IMPROVE YOUR PLAY

With Larry Matheny

 

Minor suit slams are difficult to bid.  Many players just don’t have the tools and others are reluctant to bid past 3NT since it is often the winning contract. 

 

Scoring:  Matchpoints (Pairs)

#14-15

Dlr

E

Vul

N/S

S

AJ98

H

A9

D

107

C

A9732

S

 K1064

H

 765432

D

 832

C

 

/images/pad.bmp

S

 Q7532

H

 K8

D

 J654

C

 Q5

 

S

 

H

QJ10

D

AKQ9

C 

KJ10864

 

 

  West

 North

East

South

 -      

 -

 Pass

 1C

    Pass

 1S

 Pass

 2D

    Pass

    3C

   Pass

    3D

    Pass

    4C

   Pass

    4S

    Pass

    4NT

   Pass

    5D

    Pass

    7C

   Pass

   Pass

    Pass

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

       

   

Bidding:  South’s reverse into diamonds showed a big hand with at least five clubs.  North’s club raise established the trump suit and showed values.  South cue bid diamonds to show a control and then North asked for keycards (4 aces + trump king) by bidding 4C.  South showed two key cards without the club queen.  North bid 4NT to ask for kings and South showed the king of diamonds.  Knowing they held a minimum of ten trumps, North wasn’t worried about the missing club queen and bid the grand slam.

 

Play:  West led a heart won by the ace in dummy.  Declarer drew trumps followed by the top three diamonds discarding dummy’s last heart.  Now it was a simple cross ruff for thirteen tricks. 

 

 

 

Copyright 2014