Monday afternoon May 26, 2008

Lead: eight of spades

When you shuffle new cards really well you get hands like this! Devilish to say the least. Some Norths didn't open 1D with 5 ratty diamonds to the eight, instead preferring to pass. EW then get into some low-level version of clubs and diamonds, going down badly. If East is playing clubs he gets a diamond lead taken in hand with the ace. East innocently leads another diamond, intending to finesse for the king of clubs but is rudely trumped by South. A heart lead to the king is followed by another diamond ruff, this time by the nine; which is followed by a second heart lead to the ace, followed by ANOTHER ruff this time with the king. When the dust settles, NS have three club ruffs, three heart tricks and a spade; declarer down two.

At our table I opened a diamond which was followed by a double (don't do this at home, kids!) and one heart, bidding her four-card majors up the line. Without the double I would have bid a spade over partner's heart, but I figured East to have four cards in both majors going higher wouldn't be smart.

After a sarcastic "nice diamonds" declarer took the spade in hand and lost a diamond, East overtaking West's king with the ace. Back came a spade which was ruffed. This time the diamond return was ruffed by South low. A low club was lost and another spade ruffed. At this point the defense should have led a heart but instead let a club, ruffed by South. Having the top four trumps, South then cross-ruffed the hand out, making three.

Monday afternoon May 26, 2008

Lead: jack of diamonds

North should interject with 4S over the 1NT opener by West, given that partner has passed. Clearly the opponents are going to game somewhere, perhaps slam. GET IN THEIR WAY! A preemptive 4S bid should be overcalled 5H or even 6H because opener will most likely pass. Facing a club loser, declarer decided to not use the eight-ever, nine-never rule on finesses and made her slam.

Friday evening May 30, 2008

Lead: a low club

South will recognize North's 4C bid as a splinter but knows partner doesn't have an opening hand. North's bid is supposed to show 4 spades, shortness in clubs and an opening hand. Hmmm. What to do? Follow splinter bidding rules. With no other aces South bids 4S. When North continues and shows diamond control at the five level, South must bid 5S. Neither side has shown control in hearts. In fact, alert defenders will steer away from any-old-club lead and go to the un-cuebid suit, hearts. The defenders will get two hearts off the top and most likely the queen of spades. In order to make the slam, declarer has to get a club or diamond lead, then make the wrong eight-ever-nine-never play with trumps and finesse the jack.

At my table I opened 1D with North's hand, which was overcalled 1H by East. There would be no slam, in fact South was lucky to make the contract. As the cards flop above, with a club lead declarer guesses right on the spades then discards everything on the diamonds; which is simply luck.