The 2 club opener |
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Hand 13 Wed aft 31 July 2024
Our system is ACOL with 3 weak twos. a 2 club opener is "game force or balanced 23+ points)
The bidding shown is what happened at my table. Whilst the final contract is obviously doomed, this hand raises questions you should consider about when to open 2 clubs.
If you play Benji ACOL then you have 2♦ as a game force with 2♣ being 8 playing tricks in a yet to be specified suit.
Many of you playing 3 weak twos simply make 2♣ include both of the above Benji bids, ie. balanced 23+ points or 8 playing tricks. The bid cannot now be forcing to game.
With the hand shown, North will be very unlucky not to be able to make 4♥ so it warrants a game force. The bidding can now proceed slowly so a possible slam can be explored.
What's shown up to and including 3♠ is fine but North should simply bid 4♥ in view of South's initial negative. South would probably now pass but might consider bidding 5♥ as the hand is distinctly better than a minimum.
If you're playing 3 weak twos and have an 8 playing trick hand, the suggested way to deal with this is to open one of the suit and over partner's respond simply bid 3NT. If partner's initial bid is a pass then you almost certainly weren't going to make game anyway.
Another way to deal with North's hand is to play opening 4 bids as follows:
4♥ and 4♠ show pre-emptive hands.
4♣ shows a strong 4♥ hand, 4♦ a strong 4♠ hand.
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Last updated : 22nd Jun 2025 19:03 BST |
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Incorrect explanation |
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Following on from the last hand about unauthorised information here is a slightly different situation.
In the last hand neither of the pair playing different systems had a convention card. Here, both my partner and I had identical convention cards.
I was West and alerted partner's 4♣ bid. When asked by South I explained it showed a good 4♥ opener.
I wasn't 100% sure I'd remembered our system correctly but would have bid 4♥ if South had passed. As he bid I could simply pass.
After the hand had been played, South understandably called the director.
The adjudication was that I had forgotten our system and given a wrong explanation. With a proper explanation, South would have doubled and N/S would almost certainly have found a 4♠ contract. Hence the result was amended to 4♠ + 1 by South.
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Last updated : 13th May 2025 18:29 BST |
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What to do about unauthorised information |
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A hand from the past.
The bidding shown is what happened at my table.
The 2♥ bid was alerted. I was North and as I was thinking of doubling I enquired. The explanation was that that it showed 5 hearts and 4 of a minor with 6-10pts.
The rebid of 3♥ seemed decidedly odd but.....
No explanation was given by either East or West at the end of the auction but it wasn't difficult to guess that East and West were playing different systems.
I said I would need to consider what had happened in case we (NS) had been disadvantaged.
The crucial point here is that West has received unauthorised information from East's explanation. N&S are perfectly entitled to draw conclusions from the explanation given but West MUST NOT!.
East was playing weak 2s with OGUST responses. Hence he must ignore the explanation given and treat the 2NT bid as asking him to describe his hand. Hence he should have bid 3♣ .
Law 73C1 Player receives Unauthorised Information from Partner
When he has available to him unauthorised information from his partner such as from a remark question, explanation, gesture, mannerism, undue emphasis, inflection, haste or hesitation, an unexpected alert, or failure to alert, he must carefully avoid taking any advantage from that unauthorised information(see Law 16B1(a)).
Law 16B1(a) Extraneous Information from Partner
A player may not choose a call or play that is demonstrably suggested over another by unauthorised information if the other call or play is a logical alternative.
In this particular hand, if East had been playing the weak two with responses to 2NT showing a feature then 3♥ would have been the correct bid regardless of the explanation!
Curiously, at a different table there was a different example of unauthorised information.
Bidding proceeded and then East bid a1NT overcall which South doubled, West bid something which was immediately alerted by East. West now pointed her finger at North's red double card as she reckoned (correctly) that East hadn't seen the double. Unsurprisingly I was called and West already realised she shouldn't have done this. I said I would need to consider any penalty at the end of the session. As they all went home quickly there was nothing for me to do.
In both cases I would be authorised by the rules to award an adjusted score if I felt the non-offending pair had been damaged.
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Last updated : 24th Apr 2025 12:48 BST |
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Opening 4 of a minor |
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Hand 10 wed aft 21 Feb 2024.
How often have you opened 4 of a minor with a weak or weakish suit?
I doubt you would open like this with a strong or strongish suit in case partner can convert to 3NT.
Our opponents on this hand have a different use for such opening bids.
