Improve Your Play #06-01

IMPROVE YOUR PLAY #06-01 with Larry Matheny

It's often easy to reach your best contract when the opponents remain silent, but when there is interference, look out. I can describe this hand with two words: preempts work! Take a look.

Scoring: Matchpoints

Hand #1
Dlr	E
Vul	N-S

	KJ10954
	3

	KJ9832

	AQ63
	Q1074
	9873
	10

	872
	52
	KQJ654
	76


	AKJ986
	A102
	AQ54

West	North	East	South
		2	3
5	DBL	Pass	5
All Pass

BIDDING: East opened a weak two bid and South felt his hand was too good to merely overcall. A takeout double followed by a heart bid might work but might also encourage his partner to bid spades. He finally settled on a jump to 3

to show extra values and a good suit. Looking at favorable vulnerability, West leaped to 5

to put maximum pressure on his opponents. North had values but no hearts and finally decided to double. South closed the auction by rebidding his hearts, a questionable decision since his first bid showed a good suit and North did not raise.

PLAY: West led a diamond and declarer ruffed in dummy. There was no way for South to avoid losing two hearts and a diamond for down one when he was cold for a grand slam in clubs. Without the preempts, North would be able to show both of his suits and at least a small slam would likely be reached.

Note that East-West would be down three in 5

doubled for -500. That makes it a good sacrifice over 4