Free Weekly Instant Tournament - November 14 - Board 6

Board 6
Opponents vulnerable

Watch Alex figure out this deal on "Deduce Early, Deduce Often."

♠ A K Q 5  ♥ A J 8 7 4  ♦ Q 2  ♣ 6 5

A 4-5-2-2 minimum is awkward for playing forcing notrump responses. After one heart--one notrump, I have no suitable rebid. Fortunately I don't have a minimum. I have 16 HCP, so I can sidestep the problem by opening a strong notrump. One notrump is the new Flannery.

I open one notrump, and everyone passes. West leads the three of diamonds.

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

West	North	East	South
Robot	Robot	Robot	Phillip
		Pass	1 NT
(All pass)

West led his lowest diamond, so diamonds are probably four-four. But the robots do like three-card-suit leads against notrump, so I can't rule out a three-five break.

I have four tricks off the top. If hearts break, I can set up two tricks in hearts to come to six. Then a trick in either clubs or diamonds will give me a seventh for plus 90. Is that good enough? What will happen at the tables where South opens one heart?

North will raise to two hearts. If hearts break, those who pass will score 110. I'm going to lose to those tables unless I score 120. But I suspect some will make a game try and go minus. Plus 90 will beat those pairs. So, while I would like to score 120, I'm not going to risk my contract to do it.

I play low from dummy. East wins with the ace, and I play the deuce. East shifts to the jack of spades.

What's that about? Why didn't he continue diamonds? Perhaps he decided diamonds can just as easily be played from partner's side, but if he needs to put a spade through, now's his chance.

One conclusion I can draw with some confidence is that diamonds are four-four. If East has five diamonds and the club ace, he would continue diamonds to set up his suit. And if he had five diamonds without the club ace, he might duck to preserve communication, playing his partner for king third.

Which spade honor should I win with? If I want to fool West, the best play is the queen, the card I'm known to hold. If I want to fool East, the best play is the king. If I win with the queen, East will know I have ace-king-queen. 

I'm not sure which hand I want to fool. But fooling East might be difficult, since West can simply give attitude to deny an honor. So it looks better to play the queen.

I play the queen, and West discourages with the three.

Now I duck a heart. Four--nine--deuce--queen. East continues spades, leading the ten. That's annoying. That kills my side entry to the heart suit, so now I can't afford to try to drop king-queen doubleton of hearts in East's hand. I have to duck a heart to keep communication.

I win with the spade ace; West plays the six. I duck another heart. West wins with the ten, and East follows with the three. Good. No king-queen doubleton.

West cashes the diamond king; East plays the five. He continues a diamond to dummy's jack; East plays the nine. The diamond jack is my seventh trick. We've reached this position, with dummy on play:

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

Can I find an eighth trick to score 120? My only chance is to drive the club ace and hope they can't cash a diamond.

I decided at trick two that diamonds were four-four, so that's not a likely scenario. But I also decided that if East did have five diamonds, he couldn't have the club ace. So playing a club can't hurt. While I'm technically risking my contract by driving the club ace (which I said I wasn't going to do), the risk is an illusion. East simply can't have five diamonds and the club ace and have shifted to a spade at trick two.

I lead the club king. West takes his ace and cashes a diamond. I have the rest. Making one.

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

So what happened at the tables where South opened one heart? North raised to two. Six players passed; seven made a game try and got too high. Plus 90 scored 56%.

What should you do over two hearts? Is your hand worth a game try or not? 

A six-loser hand is often worth a game try. But if no doubleton in partner's hand is useful, you should treat a six-loser hand as seven losers. Here, a doubleton minor is of no value to you, and a doubleton spade duplicates your queen. So the hand is not worth an invitation.

Another approach is to apply Culbertson's Rule: Give partner a perfect minimum. If you're cold on normal breaks, then invite. A perfect minimum for a single raise is two kings (or an ace and a queen) and a useful doubleton. Partner can't have a useful doubleton, so we'll give him two kings. Opposite the diamond king and the heart king, you aren't cold, so you aren't worth an invitation. You need the heart queen instead of the jack.

Culbertson's Rule was devised for slam bidding. But it also works for game bidding at matchpoints and for non-vulnerable game bidding at IMPs. Don't over-apply it, however. It's not aggressive enough for vulnerable game bidding at IMPs. 

