IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
with Larry Matheny

Some hands have such wild distribution it's difficult to know what to bid.  Here is one such hand that paid off when both partners took aggressive views.

Scoring:  Matchpoints (Pairs)
 
Hand #38
Dlr  W
Vul N-S
S A7
H KJ86542
D K987
C
S 83
H AQ10973
D 654
C 108
    
S QJ10962
H
D QJ103
C 754

S K54
H
D A2
C AKQJ9632
West North
 East
 South
2H Pass
 Pass
 5C
    Pass     6C All Pass  

BIDDING:  North couldn't believe it when he heard a 2H bid on his right but passed hoping his partner would make a takeout double.  South didn't know what was right but finally leaped to 5C.  Now it was up to North to determine how valuable his cards were to his partner.  A jump to a vulnerable game at the five level showed a very good hand so he finally decided his spade ace and diamond king were great cards and bid the slam.  He understood his heart cards would not help his partner.

PLAY:  West led the spade eight and declarer saw his only loser was a spade trick.  However, the bidding suggested East might have length in spades and diamonds so a squeeze was possible.  The play was easy.  He won the spade ace and ruffed a heart to his hand.  He then ran his eight clubs and East could not protect both pointed suits and eventually surrendered peacefully.  Bidding six and making seven was an excellent score.

There is no doubt North took a gamble raising with a void but he had confidence his partner would have an exceptionally strong hand to bid 5C.  Note that South was reluctant to double at his first opportunity because he was concerned his partner may pass and an eight card club suit certainly doesn't suggest defending.

Copyright ©2007 Larry Matheny.