Jeff Lehman

Lots of choices

Here are some choices from today’s club matchpoint event.  Starting with Board 1.

 

W
West
N
North
E
East
S
South
2
Pass
3NT
All Pass
 
 
 

 

W
West
7632
A87
84
AQ73

From the hand shown, what do you choose to lead?

I tried the 7.  Declarer thought for quite a while and then called for the T, to partner’s J to declarer’s ace.  Declarer cashed the K and then I won the K with the A at Trick 3 (alas, not a Smith-echo partnership and so my choice of spade has not been validated by partner’s choice of heart card) and chose to return another spade.  Partner won the 9 and switched to the J.  Down three tricks (and could have been down four, had we cashed a third spade before removing my club tops)!  For a top (not sure why declarer did not first choose to run the diamonds for down two).

 
1
None
North
N
North
Q104
96
AJ10652
62
 
W
West
7632
A87
84
AQ73
7
E
East
KJ9
1052
973
J1098
 
S
South
A85
KQJ43
KQ
K54
 

 

Board 14.  

W
West
AJ109865
Q1087
A10
 
E
East
K7
K952
K7
AK765

 

 

W
West
N
North
E
East
S
South
11
Pass
1
2
2NT2
Pass
6
All Pass
 
 
(1) playing 12-14 1NT
(2) I much prefer 2 here; opposite a mere one-level response, I think 2NT should be stronger than this good 16 HCP

Against a lower-flight pair, you are in 6 and receive a lead of the A.  What is your declarer plan?

Hoping to reduce the chances of the opponents finding a heart ruff at Trick 2, I decided to play the Q at Trick 1.  A diamond was continued and I played K and then took a spade finesse.  Diamonds were not the expected 6-3 (why, if she were going to enter the live auction, would North choose to overcall 2 rather than to have doubled?), but the spade finesse did win and the slam came home.  9.32 on 11 top.

 
14
None
East
N
North
3
AJ63
QJ962
Q94
 
W
West
AJ109865
Q1087
A10
A
E
East
K7
K952
K7
AK765
 
S
South
Q42
4
8543
J10832
 

 

Board 22.  You hear this auction by opponents.  

South
North
1
1
2
2
2NT
Pass

Defending against one of the better pairs in the room (that is, the 2NT bid is not what some refer to as “suicide 2NT”, but rather will deliver the extra values it should), what do you lead from the hand that follows?

W
West
K62
103
Q53
KJ765

 

I feared giving away a cheap club trick and noted that opener had not supported responder’s spade suit.  I tried the K and this held declarer to eight tricks.  The spade lead was easier to find when notrump was declared from the North chair and so the result was a disappointing 2.5 out of 11 matchpoints.  Still, that is better than the -150 we would have earned with a club lead (to dummy’s queen, to be followed by one diamond finesse immediately, and another, if necessary, when in dummy with the A).

 
22
E-W
East
N
North
A875
82
J104
Q432
 
W
West
K62
103
Q53
KJ765
K
E
East
QJ93
J765
K86
108
 
S
South
104
AKQ94
A972
A9
 

 

 

Board 29.  As West, you hold 

W
West
A72
2
106432
AK107

 

 

W
West
N
North
E
East
S
South
Pass
1
3
Pass
Pass
4
Pass
6
All Pass
 
 

At all vulnerable, do you pass 3 hoping to convert a reopening double? Not sure that is a good choice, but my pass was made in tempo and turned out to be a lucky one when partner balanced, not with a double, but with 4!  What now?

I think it is best to keycard now … if you are sure that partner will take the parlay of pass then 4NT (or whatever other call you have defined) as keycard and not as an offer to play on a hand that was “trap passing”.  But at a club game, reaching a makeable 6 is likely to score quite well, and that is what I bid directly.  +1370 for another 9.32.

 
29
Both
North
N
North
105
KQ974
A7
J853
 
W
West
A72
2
106432
AK107
6
E
East
K
AJ10853
KQJ95
2
 
S
South
QJ98643
6
8
Q964
 

 

 


2 Comments

Dave Memphis MOJOMarch 28th, 2015 at 7:52 pm

I decided to play the ♥Q at Trick 1.

I’m not sure how you found this, but great result!

Jeff LehmanMarch 28th, 2015 at 8:39 pm

Dave MOJO,

How can playing the HQ at Trick 1 hurt? Of my four hearts, I am going to lose one to the HA, win one with HK, and pitch the other two on the top clubs. Not that I really thought the lead was from four hearts to the ace, but the insurance protecting against that was free.

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