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Hand Analyses 6th July, 2011
There’s an abundance of links on this page, here’s what they all mean: - Notations such as Bidding Quiz (North) are links to the weekly Bidding Quiz, a selection of the 15-20 most interesting bidding situations of the week. - Each week we pick out two or three hands which are suitable for presentation in problem format, as in Play Problem 203 (West), linking you to a page with only two hands on display. Solve the problem first, then see the solution and the entire deal. - Some analyses contain references to bidding conventions, and you’ll see links to articles in our Convention Library such as Roman Key Card - In BridgeOpedia we have categorized by theme the entire history of the most instructive Wednesday Game hands, four year’s worth. Occasionally you will see a purple arrow, linking to the relevant BridgeOpedia section. For example, in this week’s Board 12, the defense uses a suit preference signal to good effect. Adjacent to the text for that hand you will see the link >>BRIDGEOPEDIA: “Suit Preference”>> which will transport you to the collection of hands with the same theme.
Opening 1NT despite holding a 5-card major is increasingly common nowadays, but those who still abhor the practice will no doubt get to the same contract (also played by East), perhaps after 1♠, 2♥ 3NT.
Against 3NT, a Spade lead gives Declarer his 9th trick, and he can score a 10th if he is prepared to risk the Heart finesse. Of course, Declarer will lead the ♥J on the first round and South will probably save him some anguish by covering.
But South might choose an opening Diamond lead. That also gives Declarer his 9th trick, but now the Heart finesse is more appealing as the defense’s Spades are not yet established (for all Declarer knows, the ♠A might be onside). That leads to 11 tricks, and even 12 if, when South gets in with her slow Heart trick, she tragically shifts to a low Spade, playing North for the ♠K.
An awkward rebid problem for West! A forcing 2♠ would be perfect, but as East is a passed hand that bid is not available and the choices appear to be: - 3♠ would create a force and show a 6-card suit (we don’t think the suit needs to be solid or semi-solid because 2♠ is not forcing and West needs a way to show the actual hand-type). But the trouble with 3♠ is that it may take 3NT out of the picture (it’s unlikely that East will be able to bid 3NT himself). - 3♣ would be a way to mark time, but it probably won’t achieve very much. - 3NT looks like the practical bid to us, describing the hand quite well but giving up on a 6-2 Spade fit.
So much for the bidding, now for the play: - If West rebids 3♠ then he will play in 4♠. Let’s say that North leads a Club. Declarer does best to win this in hand, cross to the ♥A, and run the Spade Nine. That brings in 11 easy tricks, even if North’s opening lead was a singleton. - If West rebids 3♣ then we suppose that South will raise and N-S will end up in 5♣ for a poor score. They might even reach 6♣ which is not a good contract but (with careful play) it turns out to be a lucky make. Suppose North leads a Heart. Dummy’s Ace wins and, because of the entry situation, Declarer does best to run the Spade Nine at Trick 2. If North ducks then another Spade is played, and all is well for Declarer when the ♠J is onside, and South has three of them, and trumps are 3-2. - If West rebids 3NT then (according to Deep Finesse) there are only 10 tricks available. But Deep Finesse is not on opening lead and North might well start out with a 4th-best Diamond. Again, Declarer is plagued by entry problems and the practical line of play appears to be to lead the ♠K at Trick 2. Now (whether North holds off the Spade or wins the Ace) Declarer will rely on a later Spade finesse, raking in 12 lovely tricks! An opening Heart lead works better for the defense, that does hold Declarer to 10 tricks.
Yes, North has a really good hand and perhaps he should have done more than just bid 4♠. One possibility would be a shortness-showing bid, and if you haven’t discussed any special methods with Partner then “surely” (a dangerous word in bridge!) a bid of 4♥ would be interpreted as a splinter. Anyway, South is not accepting that slam try, not with three small trumps and some Heart wastage.
The 4-1 trump break complicates the play somewhat. We decline to analyze this one on the grounds that we don’t know what East will lead from that hand, nor do we know whether West will duck if a Club is played from Dummy. Oh, alright, here is one possible line of play: Heart to the Queen and Ace, ruffed by Declarer Diamond to Dummy’s Ace Club to the King (nice duck, Mr West) Club ruff ♥Q loses to East’s King (Declarer pitches a Club) Declarer scrapes up 11 tricks (four natural trumps, a ruff in each hand, a Heart, a Club and three Diamonds). There are numerous other lines, of course.