One of the recurring themes of Gargoyle Chronicles is that you should spend most of your energy during the play asking yourself "What is going on?" So whenever someone does something unexpected, that's the time you should stop and think. Don't wait until you have a critical decision.

This deal is a good example. The spade shift at trick two should set off an alarm. If you stop and ask yourself "What is going on?" it's easy to conclude that East can't have five diamonds and the club ace. If you wait until you're wondering "Who has the club ace?" it's much harder. 

Free Weekly Instant Tournament - November 14 - Board 5

Board 5
Our side vulnerable

Hope fills in for Alex this week in Gargoyle's YouTube channel.

♠ A K 10 2  ♥ A 5  ♦ K 9 4 3  ♣ 8 7 3

Two passes to me. I have only 14 HCP, but I have three and a half honor tricks and good spots. It looks more like a strong notrump than a weak notrump to me, so I bid one notrump. Some would say I "upgraded" to a strong notrump. I don't care for that term. As far as I'm concerned, this is a strong notrump. It doesn't need an upgrade.

Partner bids two clubs, Stayman. I show my four-card spade suit, and partner bids three notrump. Everyone passes, and West leads the five of diamonds.

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

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

This lead has very likely given me four diamond tricks. My ace-king-ace brings me up the seven. If the club ace is onside, I can take two club tricks for nine. If I play a club to the king and it loses, I can still try a double finesse in spades for my ninth trick. 

I play a low diamond from dummy. East plays the ten, I win with the king. I need the diamond queen onside to take four diamond tricks. But the diamond finesse can wait. I lead the seven of clubs.

It would be an error to lead the three. If I do and if the hand opposite the deuce plays his lowest card, then his partner knows it's his lowest. If I conceal the three, he can't tell.

West plays the deuce of clubs. I play the queen from dummy, and East plays the six.

East could be ducking the queen, so I can't be sure the ace is onside. But I can't afford to try the double spade finesse. If it loses, the defense can shift to hearts and I'm down.

I play a spade from dummy--nine--king--five. Should I try another club right away or take the diamond finesse? If I take the diamond finesse, I'll have to return to my hand to lead a club to the king, which will leave me wide open in whichever major I play. That could prove embarrassing.

Imagine, for example, that I lead the diamond nine. West covers, and I win in dummy, reaching this position:

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

I return to my hand with the spade ace to play another club. If East ducked with ace-jack fifth, the defense can rattle off four club tricks and two spades for down two. If I lead a club toward the king first, I'm still down one, since I don't have a ninth trick. But at least I don't go down more than necessary.

I play the eight of clubs. West hops with the ace, and East follows with the four. Now all I need is the diamond finesse. Unless West led from a singleton or from specifically seven-six-five, the finesse should work.

West shifts to the seven of hearts, and I capture East's king with my ace. I lead the nine of diamonds and pass it. It holds. Making three.

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

Plus 600 is worth 96%.

I was the only one who opened one notrump. At the other tables the auction went

North	South
Pass	1 ♦
1 ♥	1 ♠
3 ♦	?

Now what? Most of the field passed and went plus 110 or 130. Four players bid three notrump despite their lack of a club stopper. Each one of them then found a different way to go down. Perhaps they were feeling guilty.

Personally I don't care for North's three-diamond bid. This hand looks more like notrump than diamonds, so I would rebid one notrump, which would end the auction. The defense will probably start with a club to three ace. Now making three is easy. You get 93% for plus 150, so reaching game was an unnecessary risk.

Free Weekly Instant Tournament - November 14 - Board 4

Board 4
Both sides vulnerable

You can also watch Alex play this deal on the Gargoyle Chronicles YouTube channel:

♠ A 10 7 4 3  ♥ K 2  ♦ Q 8  ♣ Q 10 5 4

Three passes to me. I open one spade. Partner raises to two spades, and the opponents let me play it. West leads the seven of clubs.

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

West	North	East	South
Robot	Robot	Robot	Phillip
Pass	Pass	Pass	1 ♠
Pass	2 ♠	(All pass)

There are 20 HCP missing. Since both opponents are passed hands, they must be distributed 10-10 or 9-11. If either opponent had a stiff spade, he would have made a take-out double of spades, so spades are almost surely splitting.

What losers to I have? One club, two diamonds, and one or two spades. Although I do have to do something about the fourth round of clubs.

