3NTx

Now for a really tricky hand. You open the North cards below 1, South responds 1 and after a mildly aggressive 2–2NT–3NT continuation East finds the double card! West leads the heart three and since I'm in generous mood I'll give you the whole hand if you want it too. See if you can make 3NTx. Click the link below to immediately see the full hand. If you make it even seeing all the hands then I'm impressed.

North Dealer

Both Vuln.

North

A 10 4

K Q 10 7 6

A 6

10 6 5

West

J 7 6 5

3

K 9 7 3

Q 8 7 4

East

Q 3

J 9 8 5 2

Q 8 4 2

A J

South

K 9 8 2

A 4

J 10 5

K 9 3 2

Where do you end up playing?

It's been a hectic couple of weeks and my one attempt to go to the club resulted in my first ever experience of a "not enough players" scenario! I wrote a little match report about the county match the other week so thought I'd reproduce a couple of the more interesting hands here. Firstly a bidding problem: where does your system get you to on this pair of hands? North is opener as unfavourable vulnerability at teams.

North

K Q 9 7

A J 10 8 2

4

J 7 3

South

5 4

Q 6

A J 3

10 9 8 6 5 4

If you both pass West opens a weak no-trump (if North then overcalls an artificial 2 then assume East doubles showing values with some penalty interest). We lost this board in the County Match very comprehensively. A variety of -300,-130,-110 and -100 from all sides of the table.

Play in 4S

A final hand from the Teams event the other week for you to mull over. Rotated again so that you play South, vulnerable against not, you open the hand below a slightly under-strength intermediate 2 and quickly find yourself in 4. West leads the diamond two (playing standard ACOL leads).

South Dealer

NS Vulnerable

4 by S

North

Q 4 3

K Q J 9 4

A K 10

9 7

South

A 9 8 7 5 2

7 3

8 5

A J 4

You take the lead with a top diamond. What line do you take next?

A defensive signalling problem

Here's another hand from the Teams event last week. This time you're going to be defending against 4 after having overcalled 2 and doubled them in the following auction: 1 – 2 – 2 – Pass – 4 – Double – All Pass.
Vulnerability is Game-All and I've rotated you to be West for convenience.

South Dealer

All Vuln.

4 by S

North (Dummy)

K 5 4 3

J 9

10 7 4

Q 9 8 3

West (You)

9

K 10 8 7 4 3 2

A K 2

K J

East

South

You lead the Diamond Ace which you play for attitude. Partner offers the three and declarer the eight. You next play the Diamond King and partner offers the Diamond Queen, declarer the nine.
If your line doesn't work out, what has partner done wrong for you? :)

To duck or not to duck?

So here's another hand, this time from the Teams event last Sunday. Rotated for convenience, sitting South at favourable vulnerability, your partner opens an 11-14 NT. RHO overcalls 2 alerted as either natural spades or spades plus a minor. You upgrade your spade jack and bid 3 raised to 4 by partner. West leads the Spade King:

Dummy

10 9 7

Q J 6

K Q 9 3

A 8 2

West

K led

East

2

You (declarer)

A J 3

10 9 7 5 4 2

A

Q 7 6

How do you plan to play? Poll time!

What's your line?
	Duck the spade. Hope they continue spades. Then try and pitch a spade before playing trumps.
	Duck the spade. Hope they continue spades. Then attack trumps from hand.
	Take the spade, try and pitch spades on the diamonds.
	Take the spade, lead a small trump from hand.
	Take the spade, try and pitch clubs on diamonds.
pollcode.com free polls

Play problem

East Dealer

EW Vuln.

MPs

4 by S

North

10 7

A K 5 4 2

K J 9 4

6 2

Lead

Q

East

10 (encourage)

South

K Q 8 6

J 10 7 6

A 10 3

A 8

The auction was a straightforward (weak) 1NT – 2 – 2 – 2NT – 4.

Plan the play.

Do you duck a club immediately? Do you play on hearts immediately? Or do you play one heart, perhaps, and try a spade to the Queen?

Here's the hand as it was at the table...

Five clubs doubled

First a hand from the pairs event, at favourable vulnerability. Right-hand opponent opens 1 and you overcall 2 on:

South (You)

—

K 6

A J 8 2

A J 10 7 6 5 4

LHO bids a generous 2 giving partner chance to bid 3. The auction proceeds 3–4–4–Pass–Pass–5–Double–All Pass.

West leads the spade Ace which you ruff with table providing:

North (Dummy)

10 6

A 10 4 3 2

10 9 6

8 3 2

You lay down the club Ace, West dropping the King and East the nine.

How do you continue?

(East turns up with a second club)