From Finals of D25 GNT
A totally unsolicited and – if any one cared – probably unappreciated post mortem on the auction of a hand reported by Bill Braucher of Billerica, MA from the recent D25 finals of the GNT championship flight. Spoiler alert – there is an inspired declarer play shown near the end of this post.
My comments:
- 1♥. No issue here.
- 1♠. I prefer 2♦, both establishing the game force and “bidding where I live”. Look at the choice this way: Would you rather partner held a stiff small spade or a stiff small diamond or Kxx of spades or Kxx of diamonds?
- 2♥. I agree with this choice, although the other table chose 3♥ at the same juncture.
- 4♥. Fine on the at-the-table auction, but over 1♥-2♦-2♥-4♣ would be a standout.
- 4♠. I do not care for this call at all: bad trump break is expected, as well as the inability to take many trump finesses. Other problems: bad trump intermediates and no expectation that the opponents have found more than an eight-card fit.
- 5♦. Take the money and double.
- Double. Why?
Without the double, 6♥ is easy on a club lead. Ruff a club, spade to the ace, ruff a second club, ♦ to king, having played ♥Q somewhere along the way. Winning six trumps in hand, two club ruffs in dummy, ♠A, and three top diamonds, losing a club only.
But here is the report of Bill Braucher:
“[South]’s double sounded like she had a void somewhere and [North] led a club. [Declarer] Alan [Watson of Lexington, MA] ruffed in dummy. Also fearing a void, he drew trumps and cashed ♠A and ♦K. Nope – no voids anywhere! What could [South] have? The only thing he could imagine was her actual shape. With the courage of his convictions, Alan led a diamond and finessed dummy’s nine for +1860!”
PS: To John Goold and our friends at Master Point Press: This is the first entry I have prepared using the updated blogging tools. Great job at creating Bridge Tools II!