An opening of 4 of a major would show a long but not solid suit.
Opening 4♦ would show a long solid spade suit with little else.
4♣ would be the same but showing hearts.
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Last updated : 22nd Feb 2025 09:51 GMT |
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The Magnificent Nine |
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Hand 3 Tue aft 13 Feb 2024
4♣ was Gerber.
You lead the K♣ which holds the trick. Partner contributes the 4♣ and declarer the 6♣ .
You lead a second club, partner plays the 7♣ and declarer the J♣ .
Initial analysis indicates that your only two worthwhile cards are the K♥ and the Q♣ .
Oh well, as long as you don't revoke there won't be much to do on this hand.
Declarer now plays three rounds of diamonds with partner discarding the 2♥ on the third round.
Plan your future discards on the forthcoming diamonds.
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Declarer started with seven diamonds.
Two club tricks have gone so you will have to come down to four cards.
So this looks like K♥ , Q♣ and 2 spades. Keeping 3 spades to the nine hardly looks sensible.
Now count declarer's remaining 4 tricks.
He must have the A♠ and will make the A♥ and the K♠ .
If he has the Q♥ then he will make the J♥ for his 12th trick. Hence you must assume partner has the Q♥ .
What about clubs? If you've been counting, there's only one left and partner's play to the first two tricks indicates he started with three.
(He will also have discarded it on one of the diamond tricks.)
Hence your Q♣ and the H♥ are worthless!
So, despite it looking unlikely, you must keep your three spades. (Partner had come down to Q,J ♠ and Q,7♥ )
Lo and behold the A,K,Q,J,10♠ all fall on the 11th and 12th tricks so your 9♠ is the setting trick. |
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Last updated : 23rd Jan 2025 16:28 GMT |
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Analyse the hand |
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Hand 1 Wed aft 10 Jan 2024
South leads the 7♥ .
Plan the play.
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Ten tricks looks straightforward provided you can avoid losing a trump trick.
Did you stop and think before playing from dummy?
If you didn't, you probably saw North win with the King and you followed suit with the 6.
Oh dear. Now North cashed the A♥ and led another.
Whatever you now did meant you were doomed to be one off.
Before playing from dummy, you need to think why South has led the suit bid by your partner?
It should occur to you that this must be likely to be a singleton heart.
If North cashes his second heart and leads a third you will have to ruff with the J♠ and hope South doesn't hold the Queen.
Could you do any better?
Yes you can. North may still defend in the above way.
However, put yourself in his position if you were to play the Q♥ to trick 1 .
He now can't be certain whether you or his partner has the singleton. Hence he might not want to set up the J♥ and so switch to another suit.
An important point to note. You must think this out before playing from dummy. If you stop and think after North played the K♥ then you've blown it.
North will immediately know you must have more than a singleton, otherwise what are you thinking about?
Only an unethical player would take time to think before playing a singleton and you're not one of those are you! |
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Last updated : 12th Dec 2024 17:00 GMT |
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The Lucas Two |
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Hand 15 Wed aft 13 Dec 2023
I have found that when I've been defending against opponents who play Lucas Twos, I usually seem to get a bad score. However, like Weak Two openers they can occasionally go spectacularly wrong.
Here, even a near top of the range non-vulnerable Lucas was doomed.
West's 2♠ showed five spades and four of another suit with 6-10 points.
I was North expecting to bid or overcall so happy to pass as partner was likely to double for takeout which I could swiftly pass.
East's 2NT asked West to bid his second suit.
Unsurprisingly South doubled for takeout. West duly bid his second suit and East then gave preference.
I could hardly believe it and doubled. South went into deep thought; I dreaded hearing a bid but thankfully she passed.
Minus four doubled was a resounding top.
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Last updated : 13th Nov 2024 21:09 GMT |
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The power of negative inferences |
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Hand 14 Wed aft 4 October 2023.
I am indebted to Helen Erichsen for this analysis.
2NT is Jacoby showing a good raise in hearts.
3NT shows a balanced 15-17 points.
4 clubs shows first round club control and South has nothing better to do tan bid 4 hearts.
If North isn't fully awake he will simply pass. However, South's inability to bid 4 diamonds is actually more encouraging than if he had bid it!
It must mean his points are in the other three suits. North has a singleton diamond so should proceed to RCK Blackwood.
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Last updated : 9th Oct 2024 18:12 BST |
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Make a plan |
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Hand 18 Wed aft 20 Sep 2023
South leads the Ace of spades.