This is not a good hand for super-accepts! North’s original plan was to transfer and leave Partner in a nice, cozy contract of 2♥. But, sadly for N-S, they happen to play super-accepts, whereby Opener is allowed to bypass 2♥ when holding 4-card support in Hearts. There are various super-accept methods (follow the link for more on the subject), but they all have the unfortunate effect (at least on this board) of getting N-S beyond their last making spot of 2♥. If could get even worse, as North might now take quite a shine to her hand and try 4♥ for down two.
Nowadays most North players will open that hand 1♦ (not 3♦ and certainly not 2♦), and that’s the route our N-S auction takes. What should South do over 2♦? She wants to go to game, of course, and the most likely games are 3NT or 4♥. Which is better? South has no idea, so she bids 3♣, giving Partner the opportunity to support Hearts if he has three of them. That 3♣ bid is an extension of the New Minor principle. No doubt North will bid the Diamonds once more and South will declare 3NT.
Against 3NT West leads a Spade. There’s no point in holding up, so Declarer wins that. She can count 10 top tricks, dare she try the Heart finesse, risking her contract in an attempt to score all 13? Maybe! After winning the opening trick, she merrily rattles off seven Diamonds. The defense will be under pressure, what will be their last five cards? East will probably pitch away all his Spades and come down to ♥QT4 ♣K9 … Declarer will keep just Hearts … and West does best to keep the ♣A, two Spade and two Hearts. Yes, West does well to hold on to two “useless” Hearts, all the better to dissuade Declarer from taking the winning finesse. But most red-blooded Declarers will take it anyway! 13 tricks!
Bold preempting by N-S! 6♠ was destined to score 12 tricks and 1430, so when N-S “escape” for a paltry -1400 in 7♣ doubled they improve their score. Even so, we wonder how much field protection N-S will get, and they may be disappointed to discover that not many E-W pairs get to their slam.
An unlucky deal for N-S. Not only do the hands fit together poorly (singleton opposite ♦KQT9), but the ♣K is offside and the Hearts don’t behave. The final nail in the N-S coffin is that East will probably find the killing lead of a Club, not because it’s such an attractive lead but because everything else looks worse. If Declarer somehow avoids a Club lead then he can scramble 10 tricks by taking a first-round finesse in Diamonds, later disposing of two Clubs from hand.
West’s Double of 1♠ was a Support Double, showing three Hearts.
The Play in Spades: Deep Finesse tells us that 2♠ can be set. Yes, indeed, but that requires double dummy and heroic defense, as in: Heart lead won in Dummy Spade lead and East hops up with the King (yes, really!) Club shift to Declarer’s Ten and West’s King Club return won by Declarer’s Ace (unblocking for later finesse) Trump to West’s Ace Club ruff Heart to West’s King That’s five tricks for the defense with the ♦K still to come. Yes, that was quite a play by East at Trick 2! And a somewhat improbable one, we would say.
The Play in Hearts Deep Finesse also tells us that N-S can make 9 tricks in Hearts. Does that mean that they underbid in the auction above? Not necessarily. To achieve that, Declarer must play the trump suit against the odds to hold his losers in the suit to one, and must also guess the Clubs correctly (the bidding will help Declarer do so). And we should also mention that it further helps Declarer’s cause that the ♦A is onside and Hearts are 3-2. Even so, 3♥ down only one beats all the E-W pairs who failed to beat 2♠ (most of them!).
Here’s a miserable hand for N-S. South does well to pass 2NT, we expect some will push on to 3NT with those cards. N-S have six cashing tricks and might conjure up a seventh, but making any more than that will be tough sledding.
West’s 3♠ was a bold effort (some would be less complementary), and creates a problem for North. What does Double show when the opponents overcall Partner’s 1NT opening? Here’s one method that’s fairly popular: - A Double of 2♣ is Stayman - A Double of 2♦, 2♥ and 2♠ shows values (at least invitational values and at least two cards in the doubled suit) - A Double at the three-level is negative, looking for a 4-4 major fit. Although the bid is not for penalty, Opener will quite often pass.