I play low from dummy, East plays the jack. So the lead is either from a doubleton or from specifically nine-eight-seven. Either way, I can ruff a club in dummy without being overruffed. I win with the queen and return the four of clubs. West plays the six, so the lead was from a doubleton.

East captures dummy's king with the ace and shifts to the king of diamonds. From ace-king? No. That would give him 12 HCP. He must have king doubleton. I play low; West plays the deuce. East continues with the six of diamonds to my queen and West's ace.

West returns the five of diamonds. East ruffs dummy's nine with the deuce of spades and I overruff with the three. I was intending to ruff a club in dummy. But that might not be such a good idea now. I can always make two by ruffing a club. But I have a chance to make three if I pick up spades for one loser. If I play a club and West ruffs in with an honor, I won't know how to do that.

If this is the layout after West ruffs in:

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

I need to cash the spade ace.

If this is the layout:

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

I need to finesse against East's king.

Maybe there's a way I can avoid guessing. If I'm right that no one started with a stiff spade, then spades are now either 2-2 or 3-1. That means I can pick up spades for one loser whenever possible by playing ace and another. If spades are 2-2, I can then ruff my club in dummy to make an overtrick. But if they're 3-1, West will draw dummy's last trump to stop the ruff.

But perhaps I don't need to ruff the club. Both opponents are passed hands. When I find out where the spade honors are, will I know who has the heart queen?  If East has the queen of spades, he has 10 HCP, so he can't have the heart queen. I can finesse against West for a pitch. If West has both spade honors, then he has 10 HCP, so the heart queen must be with East. I don't have the communication to finesse him for it. But he has the club guard, so I can squeeze him in hearts and clubs.

Sounds good. I play ace and a spade. West cashes the king and queen of spades while East pitches a club and a heart. We are down to this position:

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

If West exits with a diamond, East is squeezed immediately. If West exits with a heart, I can win with my king and cash the last trump to squeeze East. 

West chooses to exit with a heart. Unfortunately, East plays the queen, spoiling all my fun. The robots are such killjoys. Making two.

The full deal:

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

A few declarers went down, so plus 110 is worth 71%. I see that one declarer played exactly as I did except that, when West exited with a heart at the end, East didn't play the queen. Declarer won with the king in his hand and took a heart finesse to go down. 

Strange. Should I be flattered? The robots know I'll find the squeeze, so, against me, they give up? But against this declarer they say, "I know this guy. He can't count to ten. No way I'm going to make it easy for him"? 

Free Weekly Instant Tournament - November 14 - Board 3

Board 3
Opponents vulnerable

If you prefer, you can watch Alex untangle herself on this board on Gargoyle Chronicle's YouTube channel:

♠ A Q  ♥ K J 9 5 3  ♦ A Q 4  ♣ 9 5 3

With five hearts, a balanced hand, and 15 or 16 HCP, you pretty much have to open one notrump. If you open one heart, you have no rebid after a one-spade response. I have 16 HCP, so I open one notrump and buy it. LHO leads the four of spades.

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

West	North	East	South
Robot	Robot	Robot	Phillip
			1 NT
(All pass)

I play low from dummy. East plays the king, and I win with the ace.

After the opponents knock out the spade queen, hearts will be the only entry to dummy's diamonds and diamonds will be the only entry to my hearts. When each of your suits is the entry to the other one, untangling yourself can be tricky.

Obviously I'm going to play a heart to the ace and start diamonds. Should I lead the jack or should I lead low to the queen? 

Leading the jack allows me to repeat the finesse if it works. If East has king doubleton or king third, I can then take five diamonds, five hearts (probably), and two spades--twelve tricks in all.

If I lead low to the queen and it holds, I can return to dummy to repeat the finesse. If East has king doubleton, this line yields the same five diamond tricks as leading the jack. But if East has king third, I have no way to return to dummy after the second finesse wins. I'll take three diamond tricks instead of five. So if the king is on my right, I prefer to lead the jack. 

What if West has the diamond king? If I lead the jack and the finesse loses, I’ve just blocked both red suits. I can’t run both of them—even if they don’t cash their club tricks. So low to the queen, keeping a small diamond in hand, looks tempting. That line works nicely if West takes his king and doesn’t find the club switch. I take four diamonds, five hearts, and two spades--eleven tricks. But is that defense likely? 