Prospects don't look too good and you're aware that 5 spades would not have made.
You really need to make the contract.
Is there a plausible line of play or do you need to bamboozle the opponents?
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From South's double and having opened the bidding, it looks as though she must have the Ace of diamonds and probably the King of clubs.
Hence your first thoughts are to take the club finesse and later lead twice towards the KQ of diamonds.
The problem is you only have the Ace of hearts as an entry to your hand until trumps have been drawn.
Hence you can't afford to play hearts at trick 2 because even if you pick up trumps for no loss, you will then have to lose to the Ace of diamonds after which
defenders will cash two heart tricks.
So you you have two choices
a) Cash the Ace of clubs and hope for a singleton King
b) Lead the King of diamonds hoping South will take her Ace. If she does, you can now come to hand with the heart Ace and take the club finesse.
You will still need to consider taking the finesse of the Jack of diamonds.
If she doesn't take her Ace of diamonds then you will have to cash the Ace of clubs at trick 3 and hope.
As it happens both lines of play work, assuming you finesse South for the Jack of diamonds if you try b).
Personally, I think line b) is best but it's the initial thinking on how to play the hand which you should consider. |
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Last updated : 12th Sep 2024 21:20 BST |
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Responding to an overcall |
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Hand 25 Wed aft 30 Aug 2023.
How do you best describe your hand?
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If you bid 3 clubs South will bid 3 diamonds which will be passed round to you.
You then have to decide whether to Pass or bid 4 clubs.
Here a UCB (Unassuming cue bid) works much better. Bid 2 diamonds. This shows good trump support and 10-11 points.
West can now bid 3NT reckoning East must have the Ace of clubs and must be likely to contribute one other trick.
My thanks to Helen Erichsen for this analysis. |
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Last updated : 31st Jul 2024 19:22 BST |
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Plan the play |
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Hand 22 Wed aft 23 Aug 2023.
I was North and felt my heart sink when I heard partner's final bid.
East led the 3♥ . This almost certainly marks West with the A♥ .
Plan the play.
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It looks unlikely that others will be in 4♠ but what will be a good score? Not yet knowing the position of the two minor suit Kings, it's impossible to say.
It does look as though the diamond finesse will have to work.
You play low from dummy and West played the 8♥ .
Did you ruff or discard?
How are the trumps going to break?
If they are 3-3 then you can afford to trump. If they are 5-1 or 6-0 then you have no chance. What about the most likely 4-2 split?
A key part of maximising your tricks is not to lose control of trumps. Hence you should discard.
West would be foolish to cash the A♥ and so has to switch, probably to a trump, thus enabling you to keep a step ahead.
As the cards lie you will now make 10 tricks for a top.
Ah, but what did I do I hear you ask?
Obviously I ruffed trick 1!
Note also that East could have ensured my defeat by leading the J♥ . |
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Last updated : 16th Jun 2024 14:38 BST |
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Is this contract makeable or can it be a good save v 4 hearts? |
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Hand 22 Tue aft 1 July 2025
This bidding occurred at several tables.
S leads the Q♥ .
Plan the play.
Should you ruff or set up your K♥ ?
How do you propose to maximise your number of tricks?
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You see three certain losers, two diamonds and one club.
A cross-ruff looks to be a necessity but will it be sufficient as defenders are highly likely to be able to lead a trump at an early stage.
Ducking the first round will virtually guarantee nine tricks but can you do better?
If diamonds break 3-3 you can set up two diamond tricks in dummy and discard two losing hearts thus making your contract.
If they break 4-2 you will certainly be going one off, possibly two which would be -500.
I have no magic wand to enable you to decide.
My question is whether you even thought of setting up the diamonds?
At teams scoring you would definitely play for diamonds to spilt 3-3. At pairs....? |
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Last updated : 2nd Jul 2025 12:20 BST |
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Helping partner |
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Hand 14 Wed aft 26 July 2023
So, what do you lead?
The double probably isn't Lightner but this doesn't really matter.
South would hardly go to the grand slam without a spade void. Which red suit do you lead?
With nothing to guide you, your shortage in diamonds might sway you.
Now look at the hands.
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Rather than bidding 5 spades, it can't cost East to bid 5 hearts instead.
West will convert to 5 spades and will now know what to lead against a club contract. |
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Last updated : 12th May 2024 10:38 BST |
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I've never had such a big hand |
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Hand 13 Mon aft 3 July 2023
After you've counted your points three times and agreed it's 29 you have to decide what to bid.
