SpadeHeart 
Hayling Island Bridge Club
 DiamondClub
Release 2.19q
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EBU MASTERPOINTS PROMOTION

JANUARY 2024

Shirley Hewitt  1 Star Master

DECEMBER 2023

Ron Pearson  5 Star Regional Master

NOVEMBER 2023

Annette Evans  County Master
Doug Johnson  District Master
Alan Goddard  District Master

SEPTEMBER 2023

Mike Jensen  Local Master

AUGUST 2023

Bill Jones  Area Master

JULY 2023

Leigh Harding  5* Regional Master

Terry Downs  District Master

MAY 2023

Judith Edwards  District Master

 

Booking System.pdf

 

 

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Play Problem 011
 

Careless Talk Costs Lives
by Graham Broadbent



This deal was Board 3 on 30 September. Sitting East you pick up ♠AQ Q953 KQ82 ♣A105; a nice hand, but no real source of tricks. At unfavourable vulnerability partner opens one Club in 2nd position and your hand has improved somewhat.


The two hands:



West


East



♠J54

AK

93

♣KQJ983


♠AQ

Q953

KQ82

♣A105



In an unopposed auction the challenge is to arrive in the optimum contract of 6NT played by East. Possibly an advance cue bid of 4 Diamonds by East would do the trick, but it’s a very big stretch. Maybe:


1 Club 4 Diamonds¹

4 Hearts² 4 Spades³

5 Heartsº 6 NT #


¹ Slam try, Diamond control

² My hand is suitable, Heart control

³ Spade control

º Second round Heart control

# I’ve heard enough!



Now look at what happens when North decides to bid some number of Spades “as an interference bid”.

East must reason that his hand has improved for a second time in the auction, North must surely hold Spades KJxxxx and some other scattered values for his bid, which leaves partner with no wasted values. The key cards are obviously the two red Aces and the Heart King. Give North Spades KJ, look at my own cards and its almost impossible to construct a hand for partner with a vulnerable opening hand that doesn’t contain two out of those three cards. If I trust partner I can almost bid 6NT direct.



The full deal

♠ 1098732

J102

J107

♣ 2


♠ J54

AK

93

♣ KQJ983


♠ AQ

Q953

KQ82

♣ A105


♠ K6

8764

A654

♣ 764


Now look at the defence, against 6NT what should South lead?

On a passive Club lead East can possibly still prevail. He should play a top Diamond at trick two and then come to 12 tricks with 6 Clubs, 4 Hearts, the remaining top Diamond and the Spade Ace. But there are communication difficulties and he may well trip up.


Now look at South’s lead problem after North makes his “interference bid”.

Surely he must reason, “Declarer must have the Spade Ace to call NT over partner’s bid, but partner must hold QJxxxx. If I lead the Spade King declarer is sunk, he may win his Ace, but when I’m in with my Diamond Ace I can return my Spade 6 and partner will run the suit. If declarer holds up his Ace for one round to exhaust my Spades I can cash my Ace straight away for one off.”


So South leads his Spade King and the world collapse round his ears!

Don’t make weak overcalls if the lead of your suit would embarrass the defence. Careless talk costs lives!