I'm marked with ace-queen of spades, the heart king, and the diamond queen. West can be pretty sure I have the diamond ace as well, else I would attack diamonds from my hand. That makes 15 HCP. I could have the club queen, but that requires me to have a maximum without the heart jack. And if West is looking at the club queen himself, he knows for sure I'm wide open in clubs. So I think he is quite likely to find the club switch.

And even if he doesn't, he can still give me problems. If he doesn't intend to switch to clubs, why win the diamond king at all? He can just duck and make me use my heart entry to repeat the finesse. Now the diamond suit is dead. Ducking with king third or fourth isn't hard. A wily defender might duck even with king doubleton. 

In short, if West has the diamond king, low to the queen might work. But West has two ways to counter. He can win and cash clubs, or he can duck. Unless he does neither, low to the queen doesn't do any better than leading the jack. And, since leading the jack is clearly better if East has the king, that's the play I'm going with.

I play the five of hearts--deuce--ace--four. Both opponents played low, but, since I concealed the three, West doesn't know that. If West could count on his partner to signal loudly, my leading the five wouldn't matter. But if the opponents insist on playing bloodless count, it would be remiss of me not to take advantage. (Yes, I know. The BBO robots don't give count at all when following suit--bloodless or otherwise. But it's good to stay in the habit of playing your spots correctly.) 

I lead the diamond jack--nine--four--king. This is the position, with West on lead:

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

West continues with the ten of hearts to dummy's queen, killing the entry while the diamonds are blocked. Perhaps leading the jack gained after all? Maybe blocking the diamonds tempted him to "punish" me and kept him off the club play.

I cash my diamonds. East discards the eight of clubs and the three of spades. 

Both opponents follow to the king of hearts. So West was three-four in the red suits and started with six black cards. He led the spade four, and the deuce is still out, so he might have started with five spades. If so, he's 5-3-4-1, which gives East six clubs. No. East would have balanced with six clubs. So I'm betting East is 4-3-4-2. 3-3-4-3 is also possible. The robots do like to lead three-card suits against notrump.

On the fourth heart, West pitches the seven of spade; East, the deuce. There's the deuce. West didn't start with five spades.

On the last heart, West pitches his diamond; East pitches the deuce of clubs. The BBO robots do give count when discarding, so East's eight-deuce suggests he started with four clubs. That means West is 3-3-3-4-3, and this is the current position:

	NORTH Robot ♠ 10 8 ♥ -- ♦ 10 ♣ J
WEST Robot ♠ x ♥ -- ♦ -- ♣ ? ? ?		EAST Robot ♠ x x ♥ -- ♦ -- ♣ ? ?
	SOUTH Phillip ♠ Q ♥ -- ♦ -- ♣ 9 5 3

It can't hurt to exit with a club. I can't imagine how the opponents could mess this ending up, but I'll leave it to them to find a way. 

I exit with the three of clubs. West ducks this to his partner's king. East returns a club to his partner's ace and queen, and I score the spade queen at the end.

 Making three.

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

West can take one more trick by switching to a club. And he knows his partner has the king. So why didn't he find it? Perhaps he thought this was the layout:

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

If so, then a heart return holds me to eight tricks while cashing clubs lets me take nine.

But opposite a reliable partner, that layout isn't possible. This is a good example of why East must play the eight, not the four, to give count. And of why, on the actual deal, I must lead the five of hearts to dummy to take advantage if he doesn't.

Plus 150 should be a decent score. Those who lead a low diamond to the queen will tie my result if West ducks and will lose to it if he wins and cashes clubs.

And those who open one heart should play in two hearts after the auction

North	South
	1 ♥
1 NT	2 ♣
2 ♥	Pass

After a spade lead, they may draw two rounds of trump, take a diamond finesse, and run into a ruff to score 110. Even if they avoid the ruff, they score only 140. So plus 150 should tie or beat the other tables.

But the field produced a variety of bizarre results. The scores ranged from plus 430 to minus 200. Plus 150 is worth 57%.

Free Weekly Instant Tournament - November 14 - Board 2

Board 2
Our side vulnerable

This post is also available in in video format on YouTube:

♠ A Q 9 7  ♥ K 8 5  ♦ A 10 7 5  ♣ 8 3

I open one diamond in second seat. Partner responds one heart. I like a one-spade rebid to show an unbalanced hand, but the robots play that one notrump denies four spades. If I don't want to risk missing a four-four spade fit, I have to bid one spade.