I'm not necessarily saying you should open 2 clubs but if you do then partner will bid 2 diamonds.
What do you and your partner play an opening bid of 4NT as?
Say you did open this, what would you understand if partner responded
a) 5 clubs
b) 5 diamonds
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Several pairs got to 6NT.
Scientific or a punt? I don't know.
Re responding to an opening 4NT, 5 clubs would show no Aces and 5 diamonds would show one Ace which is specifically the diamond Ace. |
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Last updated : 14th Apr 2024 17:37 BST |
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A new suit at the four level buys the contract |
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Hand 24 Fri aft 21 Apr 2023
I'm not proud of my double of 4H but I felt West had over-reached himself.
You may be able to imagine my surprise at East suddenly bidding 4S.
I doubled "on principle"; partner led the A♦ and 11 tricks rolled in.
I wonder what you would have bid with the East hand over 1♥ ?
Ah, if only partner had passed out the first round.
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Last updated : 10th Mar 2024 12:43 GMT |
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A new suit at the six level buys the contract |
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Hand 25 Wed aft 26 Apr 2023
I don't think I've ever seen bidding like this. I was East.
West's first and final bid of 6♥ is based on sound logic.
She reasoned I that I must have a good hand as I'd bid 5♣ after 2NT, that I had a spade stop and that I was highly likely to have three hearts to an honour.
Her singleton diamond was also useful.
On a spade lead 13 tricks were made.
A small point: how should North decide on what to lead?
Not a trump or a club on the bidding.
Surely with his KQJ of spades, East must have the Ace.
Hence choose the Q♦ .
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Last updated : 9th Feb 2024 18:20 GMT |
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Roman Key Card Blackwood after 5NT |
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Hand 4 Wed aft 12 April 2023
Partner's 5NT shows you have all 5 key cards.
What do you bid now?
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Partner must have a strong hand and be at least 5-5 in hearts and diamonds.
Now, what is your partnership agreement on showing Kings after 5NT?
If you show your number of Kings then you will bid 6♦ to show one (ignoring the King of trumps as you've already shown this)
If you show specific Kings then you will also bid 6♦ . If you had no Kings (apart from trumps) you would simply bid 6♥ .
Here, partner can bid 7♥ with ease if she knows I have the King of diamonds. But if she only knows I have one King then which King is it? Oh dear, 7♥ was not a success.
My suggestion is that agreeing to show specific Kings will be better for you on more than 50% of occasions. |
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Last updated : 10th Jan 2024 12:10 GMT |
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How to continue? |
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Hand 13 Wed aft 15 Mar 2023
You lead the A♠ . Partner plays the Queen and declarer the five.
Now what do you do?
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By playing the Q♠ partner is promising the J♠ (or he has a singleton)
Hence you should lead a small spade at trick 2.
If you lead the K♠ , declarer can set up the 10♠ for an extra trick. |
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Last updated : 7th Dec 2023 11:27 GMT |
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Should you bid a slam? |
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Hand 23 Fri aft 10 Mar 2023. I was North. and this was our first hand.2♣ showed 8 playing tricks or balanced 23-24.
2♦ relay
I bid 3NT as I could see 9 tricks, even 10 on a diamond lead.
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The general wisdom is that if you go past a making 3NT then you might just as well bid 6 of a minor rather than stop in 5 as 5 making and 6 minus 1 will both be poor scores.
However, on this hand I wasn't sure that at other tables many ,if any, N/S's would play in 3NT..
Now, considering 6♣ , unless S has AKQ of spades we are virtually certain to lose a spade trick. The diamond lead is marked. So, unless S has a void in diamonds we will lose a trick in that suit as well.
Hence I settled for 5♣ .
As it turned our S was void in diamonds so six was made. Only two pairs bid six and none played in 3NT. One poor North did play in NT but ended up in 6. -1 was a bottom. |
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Last updated : 27th Oct 2023 16:55 BST |
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Declarer's best approach and how to defend against it |
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Hand 14 Tue 21 Feb 2023
North leads the King of spades.
Ten tricks via a dummy reversal looks ok but where can the elevnth come from?
From the bidding, S seems likely to have the Ace of hearts?
Can anything be done?
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The only hope is to eliminate the spade suit, draw trumps and throw South in.
After the last spae is ruffed by West this will be the situation.
