IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
with Larry Matheny

It's well known with our scoring structure that game in notrump is superior to that of a minor suit.  In fact, in a pairs event, five of a minor is usually a terrible result if the game in notrump succeeds with overtricks.  Here is a well bid hand that show the lengths to which you must go before giving up on notrump.

Scoring:  Matchpoints (Pairs Game)

Hand #21
Dlr   E
Vul N/S
S Q10
H K104
D KQ64
C AKQ6
S A9765
H 7
D 532
C 10754
    
S K43
H J98652
D 109
C 83

S J82
H AQ3
D AJ87
C J92
West North
 East
 South


 Pass
 1D
   Pass     2D*     Pass     2H
   Pass
     3C     Pass
     3D
   Pass
     3S     Pass
    3NT
All Pass


*Forcing raise

BIDDING:  North's diamond raise showed 10+ points, no four-card major, and at least four diamonds.  South showed a stopper in hearts as did North in clubs.  With no spade stopper, South stalled with another diamond bid.  Now it gets interesting, since North would bid 3NT with a spade stopper and South had denied one, North's spade bid asked for half of a stopper.  That would be K, QX, JXX, or 10XXX.  South obliged and the notrump game was reached.  North held extra values but was confident there were two losing spades.  South would have to hold a singleton king of spades for the slam to succeed.

PLAY:  West led a low spade and declarer claimed eleven tricks after winning the third spade.  His score of +660 would beat the +600 score of anyone in the diamond game.  In reality, in a small local game, the other five pairs were all down one in a diamond slam. 

Copyright ©2008 Larry Matheny.     stats