“Do you approve of my partner’s raise to two hearts?” a club player asked me. “He had three queens and no shape.”
South had bid game, and West led a trump.
“I drew trumps,” South said, “and led the ace and a low diamond. West took the king and got out with a diamond. I next led a club to my king, and West won and returned a club. At the end I lost two spades and went down. I needed a better dummy.”
No doubt North would have liked a better hand to raise, but South’s four hearts was questionable; his king of spades was likely worthless.
SIX OF CLUBS
Yet, South could make his game. At Trick Three he leads a low diamond. West wins and exits with a diamond. Declarer takes the ace, draws trumps and leads the six of clubs. West must play low, and dummy’s queen wins.
South then takes queen of diamonds, leads a trump to his hand, discards a club from dummy on the ten of diamonds and leads a club. When West wins, he must give South his king of spades or concede a ruff-sluff.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S A Q 10 7 3 H 9 5 D K 9 5 C A J 9. You
open one spade, and your partner bids 1NT. What do you say?
ANSWER: In “Standard,” where 1NT is not forcing, pass. In a “game-forcing 2/1” style, where a new-suit response at the two level forces to game, 1NT is forcing and may be based on an invitational hand. Then you would bid two clubs, the cheaper three-card minor. Some pairs treat 1NT as “semi-forcing” and passable with a hand like yours.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S 6 5 2
H Q 10 6 4
D Q 6 2
C Q 4 3
WEST
S A Q 10 7 3
H 9 5
D K 9 5
C A J 9
EAST
S J 9 4
H 8 2
D J 7 4
C 10 8 7 5 2
SOUTH
S K 8
H A K J 7 3
D A 10 8 3
C K 6
South West North East
1 H 1 S 2 H Pass
4 H All Pass
Opening lead — H 5
©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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