N
♥ Q 10 9
♣ J 10 7
♥ 7 5 2 ♥ K 5
W ♦ K ♦ J 8 E
♣ K 8 ♣ 53
S
♠ A
♥ A J
♣ Q 9
West now leads the K♣ . Now South has to be aware of the threat of a throw in and must
discard the Q♣ .
Would you as South have spotted this? |
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Last updated : 20th Sep 2023 21:44 BST |
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What's the best line? |
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Hand 28 Wed aft 15 Feb 2023
South leads the A♦ , North plays the three.
South switches to the three of clubs. You play low in dummy and North plays the seven.
How will you play?
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The crucial question is whether or not to take the trump finesse.
South's switch to the three of clubs suggests a singleton. However, looking at dummy, it appears that South would be likely to switch to a club and the two of clubs is still missing.
There's no right answer. As it happens the winning line is to cash the Ace of trumps and lead another spade. South now cannot ruff a club.
Looking at all four hands, can you see how N/S can defeat 4 spades regardless of how declarer plays? |
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Last updated : 23rd Aug 2023 10:49 BST |
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A slam too far? |
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Hand 9 Wed aft 8 Feb 2023
Some explanation of the bidding is probably needed.
South didn't think 3♦ would make but in her entusiasm pulled out the double card rather than the Pass card.
4NT was RKC Blackwood. 5♥ showed 2 "Aces" without the Queen of trumps.
North had a blind spot and bid 6♥ .
The lead was the 9♣ .
North now had to see if could untangle the pickle as he couldn't take the diamond finesse and he looked like losing 2 clubs and a heart.
Try and construct East's hand.
You play low to the in dummy to the first trick and West plays the 10.
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What can East have for this vulnerable 3♦ overcall?
From the lead she almost has a singleton club.
7 or 8 diamonds?
Your only hope is that East has QJx of hearts and that you can eliminate her black cards. force her to trump and then have to lead a diamond.lead.
For this to work, East must have at least two spades.
So cash the King and then the Ace of hearts followed by the jack and Ace of spades
Now lead the King of spades. As it happens East has the 10 but after the next lead of the King of spades East is stuck.
3♦ doubled would have given us +1800.
Oh well, +980 scored well. |
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Last updated : 26th Jul 2023 21:11 BST |
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How best to describe your hand? |
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Wed aft 1 Feb 2023 Hand 15
There are several possibilities. Which will you choose?
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I assume you are using Michaels cue bids so 2♦ and 2♥ are all possibe.
You don't have enough points to double.
1♠ is also a possibility but this isn't likely to upset N/S's bidding.
I suggest this is the ideal opportunity to use the Unusual 2 NT.
I suspect most players automatically associate this bid with having both minors. Here 2NT can't be 20-22 pts so it must be unusual. It can only be unusual by having the two black suits.
After 2NT South bid 4♥ .
Now look at West's hand. Thi, frankly, is lousy. However, the vulnerability is favourable so 5♣ dblrd can afford to go 3 off as 4♥ is virtually certain to make.
West counts likely losers in clubs: 3 in the red suits, 3 or four probably in the black suits.
So there is a reasonable chance that 5♣ dbled will only be -3.
Further, bidding 5♣ gives N/S a guess. Should they double or bid onto 5♥ ?
This added consideration confirmed West's choice of 5♣ . |
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Last updated : 8th Jul 2023 11:52 BST |
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Double dummy for a change |
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Hand 21 Mon aft 20 Jan 2023
Hone your card playing technique.
The contract is 6♥ by East and the lead is a small diamond.
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Win the K♦ .
What you mustn't do is to lead a trump at trick 2 as N will play the Ace and lead a trump.
Instead, cash the AK♣ , the AK♠ , fuff a spade, cash the A♦ discarding a spade.
Now East only has trumps left. Lead dummy's last trump ....... |
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Last updated : 19th Jun 2023 22:41 BST |
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Using two of the best conventions |
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Hand 20 Tue aft 20 Dec 2022.
This was the bidding at my table.
Basic system - ACOL.
2NT is Jacoby.
3 clubs: better than minimum and shows a club suit.
3 hearts: shows a control, almost certainly the Ace.
4 hearts: second round control in Hearts.
4NT RKC Blackwood with 5 clubs = 0 or 3.
What do you bid now?
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You should bid 5 spades.
But I haven't got the Queen of trumps I hear you say!
Partner has twice shown he has five spades; first when he bids 3 clubs and then when he bids 3 spades.
Hence you know you have 10 spades between you and so only a 3-0 trump break might cause you problems.
