JSilver

[hv=d=n&v=n&n=sk982haqtdatcaj43&w=sjt6hj32dkq52c862&e=s53hk754dj963cq97&s=saq74h986d874ckt5]399|300|Scoring: MP 1NT-P-2♣-P-2♠-P-3♠-P-4♠-P-P-P[/hv] The north hand may seem a bit heavy for 1NT, but the choice paid off when East led a ♥. Now declarer can guess wrong in ♣ and still make a critical overtrick. But a funny thing happened along the way: When West played the ♥J, declarer won with the Ace! Now after drawing trump, he led the ♣K and ran the Ten. In with the Queen, East led the ♥7. ;)

Call me a pessimist, but I'd be concerned that even if partner has a hand suitable for a grand, it may fail on an opening ruff or a very bad trump split. Given the vulnerable preempt, neither possiblity seems all that unlikely. Maybe if those exes in the heart suit are the T98...

You're right. Thanks.

With West declaring 3NT, having taken 6 of the first 8 tricks, he was on lead in this position: [hv=d=w&v=b&n=sht8dq97c&w=shdt3ct75&e=sthk9da4c&s=sjhd86ck9]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv] It seems to me that declarer can take 3 more tricks by playing the ♦3 to the ace, the ♦4 to the ten, forcing North to lead ♥. (This was a findable play, as the distribution was marked and North had overcalled 1NT with only the ♥A and the ♦Q!) But GIB says the contract is unmakeable. Do I need to finish my coffee?

I like what Mike Lawrence said about 1NT forcing. He compared it to a carburetor: You need it to make your car run, but if you were showing off your car, you wouldn't highlight it. Of course, that was before fuel injection became common.

Good point. I would open the North hand, but only if I were confident partner wouldn't limit-raise me on a 4333 10-count. In the event, two overbids added up to one.

How about an asking 2NT? If partner shows a feature, you can bid 3NT with more confidence. If not, you have a decision to make at a level one higher, but basically the same options with more information.

In an ACBL tourney on BBO yesterday, I misclicked on a bid. Specifically, I intended to make a Michaels cuebid, but accidentally bid a suit where I happened to have a singleton. The opponents arrived in my 5-card major at the 2-level, not surprisingly misjudged the distribution, and went minus. Afterwards, I apologized, and the opponents summoned the director, who changed the score to avg.+/- (-3 imps for us, +3 for them). When the tourney was over, I asked the director what I should have done. She replied "First of all, private message the opponents..." Unfortunately, before I could get further elucidation, she either logged off or was disconnected, so I'm not sure what the message should say. For example, do I tell them what I was trying to bid? What if I pass when I intended to bid? I have found nothing in the conditions of contest, nor seen anything in the preliminary tournament announcements (made at the start of every ACBL tourney on BBO) governing misclicks. If there is an accepted standard for the player's responsibilites, I would like to know what it is and have it posted where anyone can find out.

I'd've bid 4♠ over the double. Put maximum pressure on East. Maybe he'll pass; maybe he'll bid 5♥. If he passes and West doubles again, he still has a difficult decision. In the worst case, if both 4♥ and 4♠ fail, you'll lose a few IMPS, but not nearly what you lose if 4♥ makes, nor as much as you'll gain if you push them to 5.

I might, but I'd be worried I was letting myself in for some defensive ruffs.

Could he be 4513?

At this vulnerability, I doubt partner would let 4♥ play if he had 4♠. More likely, he has 2. In that case, declarer will need some ruffs in dummy, and it sure looks like he's trying to get some. I'd lead a ♥. This will put him in a bind if partner has the K. I don't think a ♣ lead is urgent or even advisable. If declarer wanted to set up the 4th ♦, he would've ducked the first trick or played another ♦ himself.

You may have been bored, but if you were -150 at one table, and +650 at the other, I don't think you can call yourself unfortunate.

BTW, South might've rebid 2♥. Now a balance by East becomes more reasonable. Perhaps that's why this board may not have been a matchpoint success.

Since 1NT can be set, and making 2♠ needs a bunch of things to go right, I don't see that E-W did anything wrong in the auction.

Concerning the ♣ duck line, a thought crossed my mind. As declarer, what will you do if South plays the ♣Q on the first round, as I believe he should. :P Will you continue with your plan, play him for both honors, or assume the Q is stiff and go after the ♠ suit?

