Friday evening December 28, 2007

Lead: six of hearts.

You can't blame West for thinking DOUBLE with those cards; but this West wisely resisted temptation. South can see the contract going down to defeat with a bad spade split, say A-J-3 by West. South can't afford to risk the contract on trick 1 and goes up with the ace. A trump forces out the jack-queen and West hesitates before taking the ace and shifts to a diamond which is taken on the board. South cashes the ace of clubs, crosses to a diamond and plays her third diamond, confident she can overruff anything West might throw her way, and pitches the last club in dummy. South ruffs a club, comes back to her hand with a trump and carefully ruffs her last club with dummy's last trump, then cashes the king of hearts which is followed by a heart ruff with the nine; the king of trumps wins the last trick capturing West's eight of spades. Well done!

Friday evening December 28, 2007

Lead: ace of diamonds.

The play of the hand isn't complicated once South trumps the second diamond. Things could go wrong but they don't. It's a follow-your-nose play. The important thing is no one but Frances and her sister Sharon bid the slam. Six clubs makes as well.

Friday evening December 28, 2007

Lead: nine of diamonds.

Again, the play is routine after the first lead. South can shift to anything; West clears trumps and claims.

Saturday morning December 28, 2007

Lead: queen of hearts

A six spade contract is much safer than 6NT, which depends on the club finesse from the board; which requires declarer to make sure she ends up in the right hand in order to finesse, and not wait too long before a suit becomes uncovered. North wins the first trick on the board, then starts on the spades, discarding two diamonds and two clubs on the extra spades. The club jack is floated forcing West to win and North claims. When I played this hand I bid 6 spades over the NT opener, pitching two clubs on the good A-K of diamonds.

Saturday morning December 28, 2007

Lead: four of diamonds

The diamond lead was followed by the jack-queen-ace. South's nine of diamonds has been promoted to a winner! The correct play after that is to lead a small spade to the ace (not finesse), then finesse the queen of clubs followed by the ace of clubs and give a club to East. See what happens if you finesse the spade, which loses to the king. Back comes a diamond to the king, followed by a third diamond to South's nine--and South still has to deal with the clubs. The defense gets a spade, two hearts, two diamonds and a club--90 for NS. By tackling the clubs first South gets four clubs, two diamonds, two spades and probably a heart for eight or nine tricks and a top score.

120 in duplicate is normally a top board. With a minimum hand, practice bidding 1NT after partner has responded at the one level. Partner promises 6+ points and some value in the suit bid. Identify the suit where you need your tricks and go after it first.

Saturday morning December 29, 2007

Lead: queen of spades

Declarer should let the first spade go by. Who knows, maybe he'll get lucky on the second spade and the jack/king will fall to the ace, promoting the ten. Regardless, declarer can pitch the last spade on the ace of clubs and ruff the hand out, losing two diamonds a spade and a heart for +140. But, this is a lesson for EW. Should I risk going down 1 or 2 by bidding 4D?. In this case, yes--two clubs, a heart and a spade for -100. Three diamonds can make 4 with some luck; South jumps on the first club and partner's king falls, setting up the suit.