IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
with Larry Matheny

Giving meaning to a bid that is not otherwise used makes a lot of sense.  Here is an opportunity that comes up very rarely and this partnership was ready for it.

Scoring:  Matchpoints (Pairs Game)

Hand #30
Dlr   S
Vul E/W
S
H K9
D AKQ109852
C A103
S A10942
H AQ
D 4
C Q7652
    
S K3
H J1087654
D J
C KJ4

S QJ8765
H 32
D 763
C 98
West North
 East
 South



Pass
    1S    3S    Pass 
   3NT
All Pass
      


BIDDING:   North's jump in the opponents' suit asked South to bid 3NT with a spade stopper.  South was certainly nervous but did as he was asked. 

PLAY:  East won the low spade lead with the king and returned a low spade to the jack and ace.  West saw he could not defeat the contract but did not want to give away overtricks.  With this in mind, he made a club shift trying to hold declarer to nine tricks.  Declarer won the ace of clubs and followed with the ace of diamonds.  When the jack dropped, declarer led a diamond to his hand, cashed the spade queen, and ran the rest of the diamonds for ten tricks and +430.   Those who ended in the more obvious contract of 5D were held to +400.

Note that an original club lead would have held declarer to nine tricks.  A passive diamond opening lead would allow a bold declarer to get to his hand with a second diamond and lead toward the king of hearts for the overtrick.  Matchpoints is not a game for the timid.

Copyright ©2008 Larry Matheny.