Using these methods, North doubles, and South must now guess between a Penalty Pass and 3NT. We suppose that she will pass, but that’s the wrong guess. 3♠ escapes (somewhat luckily) for down one, whereas 3NT makes. The play in 3NT might go: Spade won in Dummy Diamond Ten is run around to West’s King Another Spade, won by Declarer The ♥A and ♥K are cashed The Diamonds are cashed Here is the position with one Diamond still to be cashed:
North ♠ ♥ QT ♦ 8 ♣ K42 West East ♠ T985 ♠ ♥ ♥ J96 ♦ ♦ ♣ 87 ♣ AQT South ♠ ♥ 7 ♦ J ♣ J963 At this point Declarer has six tricks, with the ♦J and ♥Q available to take her up to eight. However, an end-play against East will get Declarer up to no fewer than 10! The last Diamond is played, then a Club to the King and Ace. Now, depending on East’s earlier discard, Declarer scores an extra Heart and a Club, or two Clubs. Making 10 tricks!
But that’s a risky way to play the hand. Declarer must assume that East has the ♣A, otherwise the contract cannot be made. But West might have the ♣Q, in which case, by trying for 10 tricks, Declarer ends up with 8. The safer line (after cashing the last Diamond), is to play ♥Q and out a Heart. Now the contract makes regardless of who has the ♣Q. But it’s only 9 tricks this way.
Some Wests might start out with an off-center Weak 2♦, but expect North to declare a Spade part-score at most tables. And you can further expect 9 tricks.
Against 3NT, N-S can grab five black tricks but they probably won’t. North will no doubt start out with a Club: - If North leads her 4th-best Club then Declarer has 9 tricks and runs for home - If North leads the ♣K then South has no need to give attitude with that holding in Dummy … and there’s little need for count, either. So, if N-S are on the same signaling page then South can play the Seven as a suit preference signal. That might induce North to shift to the ♠Q. Nice defense if you found it, but we predict that most Declarer’s will make 9 or 10 tricks. >>BRIDGEOPEDIA: “Suit Preference”>>
East has a typical Rule-of-20-inspired opening bid, West splinters in Hearts, and East is going nowhere. We’ll look at the play shortly but, looking at just the E-W hands you’d have to say that 6♠ is a fine contract and that 7♠ would make on a good day. So, who was the culprit in the above auction? Not East, in our opinion, he has a minimum hand and some Heart wastage. No, the culprit is West, his hand is just too good … the shortness is actually a void … and there is a strong 5-card Club suit. Surely a better auction would be: West East 1♠ 2♣ 2♥ 2♠ 4♦ 6♠ Pass This time it is East that splinters (in Diamonds) and that should be enough for West to try the slam.
But, as can be seen, the slam bidders are not rewarded! Injustice is done when the Spades are 3-1 and the Clubs are 5-0. Ouch! At most tables only 10 tricks will be made, though 11 are possible if Declarer happens to know that Clubs are 5-0 (and takes three Heart ruffs in Dummy).
Not much to the auction, although a more adventurous South might get her side in trouble by balancing (either with 2♠ or with a Double) when 2♥ came around. But as it is, West plays in 2♥ and your job is to make 9 tricks after North’s opening lead of the ♠J. Please see the Play Problem.
What is your choice, in first seat, holding the South hand? - Pass? We suppose that will be the majority choice, given the unfavorable vulnerability. - 3♣? That’s not ideal when holding a 4-card major side-suit, all the more so as the hand is so close to opening values. - 1♣? If South really cannot bear passing with that Club suit then perhaps she could try a light 1♣ opening. Yes, it’s only 9 HCP, but it is close in the Rule-of-20 scheme of things. Yes, perhaps 1♣ is not as crazy as it might appear.
If South declares a Club contract then she makes 12 tricks on the likely Heart lead from West, but only 10 tricks on a Spade lead.
If North declares a Diamond contract then East will lead a Spade. Declarer takes the Club finesse at Trick 2 and when that holds she is home free. She abandons Clubs and now plays: ♥A, Heart ruff, ♠A, Heart ruff, Spade ruff, ♦A, another Diamond. Nicely done for 12 tricks!
If West opens 1♦ then N-S will compete up to 3♣ (10 tricks)… if West opens 1♣ then N-S will compete up to 3♦ (also 10 tricks)… and if E-W venture to 3♠ they will surely get doubled (down a trick or two).
Let’s take a look at five of the bids in this auction: - North’s 1♠: This being the 21st century we don’t suppose that any Wednesday Gamers will open the North hand with a Weak Two. First of all, 11 HCP is out-of-range for the modern-day preemptor, secondly there’s a lot of stuff outside, and thirdly look at those stellar Spade intermediates. Way too good for a Weak Two! - East’s 1NT: We are constantly being reminded that this is a bidder’s game, but bidding 1NT with that miserable 15-count is pushing that advice to the limit. It’s minimum in terms of point count, the hand has no intermediates, the ♦J is flapping in the wind, and the enemy suit is not particularly well covered (that Spade holding would be immensely better if it were ATxx!). The only good thing we can say about the 1NT overcall is that it happens to work well on the actual deal! - South’s 2♦: If South had a good hand (say 9+ HCP or thereabouts) she would simply double 1NT. So 2♦ shows a Diamond suit (at least 5), a moderate hand, and presumably less than three Spades. - West’s 4♦: It’s usual to play “systems on” opposite a 1NT overcall, in which case Texas would still apply for those who use that convention. Furthermore, it is common to play that Texas is still on after (South’s) competition, provided that the opponents do not bid above 3♣. Is that 4♦ bid a bit aggressive? Perhaps, but we do like those 6-4 hands, they have a habit of playing well! - North’s Final Pass: Looking at all four hands, we can see that North would do well to sacrifice in 5♦ but it’s easy to construct other layouts where 5♦ doubled would be too expensive.
Anyway, as you can see, 4♥ makes 10 easy tricks, and in 5♦ doubled the defense will score two Hearts and the ♠A, that’s three tricks, added to which they can score a Spade ruff or a Club but not both. That’s down only two tricks.
That looks like a pretty straightforward auction, but how about the play? Please see the Play Problem.
We don’t have a strong aversion to opening 1NT with South’s 4=2=2=5 shape, but only if there is some good stuff in the two doubletons. Here almost all of South’s values are in the long suits, and this is surely a 1♣ opening bid. The most common reason (or excuse) for opening a slightly off-shape 1NT is that it solves a rebid problem, but South cannot use that one here as, when holding four Spades, there is no rebid problem (unlike, for example, a 2=4=2=5 hand where Opener might be stuck after opening 1♣ and hearing Partner respond 1♠).
Let’s take a look at West’s second bid next. With a weak hand and 4-card Heart support, one might be tempted to preempt here with 3♥. But the suit is rotten and the vulnerability adverse, so our own choice would be 2♥ (it’s a bit light in HCP, but there is the compensation of the fourth Heart). But there are those who say that “Vulnerability is for children” and they might well be vindicated on this particular board, as a 3♥ preempt by West would make life most difficult for N-S. 3♥ might well buy the contract, making 9 tricks.
Finally, a look at the North hand. She responds 1♦, supports Clubs at the 3-level, and then 3♥ comes around to her. She has something of a fit in each of Partner’s suits and shortness in the opponents’ suit, those are all good features. So should North compete to 4♣? That’s certainly better than passing, but surely the right bid here is 3♠. North’s raise to 3♣ denied four Spades so the message of 3♠ should be pretty clear: “I have three Spades and want to compete to 3♠ or 4♣”. The appeal of suggesting Spades, of course, is that 3♠ will score better than 4♣ (at least it will if they both make), and there is some extra security in the 4-3 fit provided by the fact that, if the opponents play Hearts, the ruff will come in the short hand.
Hands repeated for convenience: North ♠ Q53 ♥ 9 ♦ QT874 ♣ A863 West East ♠ T764 ♠ 98 ♥ T742 ♥ AKJ865 ♦ K65 ♦ AJ3 ♣ 74 ♣ J5 South ♠ AKJ2 ♥ Q3 ♦ 92 ♣ KQT92
Who Makes What? - In Hearts, E-W have 9 routine tricks. - In Clubs, N-S have 10 routine tricks. - And in Spades? That might also be 10 tricks, for example if the defense (rather feebly) starts out with two rounds of Hearts. But they can do better than that. East wins the opening Heart lead and shifts to a low Diamond to West’s King. West returns a Diamond, and the question is “What should Declarer do on the third round of Diamonds. The answer is “Don’t ruff!” Ruffing would be fatal, resulting in a loss trump control. So Declarer pitches a Heart and now has an easy route to 9 tricks. >>BRIDGEOPEDIA: “Trump Control”>>
It’s hard to predict what might happen on this board, other than lots of different auctions around the room. In the auction shown above, West might have opened 2♥, South might have gambled with 3NT, or tried for game with 4♣. Lots of possibilities. We can say that N-S cannot quite manage 11 tricks in Clubs, there just aren’t enough tricks and 10 is the maximum. As for 3NT, it has no chance.
