When
each partner has a substantial share of the
combined assets the partnership bidding
tends to flow smoothly back and forth.
Bidding is usually more difficult when one
partner has a very strong hand and the other
a very weak one. Then, one partner has much
to say and insufficient time to say it while
the other has nothing to say and is forced
to say something. Today's auction is an
example; 6
is an excellent contract (cold if trumps are
3-2; declarer plays ace-king of trumps, runs
clubs to pitch a heart from dummy, then
ruffs a heart) but difficult to reach even
playing natural strong two-bids. Imagine the
problems after an artificial 2
opening: 2-2;
3-?.
Cover the East-West hands. How should South play to give his modest 5
contract the best chance on the lead of the
K?
How should declarer use his one entry to
dummy?
South dealer
Both vulnerable
|
West |
North |
East |
South |
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
Pass |
2NT |
Pass |
3 |
|
Pass |
3 |
Pass |
3 |
|
Pass |
4 |
Pass |
5 |
|
fin |
|
|
|
Opening Lead:
K
South ruffs the opening lead, and cashes the
AK,
East discarding the
3.
How does declarer "know" that the diamond
finesse will not succeed? The short answer
is that he doesn't, but he recognises that
the diamond finesse would be the right play
only when East holds precisely queen-third
of the suit. The heart finesse would gain
anytime East held the queen, no matter the
length.
The 4-1 trump break is a complication.
Declarer dares not lead a third round of
trumps because West would win his queen and
continue spades, forcing out declarer's last
trump while West still has one. When West
ruffs a club, he would be able to cash
enough spades to beat the contract.
Instead, declarer must revert to an
indirect method of drawing trumps by leading
clubs. West ruffs the third club, cashes the
Q
to stop a heart ruff in dummy and plays a
spade. Declarer ruffs, runs the rest of the
clubs, and then must avoid a heart loser.
With the
K
still in dummy, he is able to lead a heart
to the king and then finesse the jack to
make his contract. The heart finesse was
necessary after all.
The four hands were: