise that, except for an astonishingly small percentage of players in the World(!), LHO will not have led from the ♦K.

One way to make the Grand Slam might be to simply draw trumps and take the Heart finesse (50%), which on this particular hand would succeed (in fact one pair played [7♥] and had no recourse but to find the ♥Q), however a double squeeze is better odds, for in that case you may fulfil the contract no matter which defender holds the ♥Q.

In the play, you simply watch for the three significant cards: - ♣Q, ♣J, and ♦K. At some stage, while playing the trump squeeze (cashing all your trumps, to see what happens!), only the ♣J will appear.

The end position you play for (lead with South) is: -

♠ void  ♥ Kx   ♦ Q      ♣ T

♠ A      ♥ AJx  ♦ void  ♣ void

On ♠A (if no ♣Q) you pitch the now redundant ♣ , then simply play ♥K , ♥A , ♥J both enemy hands having been reduced to doubleton Heart (RHO retaining ♦K, and LHO holding on to ♣Q).

In the real world, had you played ♦T (rather than ♦A) then RHO would have had to play (perforce) ♦K, as LHO had indeed led from ♦J, and you would have CLAIMED at trick 1(!).

THE GOSPORT EAR (Number 33) by LEPUS

It is TEAMS, dealer North, all GREEN, and you hold in the East seat: - ♠ 76432 ♥ 542 ♦ Q ♣ AT86.

The bidding goes apace: -

(P) [P] (1♦) [2N](a) /
(4♦) [(4♥](b) (5♦) [X] End

(a) Showing at least 5:5 in hearts and clubs, with about 4-6 losers.

(b) Bid on the double fit.

Partner leads ♥ A, and dummy appears... ♠ KQT8 ♥ T7 ♦ KT973 ♣ K9. The first trick goes ♥ A, ♥ 7, ♥ 2, ♥ 6, and partner brightly switches to ♣ Q which is covered to your ♣ A. What should you play next?

Of course much depends upon the play of the ♥ 2 which could (depending upon agreement) be (i) discouraging, or (ii) standard count (lowest card from an odd suit-length), or (iii) suggesting a Club switch.

At the table, the agreement was to play count, so you have owned to 3, or 5, Hearts. Fortunately you have a hand where all three choices are covered by the single play of a card, and that rarely happens!

If partner has read your count then he may be uncertain whether there is a second cashing Heart trick (declarer will hold a singleton, if your hand holds a 5-suit). So now you have a dilemma: return a Heart, or play a Club.

Surprisingly you may have two bites at the cherry if you next play ♣ T (which may well hold the lead, as partner has shown that he holds ♣ J), for, if it does hold, you will be in the happy position of being able to switch back to Hearts.

However think about the position where (say) declarer were to ruff the Club (implying that partner is 5:6) will you still beat the contract? If declarer holds ♠ AJ, then he will draw trumps, and overtake the second Spade in order to pitch two Hearts (on the Spades, as ♠ 9 falls from LHO) to score +550.

THE GOSPORT EAR (Number 34) by LEPUS
 

 Try these two carding examples.

Problem 1.

[P]      [P]         [2♥ ](a) [X] /
[P]      [2N](b)  [P]        [3♥](c) /
[X](d) [3N]       End

(a) Benjamin. 6-10 HCP, 6-suit.
(b) Lebensohl, showing a limited hand.
(c) Forcing
(d) Showing "something" in hearts.

Partner leads ♥ T (standard). You hold: - ♠ Q8642 ♥ J32 ♦ 874 ♣ 82, and see dummy: - ♠ AT93 ♥ A ♦ AKJT ♣ AJ64.

Which card do you play?

Problem 2.

[P]     [P]      [1♦ ]   [X] /
[XX]  [P](e)  [P]      [1♠] /
[P]     [P]      [1N]   [P] /
[3N]   End

(e) Any suit bid should suggest at least 6 cards.

Partner leads ♠ K (standard). You hold: - ♠T874 ♥ T763 ♦ A32 ♣ 75, and see dummy: - ♠3 ♥ Q954 ♦ J65 ♣ AQJ62.

Which card do you play?

Answer 1.

Partner has led from either ♥ QT9xxx , or ♥ KT9xxx , so you could simply play ♥ 2 (count) to show a 3-card holding. However a better shot is ♥ J as this clearly marks to your partner which card is held by declarer. Additionally, should partner gain the lead (say declarer plays a Club towards dummy and ducks an high honour card) then he will know that with a Queen-high suit he can confidently exit with the ♥ 9 , but with a King-high suit he will exit any suit but Hearts.

Answer 2.

You could play ♠ 8 (a tad better is ♠ 7) as a standard count card to show a 4-suit (on the bidding, declarer will not hold 6 Spades!), but after partner holds the trick he will have to work out who hold ♠ J. Most of the time partner will assume (from the high Spade) that your hand holds ♠ J (one of the two reasons for declarer to duck). However the best card to play is ♠ T (play the ♠ J, whenever holding ♠ JTxx) which would deny ♠ J.

And those reasons were: -

1, to break the defence's communication in Spades, and

2, a Bath Coup, a hold-up play (with ♠ AJx[x]) hoping for a second lead of the suit.

TEAMS. RED v GREEN.

♠ KJ97532 ♥ KJ6     ♦ K5        ♣ 2

♠ A           ♥ QT542 ♦ AJT42 ♣ AK

At one table the bidding (less than expertly, it must be added) went (without intervention): -

[1♠] [3♦](a) /

[4♠] End. 11 tricks.

(a) True the Jump Shift shows the 16 (or so) HCP, but the idea of "forcing to game" with a two-suited hand does little more than lose a suit in the auction. The [4♠] response made the thought of any further bidding difficult as there may well be two, or more, heart losers e.g. KQJxxxx xxx KQx void putting any higher level in jeopardy.

In the replay, South started more slowly: -

[1♠] [2♥] /

[4♥] [6♥](b) End. 12 tricks.

(b) Opener had other bids available e.g. [4♣], or [4♦] to show a splinter/control, and agree Hearts. The fast arrival bid suggests "put up, and shut up!", so asking for controls seems somewhat superfluous.

On the ♦Q lead, it must be admitted that South might well have been pleased to see dummy: a Grand Slam was not an option! However now was the time to be careful: the lead has all the "feel" of a singleton, and the Trumps suit might well break 4:1 (a 5:0 split would probably scupper the Small Slam). Culbertson always suggested playing any hand by allowing for the second worst distribution, so here care of Trumps is called for, while not allowing any adverse Diamond ruf(!)

♦K. ♣A. ♣K (pitching the Diamond) This will obviate the Diamond ruff if the Trump lead loses to RHO's ♥A.

♠A(!). ♥J holds the trick, while RHO produces the ♥8, so it is beginning to look like a 4:1 trump break. Now the point of cashing the ♠A appears, as declarer can pitch his losing ♦4 on the ♠K, before exiting with the ♥J. IF LHO started with ♥ A9xx and ducks, then another Ttrump will force the ♥A, after which you ruff any exit, draw the last Trump, and CLAIM.

As it happens, RHO follows to the second round of hearts, and again you soon CLAIM.

Still, care should never be gainsaid!