IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
with Larry Matheny

It's often dangerous to make a overcall when vulnerable but sometimes it costs a lot more when you don't .  Take a look at this hand with two very different results.

Scoring:  Matchpoints (Pairs)

Hand #46
Dlr   W
Vul N/S
S K
H AQ976
D 10632
C AK4
S AJ97
H K10
D AQ854
C Q6
    
S 1052
H 4
D KJ97
C 87532

S Q8643
H J8532
D
C J109
West North
 East
 South
1NT
 All Pass

   
    
   
  




     1D     1H    2D    4H
All Pass
  

   
 
BIDDING:  At one table, West counted his points and opened 1NT.  North had a nice hand but his five-card suit had a few holes in it and he knew his left hand opponent was always quick to double.  So, he timidly passed and 1NT became the final contract.  At another table, West decided to open with diamonds and later show his spades.  North had a good overcall, East raised diamonds (denying spades- no negative double), and South made a preemptive leap to game.  Poor West reluctantly  passed but silently wondered if he had made a mistake.

PLAY:  At table one, North led a low heart and West wrapped up seven tricks (1 spade, 1 heart, and five diamonds).  At the second table, North ruffed the opening diamond lead, took the heart finesse, and ended up with twelve tricks when the club queen was on-side. 

As you can see, no one actually made a major error but one wrong decision is all it takes to change a top to a bottom.  What a great game this is!

Copyright ©2008 Larry Matheny.