Free Weekly Instant Tournament - October 25 - Board 3

Board 3
Opponents vulnerable

♠ J 5 4  ♥ K 10 9  ♦ A Q 8 6 3  ♣ A Q

I open with one notrump. LHO bids two hearts, showing hearts and a minor. Partner bids two notrump, lebensohl (a puppet to three clubs). I dutifully bid three clubs and partner passes.

RHO now comes to life with three hearts. I can't imagine why he let me find out what partner's suit was before bidding three hearts. Bidding three hearts immediately must be better.

I pass, LHO passes, and partner balances with three spades. See? If RHO had bid three hearts the first time, partner wouldn't be able to bid three spades. The delayed raise gave partner a chance to show both his suits.

RHO doubles three spades. Partner should have four spades and longer clubs. The four-three spade fit doesn't look appetizing, so I'll correct to four clubs. But, with ace-queen of clubs to fill out partner's suit, I might as well bid three notrump on the way. If partner doesn't fancy three notrump, he can always pull to four clubs.

I bid three notrump and partner pulls to five clubs. Partner had no game interest originally but now, after his LHO showed a stack in his second suit and I've shown wastage in hearts, he's suddenly willing to try for eleven tricks?

For some reason, the opponents don't double. Everyone passes and West leads the three of spades.

	NORTH Robot ♠ A 8 7 6 ♥ 7 ♦ 4 ♣ K J 10 9 7 5 3
	SOUTH Phillip ♠ J 5 4 ♥ K 10 9 ♦ A Q 8 6 3 ♣ A Q

West	North	East	South
Robot	Robot	Robot	Phillip
			1 NT
2 ♥	2 NT	Pass	3 ♣
Pass	Pass	3 ♥	Pass
Pass	3 ♠	Double	3 NT
Pass	5 ♣	(All pass)

Pulling to five clubs was an unfortunate decision. We have nine tricks off the top in three notrump. Ten if they lead a heart. This contract I'm not making.

The spade lead is either a singleton or three-deuce doubleton. If it's a singleton, I can hop with the ace and draw trump, reaching this position with the lead in dummy:

	NORTH Robot ♠ 8 7 6 ♥ 7 ♦ 4 ♣ J 10 9 7
	SOUTH Phillip ♠ J 5 ♥ K 10 9 ♦ A Q 8 6 ♣ --

Now I lead a heart to the nine. If West has the heart ace, as seems likely, he is endplayed. He must give me a tenth trick in one red suit or the other for down one. If the lead was a doubleton, however, the endplay won't work. He will win the heart and exit with a spade for down two.

What happens if I duck the spade at trick one?  If it's a singleton, East can win and give his partner a spade ruff. But that's OK, since he's ruffing a loser. After ruffing, West will exit with a trump. I will win, draw trump, and execute the same endplay. I still get ten tricks.

What if I duck the spade and East wins and returns a heart to get his partner off the endplay? I play the nine, and West wins with the queen or jack. We've now reached this position with West on lead:

	NORTH Robot ♠ A 8 7 ♥ -- ♦ 4 ♣ K J 10 9 7 5 3
	SOUTH Phillip ♠ J 5 ♥ K 10 ♦ A Q 8 6 3 ♣ A Q

If West plays another spade, I can win in dummy and play a third spade, eventually ruffing a spade to my hand for my tenth trick. And if, instead of a spade, he shifts to a trump, then I can draw trump and lead a spade toward my jack for my tenth trick.

In short, hopping with the ace works if West has a stiff spade, but ducking works whether he has a stiff or a doubleton. (Assuming you define "works" as getting out for down one, which seems like the best I can hope for.)

I play a low spade from dummy. East wins with the queen and returns the deuce. I hop with the jack and West ruffs with the four of clubs. He doesn't give me the satisfaction of endplaying him, however. He cashes the heart ace, then shifts to a club. I claim the rest. Down one.

	NORTH Robot ♠ A 8 7 6 ♥ 7 ♦ 4 ♣ K J 10 9 7 5 3
WEST Robot ♠ 3 ♥ A Q 4 2 ♦ K J 9 7 2 ♣ 8 4 2		EAST Robot ♠ K Q 10 9 2 ♥ J 8 6 5 3 ♦ 10 5 ♣ 6
	SOUTH Phillip ♠ J 5 4 ♥ K 10 9 ♦ A Q 8 6 3 ♣ A Q

Minus 50 is worth 64%. That's pretty generous for going minus when we're cold for a game. Five clubs was played at a few tables. Most declarers rose with the spade ace at trick one. While not best, that works as the cards lie. Or it should work. After that start, they failed to find the endplay and went down two. 

Some sat for three spades doubled, which seems like an odd decision. Two of them made it after a poor defense. But most were down several.