29

December 2016 English Bridge

www.ebu.co.uk

Try this one. You are in 3NT, after West has

opened 1´. You receive the ´K lead, on which East

contributes the two. You duck this and take the ´A

at trick two, on which East pitches a heart.

Count your tricks (an essential in any contract).

You have one spade, four diamonds and two clubs

off the top. West is marked with the ™A for his bid,

so you daren't lose the lead; you have to bring in the

clubs.

Having made the ´A at trick two you cash four

rounds of diamonds and discover that they break 3-

3; both opponents chuck a heart on the last

diamond. What next? Well, West doesn't have to

have the ®Q for his opening bid - six lovely spades

and the ™A-J is ample for an opening bid. Let's try

counting the suits. West started with six spades,

three diamonds and is sure to have the ™A.

We know of eleven of West's cards (six spades,

two hearts - he must have the ace and he has

thrown one on the long diamond - and three

diamonds). He has just two unknown cards or

empty spaces. East, by contrast, has shown up with

one spade, two hearts (both discards) and three

diamonds. He has seven unknown cards. The odds

are heavily on East having club length and hence he

is a strong favourite to hold the queen of clubs. You

should cash the ®A and, assuming all follow small,

run the ®J. Should that lose to West's last empty

space, the ®Q, you could consider yourself very

unlucky.

Eight ever, Nine Never? Never say never! Allow me

to quote from the great S J Simon who wrote (long

ago):

I have written elsewhere that I have made myself

the following rule for dealing with nine cards missing

the queen. When there is no other indication, and only

when… play for the drop. When there is no other

indication.

Cut for Partners by S J Simon. Pub. Nicholson &

Watson 1950. r

CLUB PLAYER'S

BIDDING QUIZ

ON EACH of the following problems, you are

West. What should you bid with each hand on

the given auction at pairs, Game All?

Julian Pottage gives his answers on

page 62.

WNE S

Pass

Pass Pass 1NT Pass

2® Pass 2´ Pass

?

WNE S

1´ Pass

?

WNE S

1™

?

WNE S

3t Dble

?

WNE S

1´ Pass 2´ Pass

?

WNE S

1™ 1´ Pass

?

Hand 1

´ A 9 6 4 2

™ J 8 6 3

t A 2

® 6 2

Hand 2

´ K

™ 7 3 2

t K J 9 8 4

® Q 5 3 2

Hand 3

´ 6 5 2

™ -

t A K Q 8 3

® 10 9 6 5 2

Hand 4

´ K 10 6 4 3

™ Q J 3

t A Q 7 6

® Q

Hand 5

´ A Q 9 8 3

™ A Q

t Q 7 5 2

® A 5

Hand 6

´ Q J 5

™ J

t 7 6 4 3 2

® A K J 6

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