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Freak hand from Fast Pairs Qual.


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From the second Fast Pairs Qualifying Session, you pick up in 3rd chair with none vul:

[hv=d=e&v=n&s=s108hdakq10943c8543]133|100|Scoring: MP[/hv]

 

Just as you are thinking about getting to open 3N if you get two passes, partner surprises you by opening 3N in first chair! My partner and I are playing that this does deny an outside A or K. Not surprisingly, you hear a 4 overcall. What is your plan for handling this hand?

 

At the table, I quickly decided (this was Fast Pairs after all) to try to "walk" this. So, I bid 6, not expecting to be allowed to play it there. The auction continued X-P-6 and I followed through on my plan by bidding 7, trying to look like someone with a heart loser and trying to sac at the 7 level. Lefty doubled again.

 

The full hand:

[hv=d=e&v=n&n=saj9haj74dj865c106&w=s108hdakq10943c8543&e=sq54hq9d7cakqj972&s=sk7632hk1086532d2c]399|300|Scoring: MP

[/hv]

 

The bad news is that I didn't talk lefty into leading a heart. The good news is that she had heard the rule about always leading a trump against a grand...

 

As you can see, 6 only makes when declarer plays the spades by leading a spade to the Ace and then running the Jack.

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This hand is actually quite amusing for two reasons.

 

Reason #1:

 

If the hand is played enough times, some will score up +1010 for North-South. Against 6 by South, how appealing is a small diamond lead, hoping for a heart ruff? A tad strained to be in spades from the South, but funny nonetheless.

 

Reason #2:

 

6 by South is an equally-interesting proposition. West is unlikely to select anything but a top diamond, winning trick #1. What next?

 

If he does not continue diamonds, South may smell a rat. However, that "rat" is hard to assess. If he does continue diamonds, East may break tempo, suggesting the backwards finesse. If he quickly ruffs high, South's chances are not really improved that much. But, there is a marginal increase in the route of playing for the drop now, which works.

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Welcome Mark and indeed a fun hand.

 

I may not be the smartest apple in the barrel when it comes to defence, but I think that N's failure to lead the ace is simply horrendous on this bidding !

 

.. neilkaz ..

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