29
December 2016 English Bridge
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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