Ah, you're right. That line works, provided ♣ split favorably. I wonder if that's a higher percentage than the ♠Q play, which I believe works about 75% of the time, and could produce an overtrick once in a great while when South has the stiff J.

[hv=d=e&v=n&n=sk43hkt5432d4cj87&w=sq7hq7daj8cakt953&e=sat962hadkq932c64&s=sj85hj986dt765cq2]399|300|Scoring: MP[/hv] Only 6 of 50 E-W pairs reached slam on this deal. One West declared 6nt, making 13 tricks, despite a ♥ lead, when North pitched a ♣ on the run of the ♦ suit. One declared 6♣, which looks inferior to 6♦, but makes easily, given the placement of the ♠K and the 3-2 trump split. Four pairs bid 6♦ and made it by different routes after a ♥ lead. Because of the 4-1 trump break and various blockages, the only legitimate line is to play ♠ for one loser. One West made what I think is the technically best play: high ♦ from hand, ♦ to dummy, revealing the split, ♠Q from dummy, with a finesse of the T in reserve if that lost. Another declarer ran the ♠9 at trick 2. The other declarers were seduced by the ♣ suit. One immediately played 3 rounds of ♣, ruffing with the Q, then led K♦ and a trump to dummy, getting the bad news. He then led a ♣, and when South ruffed and led a ♥, ruffed and drew the last trump. This line should fail, but South blanked the ♠J when the last ♣ was played, and the ♠Q picked up the suit. Comedy occurred at the last table. On the lead of the ♥8, North played the K, apparently playing her partner for a creative underlead of the A. This established a seemingly useless trick in dummy. Declarer now led a ♦ to the J, cashed the ♣A, led the ♦8 to the K, returned to the ♣K, ruffed a ♣ high and crossed back to the ♦A. Now when South ruffed the next ♣, he could not play a ♥, because of the play at trick 1. The only card now to beat the contract for certain was the ♠8, although the 5 might've worked in practice. But South, I suppose not wanting to see his partner play another K on a 7, led the J.

Assuming the ♣ don't split (otherwise why would you post this deal?), the opponents are going to get in twice, so I have to assume that the ♥ are distributed such that they cannot take 3 ♥ tricks. East must have something besides the ♠A, maybe stiff or doubleton honors in ♥. I plan to take 5♣, 2♦, and 2♠. So I'll throw a ♥ from dummy, cash the ♣A, and duck a ♣, assuming East shows out. On the presumed ♦ continuation, I'll throw another ♥ from dummy and lead the ♠Q.

I'll double. If partner doesn't double the likely 3♥, I'll cuebid ♠. Then if partner skips 3nt to raise ♦, I'll assume he has working values and bid slam. However, if 2♣ denied a 4-card major, then I would choose 3♦.

I'm passing. If LHO passes, I expect partner will bid again if he is 5-6 with values concentrated in the black suits. If not, I'll let them have their partial. If LHO bids game, I'll try 5♣.

I vote for 4NT, since it gave up the last chance for a plus. North knows 4♦ is ridiculous, and partner is screaming that 4♠ will be no better. Against that, North's hand is primarily offensive, but with misfits around the table, why look for uncertain prospects at a higher level? Even 5♣ turns out to be too high. Perhaps best of all, the pass over 3♠, which many questioned, now seems to have worked out well. The opponents have generously offered a bounty--I'd give double thanks. I'd rate West's 4♦ a close second. It made his previous dubious call worse, while giving North a chance to make his previous dubious call better.

From a recent ACBL tourney on BBO: [hv=d=w&v=b&n=s2hdakqjckqjt9876&w=s9hk932d87532ca52&e=saqj654hj865d6c43&s=skt873haqt74dt94c]399|300|Scoring: IMP P-2C-2S-X 3S-P-P-X 4D-4NT-P-5D P-6C-P-6H P-P-P[/hv] Result: 700 E-W This was not the worst result on the deal for N-S. One North declared 6♦x for -1100. At my table, North opened 4NT and rebid 6♣. This gave him not quite a 2/3 shot, since the slam can be set on this layout even if the major-suit aces are exchanged.

Bring me a higher club.--Steve Winwood, covering the opening lead in dummy

You eeediot!--Peter Lorre, after watching his partner go down in a cold slam in The Maltese Falcon