IMPROVE YOUR PLAY

With Larry Matheny

While you don’t want to panic after a few bad results, it may be time to make a move to correct the negative flow of IMPs or matchpoints. In this team game, I knew something was needed when this hand came up.

Scoring: IMPs (Teams)

Hand 12-48
Dlr	N
Vul	N/S

	AKQ7
	AKQ6
	765
	K2

	J9
	1083
	KQ1082
	Q103

	108653
	97542
	4
	J6

	42
	J
	AJ93
	A98754

West	North	East	South
-	2NT	Pass	3*
Pass	3NT	Pass	4
Pass	4	Pass	6
Pass	Pass	Pass

*relay to 3NT (minors)

Bidding: After six hands in a team game, I didn’t like our position so I decided to be aggressive with the South hand. After relaying to 3NT, my 4 bid was a slam try. My partner cooperated by cue bidding a heart control. With no interest in clubs, he would have signed off in 4NT. I simply bid the slam and hoped for the best.

Play: West led the king of diamonds and I liked my chances. I won the ace and needed a 3-2 club split. Both opponents followed to the ace-king of clubs so now I only needed the person with the last club to hold at least three hearts. I cashed the jack of hearts followed by a spade to dummy. I discarded diamonds on the ace and king of hearts and I was home free. I now pitched my last diamond on the queen of hearts as West ruffed.

While I thought I was aggressive, the N/S pair at the other table reached 6NT down two after a diamond lead from East. Plus scores of 1370 and 200 meant a 17 IMP swing and we were now ahead in the match.

Copyright ©2012 Larry Matheny