| Hand of the week - 10. Hand 2 on 2022/04/07 |
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East opens with 3H, and West responds with 3S. Then East goes for game with 4H.
Most declarerers missed this game. How do you make the contract?
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| Show Answer |
It is important that East wins all the aces in West's hand; so no matter what the opponents lead, West should win it, with an ace.
There are four losers: a club, a diamond, and possibly two hearts.
Win with the ace of spades in West. East ruffs the 2 of spades, and returns to the remaining ace in West.
Seeing that the king and jack of spades are played, the 10 of spades is a winner. Play it to be ruffed by South, and discard the remaining diamond loser in West. One trick down.
Only a club and a heart can be lost. Draw the Ace and Jack of hearts with the king and queen.
Three tricks down, and the contract is made. |
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| Hand of the week - 9. Hand 21 on 2022/03/17 |
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North opens the bidding with 1NT showing 14HCP with a balanced hand.
South responds with 2D requesting a transfer to Hearts.
North bids 2H.
What should South do next?
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| Show Answer |
South has a 4 loser hand and !NT is likely to be an 8 loser hand; therefore, with 10 losers (18-12 = 6 overtricks), a slam is possible.
So, South should bid 4C, which is Gerber asking for aces.
North responds 2H, showing 2 aces.
South then bids 6H and makes the slam. |
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| Hand of the week - 8. Hand 9 on 2022/03/05 |
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How should you bid this board?
How could the opponents stopping the bid?
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| Show Answer |
E S W N
- - - pass
pass pass 2NT* pass
4C* pass 5C** pass
6NT pass pass pass
* = Gerber
** = 4 Aces
A small slam for E/W, although the declarer will actuall make all 13 tricks!
Vulnerable NT
Vulnerable 3NT + 4
40+6(30)+500=720 points to E/W
But if bid a small slam 6NT + 1 an extra 500=1220 points (note if only 6 tricks = 1190)
However, to disrupt the contract
E S W N
- - - pass
pass pass 2NT* 3D#
4C* 5D## pass pass
pass
# = Disrupting the likely slam
## = Believing partner's hand was stronger than it actually was
If N/S bid 5D non-vulnerable doubled going down 4
Minus 100+200+200+300=800 points to E/W
This is a Psyche, which is perfectly legal (although illegal in some systems and tournaments), but a deliberate and gross mis-statement of honour strength and/or suit length. It is primarily to mislead or disrupt the opponents. It must be declared in the player's system card.
Systemic psyching is not permitted, i.e. the player's partner knows what it means! A Deviation or Psyche should be just as much a surprise for the bidder's partner as it is for their opponents. |
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| Hand of the week - 7. Hand 7 on 2022/02/22 |
Show Detail | This hand depends on the lead card by the opponents. Can you see what should and what should not be led?
The hand was played at a Team Match.
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Typical Bidding for 4H:
N E S W
- - 1C pass
2H 2S 3H pass
4H pass pass pass
Surprisingly, it is not always best to lead a singleton.
If East leads the Jack of Clubs, North will make the contract with 620 match points.
East should have led the King of Spades, and the contract will go down one trick losing 100 match points.
Compare below.
Tricks with singleton lead: Tricks with king of spades lead:
1. CJ C3 C2 CK 1. SK SA S3 S6
2. H2 H3 HA H4 2. H5 H4 HK H3
3. H5 H8 HK H7 3. HQ H7 H9 H8
4. HQ HT H9 S3 4. CK CJ C3 C2
5. C4 S4 CA CT 5. H2 HT HA S8
6. D7 D2 DK DA 6. CA CT C4 D3
7. D6 D8 DJ DQ 7. C6 CQ C5 S4
8. DT D3 S7 D4 8. ST S2 S5 S7
9. S2 SK SA S8 9. S9 H6 SJ C7
10. C6 CQ C5 S5 10. DQ DA D7 D2
11. ST S6 SQ C7 11. SQ C8 D4 HJ
12. SJ C8 S9 H6 12. DK D5 D8 D9
13. HJ D5 C9 D9 13. DT D6 C9 DJ
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| Hand of the week - 6. Hand 12 on 2022/02/07 |
Show Detail |
Again small slam was missed by everyone.
How should it have been bid?
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| Show Answer |
Actually 7 Diamonds, 7 Hearts, and 7NT could be made!
Bidding for 7D:
W N E S
pass 1D pass 1H
pass 3D pass 4NT*
pass 5S** pass 5NT*
pass 6D pass pass
pass
* Keycard Blackwood on agreed Diamonds suit (last suit bid )
** Two Aces and King of Diamonds
Two Kings were with the opponents.
Tricks:
1. SJ SA S5 S2
2. DA D7 D2 D3
3. D4 D8 DK C4
4. HA H2 H7 H5
5. H3 H4 HK H6
6. HQ C2 S7 H9
7. H8 C3 D5 HJ
8. CA C5 C8 C7
9. C9 C6 CQ CK
10. SK D9 S3 S4
11. CJ CT D6 S8
12. HT S9 DJ S6
13. DQ SQ DT ST
A small slam in Diamonds, but actually made 7 Diamond! |
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| Hand of the week - 5. Hand 4 on 2022/02/03 |
Show Detail |
A grand slam in NT, Spades or Hearts was possible, but missed!
How should it have been bid?
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Bidding:
W N E S
pass 1S pass 4C* With opening points in North and 18 in South, a slam was on!
pass 5H** pass 6C*
pass 6NT*** pass 7NT
pass pass pass
* Gerber (Slam bidding in NT asking for Aces and later for Kings)
** 1 Ace
*** 3 Kings
Hold all the Aces and all the Kings
Tricks:
1. C4 CT CQ CK
2. SA S3 S2 S4
3. S7 S9 SK S8
4. SQ SJ ST D3
5. S6 C5 C3 D4
6. S5 C8 H2 D6
7. D5 D2 DQ H5
8. D7 C2 DA D8
9. DK D9 H4 C6
10. H6 H3 HJ H9
11. H8 HT HK HQ
Claim (in Show Menu) for the last two tricks, making 13 and the Grand slam! |
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| Hand of the week - 4. Hand 4 on 2022/01/24 |
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Everyone missed bidding this slam in hearts or spades. Please try to work out how to bid it.
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| Hand of the week - 3. Hand 13 on 2019/09/19 |
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The strong N/S holdings can be played in 5D and make 12 tricks. Is there a better contract?
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Yes it is a small slam in 6NT. |
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| Hand of the week - 2. Hand 16 on 2019/09/12 |
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How should the bidding continue? Given that North/South should win the bidding, what should be the contract?
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Although 5 Diamonds by South could make, an optimal bid would be 3NT by South which should make 11 tricks. West should lead the K♣. |
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| Hand of the week - 1. Hand 1 on 2019/09/05 |
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A simple but somehow difficult hand to bid. North and East pass, but what do you bid with a balanced hand, 18 points and a 7 losing trick count?
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| Show Answer |
Try 1 Club, aiming to bid 2NT next showing 17/18 points. North bids 1NT showing 6-9 points. South bids 2NT - asking and North should bid 3NT (which makes). |
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