Two problems for you:
(1) IMPs, North.South vulnerable. As South you hold
4
Q 9 7 5
J 5
A K Q J 9 2
You are surprised to hear North open 2, strong and artificial. You respond3, and he bids 3. What is your next call?
(2) IMPs, North.South vulnerable. As West you hold
K 9
6 4
Q 10 9 7 4
6 5 4 3
West | North | East | South |
2 | Pass | 3 | |
Pass | 3 | Pass | 4NT |
Pass | 5(1) | Pass | 7NT |
All Pass | |||
1(1) One or four Key Cards. |
What is your opening lead?
One thing that made the late Alfred Sheinwold a great newspaper columnist was his wisdom in focusing on a single point of technique. When I write “Daily Bridge Club” columns, I take a lesson from him. But the most memorable deals you and I encounter have everything — judgment in the auction, challenge in the play and a chance for astute defense.
The deal below appeared on OKBridge in May.
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West | North | East | South |
2 | Pass | 3 | |
Pass | 3 | Pass | 4NT |
Pass | 5 | Pass | 7NT |
All Pass | |||
The bidding
Experienced players know that Easley Blackwood devised his convention not to bid slams but to avoid them with a lack of aces. Using Blackwood is generally wrong when you may lack the material for 12 tricks, when a control in an unbid suit may be absent or when trump quality is an issue. Nevertheless, Blackwood may be a practical solution to a bidding problem.
South, looking at 13 high-card points and a solid six.card suit, heard their partner open 2. Although it was possible North held AKQ3, J4, AKQ8764, –, South was willing to gamble on a heart control. For the sake of simplicity, South took control with Roman Key Card Blackwood, and when North showed four key cards, South shot the moon.
The play
West did not relish any lead and tried the 10. South took the ace of course and noted East’s spade discard. The grand slam was then icy-cold. Declarer took the AK and led a heart to his queen. When West discarded, South took the K and ran the clubs, reaching:
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The lead of the last club executed a double squeeze. West had to discard a spade, South threw dummy’s diamond, and East had to pitch a spade to keep the J. When South led to the A next, the king was sure to fall. The QJmight as well have been the three and deuce.
If West had turned up with the guarded J, South would have taken the Abefore running the clubs, squeezing West in the red suits.
The defense
It may appear there wasn’t one, but say West listens to the bidding and places South with solid clubs for his Blackwood bid, and North with diamonds (which West knows won’t run) and the remaining primary honors. So West leads … the 9!
South won’t stake the slam on an immediate spade finesse. He will take the ace and cash the A, and the play will become ambiguous.
South could succeed by guessing the heart position or by taking the AKQand running the clubs to squeeze West in diamonds and spades. But if South thinks East has the K (and East can encourage that notion by signaling with a high spade at the first trick), South may go wrong and try for an illusory spade heart squeeze against East. South may make the slam, but maybe he won’t.
It’s a deal to remember.
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