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SUGGESTIONS INVITED FOR A CLUB LUNCH IN JUNE

WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO?

 

 

13th July 2017
Spotting and Foiling Declarer's Plan

Another hand from Suffolk vs Herts.

Partner leads ♠ 6 against 4♠ by East.

You win with the ♠ A, what do you play next?

It's tempting to lead another Spade to take out Dummy's last trump.

Before you do that look at Dummy again. East has a powerhouse (at least 19 points and six Spades for their bid). That could include ♣ A K in which case Dummy's Clubs can be set up.

The vital defence card is to play a Heart at trick two. You have to try and knock out Dummy's entry to the Clubs before they are set up!

Spotting and Foiling Declarer's Plan
Grand Slam or Small Slam?

You are playing for Suffolk in a County League match.

When partner goes direct to Game knowing you may only have six Points you have to look for the slam.

You discover Partner has two Aces and three Kings.

Do you settle for 6♠ ? Or do you convert it to 6NT, 7♠ , or 7NT?

More importantly, why?

You should bid 7♠ .

You can count four Aces, four Kings, and two Queens. Assuming the Spades behave you can ruff a Heart in hand for an 11th trick and Dummy's last trump then makes your 12th.

However Partner has shown at least 8 cards in the Majors.  If he has 4 Diamonds then they will split or you can cash  A K then discard two on the ♣ A Q (because he will have a singleton ♣ K) and ruff the last Diamonds good. If he has three then you can still follow the same line as he only has two Clubs and you still get a discard.

If he has only two Diamonds then his 4♠ has shown 19 points. Two Aces = 8 and three Kings makes 17. You know he has  A K and if he only has two Diamonds then he cannot have the  J. Therefore his last two points will either be the  Q (in which case you can discard two losing Diamonds on  K Q and ruff the third) or the ♠ J and ♣ J (in which case you have to hope he has ♠ 10 so you can safely ruff two Diamonds

7♠ is making unless partner has precisely two Diamonds, both the Black Jacks, but is missing the ♠ 10. Even in that unlikely scenario a 3-3 Diamond Split still brings the Slam home.