Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Wednesday 2/2/2011

Right-click here for hands. Settling in to my new job in tech support, I have Wednesdays and Sundays off so I can play some bridge :).

Board 1: A routine 1NT-3NT auction and a low spade or diamond lead yields +490 for E/W as long as declarer untangles the spades and leads a heart toward East before squeezing himslef with the clubs. If North ducks a heart, a squeeze or poor discard by South may allow 13 tricks. Slam requires too much luck to merit consideration.

Board 2: East opens 1S, West responds 2H. It is important to realize that this promises 5+ hearts when playing 1NT forcing, or just possibly 3433 shape. Opener should raise hearts, but with 4 obvious cover cards (KQ of hearts, AK of diamonds) plus ruffing values and Queen-fifth in spades opener can make a mild slam try by bidding out his shape: 1S-2H-3D-3NT (or3H)-4H. Responder pictures the short clubs and, expecting to ruff one low club and pitch another on a diamond or spade winner, has only 4 remaining losers and so is worth slam if opener has sufficient controls. 4NT (RKCB or 1430) fetches a 5S reply (two key cards plus the Queen) and the excellent 6H slam is reached. Kudos to Jackie and Charles for bidding this way for a top.

Board 15: South opens 1S, North bids 2C (not a good hand for a strong jump shift despite the good clubs), South bids 2H. Playing 2/1 game force allows North to rebid a forcing 2NT here; South continues with 3S and North signs off at 3NT. 30 hcp but no fit, game is enough. East leads the 10 of diamonds (the unbid suit), covered by the Queen and King (West should play the Q from AQ at notrump, to flush out declarer's King; the play cannot cost if partner has the King.) The nine of diamonds will be a stopper if East is kept offf lead, so declarer leads his small spade to the Ten. West, counting points, may hope for some high cards in East's hand and try a futile club switch. Declarer wins and can claim +690 when the spades split.

Board 19: West opens 2NT (20-21) and East is on the bubble between a simple raise to 3 and inviting slam. 6C is apt to have better chances than 6NT, but East cannot be sure of a fit. With 31 or 52 hcp and two balanced hands, I think it's best not to chase the slam.

In the play declarer should lead a low club toward East's A-10-8; capturing the King, declarer leads low again toward the J-7. If South plays low finessing the 7 is probably a good bet (woud North play the King from K9 or K9x?) but I expect most declarers to go up with the Jack and finish with 10 tricks.

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