Wednesday morning June 13, 2007

Everyone bid four and made six on this hand. Most teams received some diamond interference along the way in a 1H-2D-2H-3D, 4H sequence. Five diamonds doubled could go down only 2 for a good 500 point sacrifice. North would have to resist leading the ace of hearts, thus making West's king good.

Is there a way to get to slam? If there is, there has to be some teamwork involved. North must show South a limit raise over the diamond interference even though he only has three; albeit a nice three. Some partnerships will play this 1H-2D-3H sequence as preemptive and weak on North's part. We play it as if the 2D overcall never happened. The limit raise now gives South some encouragement. The opponents have the diamond suit covered; partner will be short as well, so North's points must be somewhere. It doesn't take much imagination to place the black kings and the A-Q of hearts in North's hand. Although we like to use cuebids to get to slam, this is a case for Blackwood.

Wednesday morning June 13, 2007

East chuckles to himself as he lays the 4C card out. What bid would adequately describe his hand? He'd like to make 4C be natural, but has no real choice. West interprets East's bid to be Gerber and responds with 2 aces. West gets a diamond lead and counts tricks. If the king of clubs is onside then fourteen tricks are available.

Wednesday morning June 13, 2007

Scores were all over the place on this hand; 3NT down 1, 6NT down 2/3, three spades by North making 4, four hearts by South making 4. North gets a club lead which he ducks the first round, then wins the second; followed by the diamond king and a failing finesse. Stick a fork in him, he's done. Another club clears the suit. North has no choice but to lead toward the king of hearts. East gets the heart ace and two little clubs, down 1. If instead North goes after the hearts before the third round of clubs, he could go down an additional trick. We Four Queens are a pain in the neck for declarer. The best contract is 1S-2H, 3H-4H. Declarer loses three heart tricks, but that's all.

Friday evening June 15, 2007

None of the teams bid the slam this evening. The only way this slam could have been bid in this competitive auction is for North to cuebid 4C instead of bidding 4D on the second round. That would show South an unusual hand with a control in clubs. As it turns out, everyone got to diamonds but no one got to hearts! Six hearts is cold, which in duplicate would be 1430 instead of 1370, a better board. If a spade is led instead of a club, defenders can get only one trick; otherwise declarer gets all the marbles. Everyone bid diamonds to 5, once doubled by East for a top board of 950, an unusual score. Never double when you hold an odd hand; your opponents most likely have odd hands as well. Seven clubs doubled goes down 3 for only 500 points, a very good sacrifice.

Friday evening June 15, 2007

Congrats to Eddie and Joann for getting to this slam. One team got off the track and tried a South slam in hearts, down one. Six NT should make all day long by South against any lead; four spades, four hearts, five diamonds and a club--fourteen tricks, and the losing heart finesse.

Friday evening June 15, 2007

There are no really intelligent questions for East to ask West, who did his best by bidding a Jacoby Transfer to get East to play spades if that was going to be the final contract. By transferring, West indicates he has 5+ spades, nothing more. Point-wise the slam isn't there, but it never hurts to get a bit lucky in bridge. I'd drop the ace of clubs to test the waters--OH, YES--the queen fell. Good. Five club tricks. Ace then small spade--DOES IT WORK?--Yes! Phew! We could have been down big time but six makes. A bridge hand takes 7 minutes. Let's go on to the next!

Friday evening June 15, 2007

I'd probably open 6S with this hand. Unbelievably, only John and Mac ended up in slam in spades, and that at 6S. How does West, with the monster of all monster hands, get to 7? John and Mac retain 2 openers as strong bids, not using weak 2s. The 3C bid indicates a positive response; 2NT being the negative bid. Perhaps a 3S-4C sequence to convince West that it's the ace of clubs he holds. Then it's a boring routine of ace and king asking to come up with the fact that the team has all four kings. Yea! Bid 7!