I do so, and partner bids one notrump. Everyone passes, and my RHO leads the deuce of hearts.

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

West	North	East	South
Robot	Phillip	Robot	Robot
Pass	1 ♦	Pass	1 ♥
Pass	1 ♠	Pass	1 NT
(All pass)

Weird that West didn't lead a club on this auction. Perhaps he has the ace and is hoping his partner can lead through declarer.

The heart lead has given me three heart tricks. My two aces bring me up to five. I need two more. I have one more for sure in spades. I need an extra trick either in spades or in diamonds. 

I can't afford to give up the lead twice, however, since the opponents probably have five club tricks. Let's hope West led from a heart honor. If so, I can take three heart tricks without having to give up the lead. I'll capture East's honor with my ace, then lead a low heart to the eight. 

I play low from dummy; East plays the seven, and I win with the nine. OK. I've got my three heart tricks. West apparently led from queen-jack fourth.

Now I can try for three tricks in spades. I'll start by leading the jack. If it's covered, I've got two spade tricks, and I can establish a third to make my contract. If the jack loses to the king on my right, I can't afford to lose the lead again. So my main chance is that the ten of spades drops (which is slightly better than finessing against it). But if the defense makes the mistake of cashing five club tricks, they will correct the count for a potential squeeze. 

If they cash five clubs, ending in the East hand, I can come down to six cards with only one loser left. That's a recipe for a squeeze:

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

West guards hearts. If East has the diamond king, then he guards diamonds. That means neither opponent can guard spades. When I cash my red-suit winners, coming down to this position:

	NORTH Phillip ♠ A Q 9 ♥ -- ♦ -- ♣ --
	SOUTH Robot ♠ 8 ♥ 10 ♦ Q ♣ --

each opponent must be down to a doubleton spade, so the ten is dropping.

The usual way to break up a double squeeze is to attack the entry to the double threat. East can't afford to do that, since he's leading into dummy's spade tenace. But if they cash clubs ending in the West hand, West can break up the squeeze with spade lead. But that's OK. If West has five clubs and four hearts, East has the spade length, so I don't need a double squeeze. A single squeeze will. I can pitch my heart threat, coming down to this position instead:

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

Now a spade shift doesn't kill my entry. If East has the diamond king, he is squeezed. If he doesn't, I need the spade ten to drop.

I lead the jack of spades and West covers. No squeezes necessary. I take the ace. East plays the six. I can now finesse against the spade ten. If it loses, I have seven tricks. If it wins, I have eight.

I lead the eight of hearts to my ace. Now I float the eight of spades. East wins, and I prepare for a barrage of clubs.

East cashes the king; West plays the four. Then the ace; West plays the ten. East now surprises me by abandoning clubs. He shifts to the four of spades, on which West pitches the four of diamonds.

West must have the queen of clubs for East to have given up on the suit. Probably queen ten third. The robots need to learn to signal. West should have encouraged with the club ten on the first club trick. Then East could underlead and they would get their five club tricks. After this defense, I may be able to set up a diamond for an overtrick.

I cash the last spade. West pitches the deuce of diamonds, apparently completing his echo to show four. If I've read the position correctly, this is the layout:

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

I don't care who has the diamond king. The clubs are blocked and I still have a heart stopper, so I play ace and a diamond, setting up a diamond for my eighth trick.

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

Plus 120 is worth 89%.

Quite a few declarers misplayed this one. After the spade finesse won, they found themselves in this position:

	NORTH ♠ Q 9 7 ♥ K 8 ♦ A 10 7 5 ♣ 8 3
	SOUTH ♠ 8 3 ♥ A 10 6 ♦ Q 8 3 ♣ 7 6 2

They then played a low diamond from dummy. Those who guessed out the diamond suit survived. Those who didn't, went down. 

But why take that risk? A diamond play makes no sense. Yes, you might set up two diamond tricks for an overtrick. But taking the spade finesse might yield an overtrick also. And it has the advantage that you still make your contract if it doesn't work.

Free Weekly Instant Tournament - November 14 - Board 1

Board 1
Neither side vulnerable

I hope you played in last week's Free Weekly Instant Tournament on BBO. If so, you can compare with either Alex or me in the following weeks. Surprisingly, Alex did exactly the same thing as I did on every board:

♠ A 7  ♥ K 6 5 4  ♦ A K 10 8  ♣ A 7 3

Two passes to me. I have 18 HCP and a balanced hand, so I open one diamond, intending to rebid two notrump.

