Lesson 2(e) - try your skills in playing these hands

The following three hands are played in Notrumps.

The contracts are either game or slam

Board 2  Dlr:E  NS Vul

                                NORTH
                                  ♠ JT42
                                  ♥ 7532
                                  ♦ J94
                                  ♣ 84
WEST                                                      EAST
♠ AK7                                                       ♠ Q986
♥ A84                                                        ♥ K6
♦ K632                                                      ♦ AQ5
♣ KJ7                                                        ♣ AQT9
                                 SOUTH
                                  ♠ 53
                                  ♥ QJT9
                                  ♦ T87
                                  ♣ 6532

Bidding:          E            S        W         N
                        1NT        P        6NT

East opens 1NT.  With 18 HCP West knows that the partnership assets are 33-35 HCP, enough for small slam but not more.  She leaps immediately to 6NT - no pussyfooting by the master of the auction.

South leads ♥Q, again top of a sequence, promising JT or J9.  As declarer you can count twelve sure tricks, three spades, two hearts, three diamonds and four clubs.

While that is very reassuring, it is always necessary to look for more – matchpointed duplicate games reward greed!  Where could an extra trick come from?

You have seven cards in both spades and dia­monds, and so the opponents have six.  If either of those suits breaks 3-3, you will make an extra trick.  Of course, when you play off each of those suits you will have to count.

First win ♥K and play out your winning clubs.  Why?  Because a foolish defender may throw away a vital spade or diamond.  (But North will discard 2 small hearts and hang on to her promising 4-card spade holding.)

Play first a small club to the king (the short club hand), play §J and then back to your 2 club winners in hand, discarding dummy's ♥8.  Watch carefully what North discards.

Defenders should be very unwilling to discard from any 4-card holding (except 5432!) when dummy holds four or more or when declarer may do so.

Next you might try spades by playing small to dummy's ace and king (the short spade hand) and then back to the queen. Alas there is still a spade out - your ♠9 is not a winner.  This time, watch what South discards.

Now try your luck in diamonds.  First play ♦AQ (from the short diamond hand) and over to dummy's king observing that ♦6 is a winner.

You have 13 tricks in your non-vulnerable slam for a score of 7x30 + 10 + 300 + 500 = 1020. 

 

Board 3   Dlr:S  EW Vul

                            NORTH
                            ♠ KQJ4
                            ♥ JT53
                            ♦ QT4
                            ♣ 62
WEST                                           EAST
♠ 87                                               ♠ T653
♥ A87                                            ♥ K94
♦ 865                                             ♦ A7
♣ JT983                                        ♣ Q754
                            SOUTH
                            ♠ A92
                            ♥ Q62
                            ♦ KJ932
                            ♣ AK

Bidding:      S        W         N        E
                     1NT    P        2NT     P
                     3NT

When South opens 1NT, North cannot guarantee the combined values for game as she holds only 9 HCP opposite 15-17.  But since game is possible if partner does not hold a minimum, North takes charge by inviting game with a bid of 2NT.  South, with a super-maximum, accepts.

West leads ♣J (promising T9 as well) hoping to establish some eventual winners in his long suit.  A bridge player does not even think of leading ©A – that high card is a useful entry back to his hand later.  Beginners love to lead aces.  Try instead to take a longer-term view – invest in the future.

As declarer you can count only six sure tricks, four spades and two clubs. Where will the extra tricks come from?

Your diamonds are strong, missing only the ace.  By driving out ¨A, you can establish four tricks in diamonds.  Do your losing early when there is a profit in it.  By losing one diamond you will establish four tricks - an excellent investment.

Win ♣A and play a small diamond to dummy's queen (the short diamond hand) and continue with the ten (still the honour in the short hand) if necessary to drive out the ace.

You will always be able to make 10 tricks for a score of 4x30 + 10 + 300 = 430.

Board 4   Dlr:W     All Vul

                            NORTH
                             ♠ 8652
                             ♥ QJT62
                             ♦ T93
                             ♣ 3
WEST                                              EAST
♠ KQT                                               ♠ A9
♥ A3                                                  ♥ K75
♦ AQ52                                              ♦ K864
♣ AQ52                                             ♣ K764
                             SOUTH
                             ♠ J743
                             ♥ 984
                             ♦ J7
                             ♣ JT98

 Bidding:      W        N        E      S
                      2NT     P       6NT

With 13 HCP opposite partner's 20-21, East confidently bids small slam, knowing their combined assets are 33-34.

North leads ♥Q (promising JT or J9). You can count only eleven top tricks - three spades, two hearts, three clubs, and three diamonds.  Start planning.

There is a possible extra trick in each minor suit. With eight cards in each minor, if the outstanding five cards fall under the ace, king and queen i.e. if they break 3-2, you will make an extra trick.

Win the ♥K and play three rounds of clubs. No luck - there is still a big club out.

Now try diamonds. After three rounds the opponents have none left - the last dia­mond is the 12^th trick.  Phew!

For twelve tricks in your vulnerable small slam you score 6x30 + 10 + 500 + 750 = 1440.