Let's revisit the auction and see how it can be improved.
N S
1♠ 2NT
3♣ 3♥
3♠ 4♦
4NT 5♠
6♠ Pass
4♦ is preferable to 4♥ as this shows second round control in diamonds which is likely to be much more useful information to North than 4♥ . |
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Last updated : 21st May 2023 11:35 BST |
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Will you be first or fourth? |
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Hand 5 Tue aft 20 Dec 2022
This is your penultimate board. You are currently second and, not that you know it, the bid you are about to make will determine if you come first or fourth.
While you sat out in this session you discussed redoubles with partner. You agreed that all redoubles (apart from over 7NT) would be SOS takeouts. On this hand, North took some time before passing, reasoning that with a 7 card heart suit he could hardly be expected to have another suit worth bidding.
So, what do you bid? Pass, Four hearts, Double or Five diamonds?
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Either of four hearts or double would have done.
Four hearts can be defeated but this requires a double dummy defence. Three spades is likely to fail by two tricks- this depends on the lead and how declarer plans the play.
South should reason that -140, +50 or even +100 are unlikely to be good scores so one of double or four hearts needs to be chosen. |
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Last updated : 6th May 2023 19:37 BST |
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How to look for a slam |
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Hand 25 Wed aft 9 Nov 2022
I am indebted to Espen Erichsen for this.
You've got a good hand but what has partner got?
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A jump to 3♠ looks to value the hand. If partner is minimum he will pass, otherwise he will bid 4♠ .
But what if partner has a good hand?
Here's Espen's explanation.
2♦ would be forcing and showing 16+ points.
3♦ would be a splinter, agreeing spades, showing a good hand with a singleton diamond.
4♦ would be a splinter, agreeing spades, showing a good hand and a diamond void.
Hence here you should bid 3♦ . Partner should get excited and you will likely end in 6♠ . |
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Last updated : 13th Apr 2023 10:58 BST |
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An unusual hand |
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Hand 2 Fri eve teams 28 Oct 2022
I am indebted to Stephen Pierce for drawing my attention to this hand.
An unusual hand to say the least!
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One West bid 5♣ . The bidding continued
N E S W
5♠ P P 6♣
6♠ Dble P P
P
Contract made
My observation on this is that West having felt his hand was only worth 5♣ should then pass.
At the other table West bid 6♣ . The bidding continued
N E S W
6♠ P P 7♣
7♠ Dble P P
P
Contract -1
My observation here about West's club rebid is different. He would hardly go to seven initially so bidding one more is not unreasonable.
East double I suggest is unwise. Yes he knows 7♠ is bound to go down but would 7NT?
I wonder if North thought of bidding 7NT? |
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Last updated : 23rd Mar 2023 19:34 GMT |
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What to do at trick 2? |
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Hand 1 Tue aft 26 Oct 2022.
You lead the K♦ .
a) East plays the two and South the seven.
b) East plays the ten and South the seven.
Now what do you lead in each case?
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Every West continued with a diamond presumably reckoning that partner held the AJ over the Q.
The lesson here should be to stop and count. The 3♦ bid should be showing a 7 card suit. Counting the suit indicates declarer's seven is a singleton.
Hence in a) and b) you should switch to the A♥ and then lead another heart. |
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Last updated : 11th Mar 2023 19:11 GMT |
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Take the money or bid on? |
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Hand 6 Wed aft 26 Oct 2022.
I was West and playing 5 card majors so when partner bids 2 hearts I know she has six of them.
5 clubs showed three of the top 5 key cards including the King of hearts.
The field looks quite strong so I expect most pairs to get to 6 hearts.
My guess is 7 diamonds is only going 5 off which would score less than 6 hearts making.
Should I take the likely +1300 which wil beat all those who only bid game, double 5 diamonds, or should I bid 7 hearts?
What would you do?
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Show Answer |
I decided that most E/Ws would be in 6 hearts in which case +1300 would be just as much a bottom as going 1 down in 7 hearts.
So I bid 7 hearts.
S led the 7 of spades which E read as a singleton and with trumps dividing 2-2 she could draw them ending in dummy take the marked ruffing finesse in spades, cash the A♦ , ruff a diamond and run the spades to claim 13 tricks.
On seeing the other scores I was interested to see that my analysis was wrong. +1300 would have been a top as only 2 pairs had bid 6♥ and neither made it. The only pair to make 12 tricks had stopped in 4♥ . |
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Last updated : 27th Feb 2023 20:29 GMT |
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