Monday evening June 23, 2008

Lead: seven of clubs

2NT is an important and misused bid in the average partnership's arsenal of options. Make sure you and your partner agree on its meaning. We play it means a balanced hand, 11-14 HCP with 3-card support in the suit opened, allowing 1S-3NT for big hands 15-18 HCP. It does deny a 4-card suit in the other major.

In this case the club lead gives declarer his extra tricks, first with a gimme in clubs, then allowing him to find the king of spades, draw trumps in three rounds, run four rounds of clubs, the top diamonds, losing only a heart at the end; making six for +680. Any other lead by East, such as the ten of hearts (top of nothing or two higher) and the defense still has a chance to get the queen of clubs; only if West doesn't hand declarer the suit by returning his singleton. Declarer inserts the ten and East is cooked. Since a diamond lead is unattractive, those Wests that return the king of hearts will be rewarded with an extra trick.

Can six be reasonably bid? No.

Monday evening June 23, 2008

North is in a bit of a bidding pickle with his first bid. The 1H-3NT shows 15-18 HCP, a balanced hand and THREE support trumps. South goes to Gerber and finds partner with three aces, then bops to slam.

What would you lead with the West hand? I would NOT lead low from the king of clubs. South is marked for an unbalanced hand while his partner is balanced and strong. Look what happens when if you do lead a club. Declarer pitches two spades. Once he's discovered he has a heart loser he can diddle along and hope you'll discard your fourth diamond, which is the setting trick.

I'd lead the seven of spades; the unbid major, the seven shows I have NOTHING GOOD TO LEAD. It goes 7-Q-A. Most of us would play a heart to the ace and return a heart hoping for a 3-2 split.

Should this slam be bid? Yes.

Monday evening June 23, 2008

Lead: ace of clubs

While the NS holdings allow for the discard of losers and the ability to make six, neither side has a club stopper. South's cuebid of spades on the second round shows a spade control as does North's 3D bid. With two quick losers in clubs, the only answer South is looking for is 5H from partner; when 5D is bid the brakes are slammed hard.

Should the slam be bid? No. Attempted? Yes.

Monday evening June 23, 2008

Lead: any

I probably would lead the seven of diamonds instead of the two of clubs. This is one of the unfortunate things that happens in bridge; when the strong hand is put down due to circumstances in using artificial bids. Using step bids, East's 2H is marginal, although it falls in the 5-8 HCP range. West's 2NT bid shows a hand of 22+ points and balance.

East looks the situation over and quickly remembers that when holding eight cards in a suit, the odds are 68% that they will split in a 3-2 fashion, which would bring the spade suit home; verses a 50-50% chance on either the club or diamond finesse. Personally, I'd go for the spades. Take either a club or diamond lead on the board and strip both suits from East's hand. Trump the third diamond in hand with the 9 of hearts and finesse for the king of hearts. It fails but the slam is home.

Should you go for slam on this hand? Yes, every time. Where will you be the next time you have 26 HCP?

Monday evening June 23, 2008

Lead: king of clubs

If West doesn't open 2S, South will be tempted to splinter 4D over the 1H opener, but shouldn't because of the lack of an opening hand. A 1H-3H sequence will be followed with 4C, then 4D. At that point, holding the king of spades, North may well be tempted to jump to 6H directly.

Should the slam be attempted? No. This hand loses a spade and a club.

Monday evening June 23, 2008

Lead: jack of hearts

With 29 HCP and a favorable lead, twelve tricks are guaranteed (three spades, four hearts, four diamonds and a club). A 13th trick can be had if East falls asleep and discards his low spade on one of the red tricks instead of pitching the J-4 of clubs.

Should this slam be bid? No. With 29 HCP and two balanced hands, it's a risky bid. Normally lower point count NT slams involve one or two long suits with controls in the short suits.

Monday evening June 23, 2008

Lead: ten of clubs

How did the contract make 7? After winning the ace of clubs, then finessing and taking the king of trumps, declarer led his ten of spades which floated around to South; who in turn didn't want to set up the remaining spades, so he ducked it. A diamond to the ace and declarer sluffs the last spade and claims, making seven!

Monday evening June 23, 2008

Lead: queen of diamonds

It's so hard to pull all of the bids out of the box and have the small one on top, 7NT. With all of the aces and all of the kings and 30 HCP identified by the bidding (2S response is a step response indicating 9-12 HCP.

Since no tricks can be lost, declarer has to first test the spades to see if they'll come home. After cashing the king of spades declarer has to remove her last entry to the board--the king of clubs--WAIT A MINUTE--the queen of clubs fell! Declarer then plays the ace and king of spades, spades falling like leaves in the wind, and claims her 7NT. Way to go Hazel and Geri!

Monday evening June 23, 2008

Lead: jack of clubs

With a club lead South lets East take the king and wins the return with the queen. Even if declarer fumbles and leads the ace from his hand, four tricks in diamonds are there for the taking. The contract still depends on the spade finesse, which works. If West leads a benign heart, declarer takes the ace on the board and leaves the queen for an entry to his hand. He returns to his hand with a diamond, getting the bad news. He still has to finesse the spades in order to get the twelfth trick, which he needs to do before playing hearts. After the first finesse declarer gets his four diamond tricks, ending up in his hand with the queen, and finesses the spade a second time; then returns to his hand overtaking the queen of hearts with the king, dropping the two remaining hearts and finessing the king of spades for the third and final time.

This methodology allows declarer to come home with four hearts, four diamonds, four spades and the ace of clubs--13 tricks and a top.

Monday evening June 23, 2008

Lead: nine of hearts

East's lead indicates either he has two higher or it's the top of nothing; the board quickly announcing TOP OF NOTHING! Eleven tricks are to be had. If East has both the missing spade honors, then declarer goes down. While it's a tossup between spades and diamonds, there are only five outstanding spades but six outstanding diamonds, making spades the more "predictable" suit to attack. Declarer goes to the board with a club and floats the ten of spades; he gets three spades, three hearts, four clubs and two diamonds for his 6NT and a top board.