LHO overcalls with one heart, and partner raises to two diamonds. I bid two notrump as planned, and everyone passes. LHO leads the jack of hearts.

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

West	North	East	South
Robot	Robot	Robot	Phillip
	Pass	Pass	1 ♦
1 ♥	2 ♦	Pass	2 NT
(All pass)

Some pairs will be in game. In fact, we would be in game if I held partner's hand. There's nothing I can do about the pairs who are in game and make it. But I want to make sure to beat anyone who go down. So my first job is to find eight tricks. Once I've ensured going plus, then I'll worry about beating the other pairs in two notrump.

I have six tricks off the top. I can establish a seventh in diamonds. If either minor-suit queen is onside, I have an eighth. West did overcall, however, so he has a better hand than East. Could it be right to try to drop a doubleton queen of diamonds in his hand?

If West has the club queen, I don't need to pick up diamonds, so let's assume East has it. Let's also assume West has at most two diamonds, else my diamond play won't matter. In that case, West probably has the spade king for his overcall.

♠ K x x  ♥ A J 10 x x  ♦ x x  ♣ x x x

and

♠ K x x  ♥ A J 10 x x  ♦ Q x  ♣ x x x

both look like fine overcalls to me. Since East has three diamonds to West's two, he is more apt to have the queen. So the first hand is more likely. 

Might West also overcall with

♠ J x x  ♥ A J 10 x x  ♦ Q x  ♣ x x x ?

The tooltip says the overcall shows 8+ HCP, but a doubleton queen in opener's suit isn't worth 2 HCP in my book. Still, robots aren't big on evaluation, so he might overcall. If so, that makes playing for the drop a bit more attractive. But once you consider the possibility that West might have a stiff diamond, the odds shift way in the other direction. It's clearly right to finesse.

I play the seven of hearts from dummy. (Always stay flexible with your spots.) East plays the queen. In some scenarios, it would be right to duck, so they can't set up their heart tricks easily. But here I don't want East switching to a spade, so I can't afford to duck. Besides, I might never score my heart king if I do. So I win with the king.

I cash the diamond king. West plays the nine; East, the three. I play the seven of clubs. (My closest spot to middle.) West plays the nine. I play the jack from dummy, and East follows with the deuce.

I've made my contract. Now it's about overtricks. I lead the diamond jack from dummy--five--eight--six. If West has the spade king, he's going to feel some pressure when I cash diamonds. I play a diamond to my hand. West pitches the four of spades. On the last diamond, he pitches the three of hearts. Yes. He's feeling pressure.

East pitches the three of spades. I still haven't seen the spade deuce. One of the opponents is probably pitching bloodless count. Either West has Kx42 or East has Jxxx32.

I've never understood bloodless count. If you don't want to give count, then don't. If you do, play your loudest card. What's the point of playing a card partner can't read?

I cash the club ace. West drops the queen; East plays the six. When I lead a club to dummy's king, both opponents follow. This is the current position. West is apparently down to two spades and three hearts:

	NORTH Robot ♠ Q 9 ♥ 8 2 ♦ -- ♣ 8
	SOUTH Phillip ♠ A 7 ♥ 6 5 4 ♦ -- ♣ --

I cash the last club. East plays the spade deuce. (There it is.) I pitch a small heart, and West pitches the heart ace, coming down to two spades and two hearts. Not his best move. I toss him in with a heart and he has to lead from his king of spades at the end. Making five.

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

Plus 210 is worth 93%. One pair bid three notrump and made it. Everyone else was in a partscore.

West's pitching down to two spades and two hearts was a mistake. I had a complete count, so the only way he could gain was if I had ace-ten of spades and played him for the spade jack at the end.

What he should do is pitch two spades immediately, then a heart--preferably the nine. Now I have three chances to go wrong. With ace-jack, I might finesse. With ace-ten, I might lead the queen from dummy, trying to pin the jack. I should guess right, of course, since the spade king gives East a weak two-bid. But at least coming down to a stiff king gives me the opportunity to make a mistake.

What about the third chance to go wrong? I might miscount. Sometimes declarer is careless and doesn't pay full attention to the early discards. A heart discard at the end is less suspicious--especially if it's the nine, since it looks as if you have ace-ten left. A spade discard screams that you're coming down to a singleton.