| Board1 - Bidding 4 and making 12 |
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Those playing a weak NT should find it easy to reach 4♠ . If you aren't playing transfers then the auction would just go 1NT - 4♠ .
If you look at the hand record it says you can make 12 tricks in Spades but it took me a few minutes to see how.
Can you see how it can be done?
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| Show Answer |
The reason you can make 12 tricks is that West's specific Heart holding allows you to squeeze him in Hearts and Clubs
Cash ♣ A K (throw a Diamond), Draw Trumps, cash ♦ A K, cash ♥ K, then play out your last trumps.
When you play your last trump Dummy has three cards left: ♥ A 7 & ♣ 10
West is left with ♥ Q 10 & ♣ Q and sadly for West they have to discard before Dummy does.
If they discard a Heart then Dummy throws the ♣ 10 and makes two Heart tricks.
If they throw ♣ Q then Dummy throws a low Heart and makes ♥ A and ♣ 10.
Of course the percentage play is to take the Heart finesse, which loses this time, but it's not as much fun! |
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| Discovery in Devon! |
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This hand was played at the recent Devon Congress. I wasn't there but it really demonstrates the benefits of planning the play right at the beginning of the hand. Thanks to the Comment Board of Bridge Club Live for the analysis.
Can you make 7NT on a Heart lead?
Don't beat yourself up if you can't. Of 90 pairs in the competition, 5 played in a NT Slam but none of them made it.
Now you can count nine Top Tricks so need four more.
You'll romp home if the Clubs split 3-3, but what if they don't. If East has four Clubs you will find out when you cash the ♣ A and can finesse the ♣ J. But if West has four Clubs you need to take the finesse against the ♣ J through West on the first round of Clubs. Is there any way you can find out before you play the first round of Clubs?
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| Show Answer |
First check that West's 3♥ bid promises a 7-card suit. It does so we know seven of West's cards are Hearts.
Now play a spade to Dummy's ♠ K.
If West shows out play three rounds of Diamonds, ending in Hand.
If West follows they had 7 Hearts, no Spades and 3 Diamonds so have at most 3 Clubs. Play a club to the ♣ Q and finesse on the way back if West shows out.
If West shows out on the third round then with seven Hearts, no Spades and only 2 Diamonds they must have all 4 Clubs. Finesse the ♣ J through West, and use the ♠ A as an entry back to hand if needed.
It doesn't give you much of an extra chance but in this case West had no Spades and two Diamonds so taking that slim chance paid off. |
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