The defense will score three Spades, a trump, and a Diamond. Does that mean that Declarer has the remaining eight tricks? Not necessarily, the danger is that he will end up losing a second Diamond. He could try for two Diamond ruffs on the board but the trump situation is a bit perilous for that, so he does better, on the first round of the suit, to lead towards Dummy and finesse the Nine if South does not split her honors. And if it turns out that North has one of the missing honors? Then there will be a ruffing finesse position against South (after trumps have been drawn). Eight tricks!
What is your upper HCP limit for a Weak Two? If you at least partially subscribe to the Rule of 20 then using an upper limit of 11 is inconsistent because you cannot construct a hand which has 11 HCP and a 6-card suit, and which does not also pass the Rule of 20. So, let’s say that the upper end of the range is 10, in which case does East open his 10-count with a Weak 2♥? No, surely this hand is also too good. That 6-4 hand also passes the Rule of 20, added to which it has great fillers in the two long suits, so it’s definitely a 1♥ opening bid!
Over to the West hand. Playing “standard” methods (not 2/1, in other words), West would bid 2♣ and then raise Hearts. In a 2/1 world, is the West hand worth a 2♣ bid? We think so. Although a tad light on points, West does have good controls and a singleton by way of compensation. How about a splinter to 3♠? No, we’d rather have four trumps for that bid or, failing that, a source of tricks somewhere else. This hand, with those feeble long Clubs, does not have enough trick-taking potential, at least not unless Partner has some Club cards. So, 2♣ it is!
We cannot see any good reason for North to bid anything but 4♠ here. The suit’s intermediates are just about good enough, and there’s no point in worrying about how to get Diamonds into the auction. The vulnerability is highly encouraging for preemptive action, as is the hand itself. Bidding just 3♠ would give E-W too much room to play with. And, having bid 4♠, North has done her all, she should not be tempted to bid again if the opponents go to the 5-level.
Over 4♠ we suppose that East will bid 5♣ (he’ll be nervous of defending with undisclosed support for Partner) and that West will convert that to the better-scoring 5♥ contract.
But it’s only better-scoring if it actually makes. On a good day 5♥ will make 12 tricks but today it is down one. South might give North a ruff on the go by leading a (low) Club … or she might cash the ♠A first, getting the Spade Two from Partner (suit preference when Dummy has a singleton), then lead a low Club. Either way, the defense scores a Spade, a Club ruff and a natural Club trick.
If West plays in 5♣ he makes 11 tricks by guessing the trump suit correctly (which he will in light of the bidding). And if North plays in some number of doubled Spades she will score 9 or 10 or 11 tricks, depending upon how many Diamond ruffs the defense manages (we think one ruff and 10 tricks is most likely).
N-S zip into 4♠ via a New Minor Forcing auction, and the only loose end is how to play the trump suit. The percentage play with that holding is to cash the King first, that way Declarer can hold her losses to one trick if the West has all four missing trumps (but if Declarer cashes the Ace first and trumps are 4-0 the other way there is no escaping two losers). As it happens, trumps are not 4-0, but by cashing the King first Declarer must lose one trump trick. So, 11 tricks at most tables.
If N-S play in 3NT (not easy to do with a 9-card Spade fit) then they will score very well as the same number of tricks are made in either Spades or No Trump.
Here’s an unpleasant deal. Whichever side buys the contract, they will wish they hadn’t. In 2♥, the defense will score ♠A, ♣AK, a Club ruff, and two trumps besides. That’s down one. Nobody can make more than one of anything and going plus will be enough for a half-decent score.
South uses her third-seatedness and the favorable vulnerability as an excuse for a 5-card Weak Two adventure, and West guesses to bid 3NT, hoping that the Spades are covered by Partner. Double and then 3NT is an alternative … or Double and then 2NT which works well on the actual deal but which seems a little feeble to us.
E-W have 8 tricks in 3NT regardless of whether North leads a Spade or a Heart.
East’s 1♣ opening is really scraping the bottom of the barrel, nobody would blame him for passing that miserable assortment. In fact, 2NT is a pretty horrible contract, but it squeaks home, thanks in part to the onside ♠AQJ and ♦K. That’s a lucky +120 for E-W, a pretty good result considering that some tables will pass out the board.
This one is not especially thrilling. It seems that N-S should stop in 1NT, one way or another, and that’s a contract that makes precisely seven tricks.
