Siouxland Duplicate Bridge Club
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Interesting Hands
Best Lead is the Worst Defense

On thIs hand from 10/8's 299 game the standard leads result in the woest defense.. I wasn't there IDK but I suppose the auction went as shown above.  North to lead
 

I don't know about you but I a'm going to lead K from KQ on one of the two suits headed by the KQ .. Now if you press the "Play it Again" option and select the choice of West playing Diamonds You will see those are essentially the ONLY leads that allow West to make 5.
Comment
Nearly Impossible to Defend

Double Dummy the computer says 4♥ is down 1.  Even Double Dummy I think it is hard to find.. I have put one solution and the Traveler in the Answer.. If you have another defense to set 4♥ down 1 please put it in the comments.

Here is the deal again. followed by my solution. The Traveller is last.

Solution opening lead small club (imposible to find i think). Esst must return a trump. Now it becomes "either or". Either south goes up with the ace and tries to set up a spade ruff by leading a low spade. If so west must take the spade, cash the Heart King followed by a second spade (2S 1H 1C down 1) If South ducks the heart west wins the King and returns a heart. E/W now wait.. E has to sit tight with Qxx of Diamonds and west has to hold AK of spades and A of Clubs. Ultimately E/W will add either 2 spades or Q of Diamonds and 1 spade to the two tricks they have. Here is the traveler 

 

 
Comment
The Impossible Spade

There is lots of room for "Partnership Understanding" here.  I held the East hand and certainly the case can be made for a call of 3♦ rather than 2♦ .  But I favor "New Suit Forcing" by an unpassed hand, which brings us to West.  What to do??  The hand is tailor made for the "Impossible Spade."  The first bid by West of 1NT denies a four card spade suit, period.  Thus, a bid now of 2♠  can be used to show maximum values and a raise in Diamonds.  The treatment is referred to as the Impossible Spade.  Of course, it seldom if ever comes up, but it did 9/11/25,  Hand 25.
Comment
Hard to Bid (at least for me.)

This hand was played 7/31 and seems to present problems on how to arrive at an optimum result.  One possible  response for North is under the "Answer Tab" along with the analysis and traveller. Please continue the discussion in the comments section.

I think the Answer is "One No Trump" based upon less than 10 HCP and lack of at least a 4 card  fit with the opening Diamond.  So how should the auction go from there?  If you played this hand on 7/31 how did it go at your table?  Here is the Analysis and Traveler from Bridgewebs Results tab.

Rob and I reached 3NT (North) like this 1♦  1NT  2♥   3♣   3NT and clearly this time "Off one" was not good bridge.

 
Comment
Really Boring But the Biggest Hand I Have Ever Seen

On this hand I am going just show the big hand and under the Answer tab explain how we arrived at 7 No Trump. 

So how did we get to 7NT?  By mistake.  Rob held Qxxx in Diamonds and Jxxxxx in Cubs   and doubletons in both majors.  He decided after my 2 Club open to bid 3NT.  We play 2 Hearts as a bust. (no Ace, no King.)  While I could not imagine what he had except he must have the K of spades. So I dropped the 7NT card. After the lead (not a spade) I laid out  the dummy on the table. At trick 12 he hooked the spade making 7.  
Comment
A Free Double

In the auction as shown E/W missed an opportunity for a free double.. When North makes the 4♦ call there will be one of two outcomes N/S are either making their contract or N/S are going down.. Well true on every final contract you might say either it makes or it does not.  However on this well bid auction by both sides E/W should know one more thing if N/S can make their bid E/W are getting a bad board.  Likely if the contract makes 4♦  a zero is in the works for E/W.. So now the only thing foe E/W to do is double.. If it makes it makes a zero by any amount is exactly the same but if the contract is doubled and goes down the double in all likelihood will improve the outcome.  Traveler maybe found in the Answer tab.

Traveler
Comment
Bidding Problem 7/24 Open Game (Copy)

I picked this hand for several reasons.. First I totally missed the best contract of 4 Hearts and The second best of 5 Clubs then I played the 1NT to making one when I should have Made 2.. Any recommendations on a good auction?. I am all ears.  The Trsveler is hiding in the Answer box.
Comment
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