In this auction, North’s 3♦ preempt pushes E-W overboard, with an assist from East, he of the featherweight Takeout Double (pretty risky opposite a passed hand). Having said that, we should point out that 3♦ makes 9 tricks, so 4♥ down one will not be a bad result for E-W. One possible line of play: Defense cashes two Diamonds Declarer wins Club shift Heart to Dummy’s King and South’s Ace Dummy wins Club return Heart Seven is finessed Cash ♠A and ♠J Cross to Dummy’s ♠K Cash the last Spade Take another Heart finesse Declarer loses the last trick (a Club) but has 9 tricks.
After South’s overcall of 1♠, West has a choice between a Negative Double and a bid of 2♥. But it’s not much of a choice, really, the 2♥ bid is clearly superior: - 2♥ shows a 5th Heart, whereas the Negative Double can be made with just four. - 2♥ does a better job of showing West’s values, promising around 10+, whereas a Negative Double is around 6+. The general rule in these situations is not to make a Negative Double when you can bid your 5-card major directly. Of course, take away West’s ♦A, for example, and West has no alternative but to make a Negative Double, he’s just not strong enough for a 2♥ bid.
North’s 3♠ was preemptive, and South had an easy 4♠ sacrifice. Neither East nor West have a compelling reason to push on to 5♥, so N-S take their obvious five defensive tricks for +500.
What happens if E-W do push on to 5♥? With normal play there are two trumps and a Spade to be lost. How about some abnormal play? Declarer may conclude the following from the auction: - South appears to have six Spades and did not preempt, perhaps she has Heart values. - North did preempt and has next to nothing in high cards, perhaps Heart shortness is her excuse for that vulnerable three-level bid. Declarer will further conclude that if Hearts are 2-2 then how he plays the suit does not matter. But if they are 3-1, and if South does have the length, then he might as well lead the ♥J from Dummy. One of two good things might happen: - North might have the singleton ♥T, holding the trump losers to just one. - South might have ♥QTx or ♥KTx and might make the (big) mistake of covering the Jack. Much jollity will ensue when this crashes North’s honor, again holding the trump losers to one. >>BRIDGEOPEDIA: “Card Reading”>>
The play in 4♣ is most interesting! It might go like this: ♠K overtaken by the Ace Heart shift, low from Declarer, won by Dummy’s Ace Heart to South’s King Spade ruff Cross to the ♦A Spade ruff Diamond ruff Heart ruff Diamond ruff Declarer has timed the play well, scoring three ruffs in Dummy. Now, with four cards remaining, he has just trumps left, AKT5. He plays the Ace and, when South shows out, he exits with a low trump, end-playing North. 10 tricks!
Does North do better to return a trump at Trick 2? Actually, no! Now the play goes: ♠K overtaken by the Ace Club shift won by Dummy’s Six Cross to ♦A Spade ruff Diamond ruff Spade ruff ♦Q run around to South’s King Spade ruff Now Declarer can cash the ♣AK, cross to the ♥A, and score his last trump en passant. >>BRIDGEOPEDIA: “Trump En Passant”>>
There is also an improbable line of play which allows N-S to make 10 tricks in Spades, but more normal play results in just 9.
Some Easts may decline to show their 4-card major on the grounds that their hand is square but they would look rather foolish if N-S were able to rattle off 5 or 6 Heart tricks against 3NT when 4♠ was cold for 11 or 12 tricks. So, East does the simple thing and plays 4♠, probably making 10 tricks when he misguesses the Spades.
Suppose that East does decline to show that 4-card Spade suit and now hears Partner bid 3♠ (Smolen, showing 4 Spades and 5 Hearts). Now, it would be somewhat bizarre of West to disregard two 8-card major suit fits, all the more so as double-fitters tend to play better in suit contracts. But suppose further that East is really stubborn and bids 3NT anyway. South leads a Diamond and a large number of matchpoints will depend on Declarer’s play at Trick 1 … will he guess to play low, securing a third Diamond stopper, giving him the timing to set up Hearts, making 10 or 11 tricks? … or will he guess to play the Jack, and probably go down? The odds are equal but there is a compelling reason for Declarer to guess right. He wants to play Hearts from his hand at Trick 2, and entries will be awkward if the ♦J wins the first trick. So he plays low from Dummy at Trick 2, scoring a top board as reward for his eccentric bidding.
East’s 3♦ showed Heart support and at least game-invitational values. When West could bid only 3♥, East gave up on any slam ideas, contenting himself with 4♥.
North leads the ♦K, can you make 11 tricks? Please see the Play Problem.
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