IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
with Larry Matheny

Sometimes it's not clear if a contract is bid to make or if it's an attempted sacrifice.  It's often right to bid one more just to be safe.  With this hand, neither side was sure who could make what.

Scoring:  Matchpoints (Pairs)

Hand #28 Dlr   N Vul N/S 94 65 108743 AQ102 K52 KJ1072 98753      QJ10873 Q94 K5 K4 A6 A83 AQJ962 J6

West North East South Pass 1 2    3     4     4     5    Pass    Pass    DBL    Pass    Pass    Pass

                                                                                         
BIDDING:  South had a maximum hand for his diamond overcall.  West, holding seven high card points plus a use void, cue bid diamonds to show a good raise for his partner's suit.  North knew his partner would not make a weak vulnerable overcall so he offered a raise.  East wasn't sure who could make what so she bid one more.  At first South thought about doubling but it sure sounded like the opponents had a void in diamonds so he also bid one more.  With no aces, East made a questionable double of the final contract.

PLAY:  West led a low spade won by declarer.  A quick look at the hand offered declarer a winning play.  At trick two he led the jack of clubs to East's king.  East cashed a spade and shifted to a low heart but it was too late.  Declarer won the ace, went to dummy with a club, and took the diamond finesse.  A second round of trumps picked up the king and all declarer had to do was lead another diamond to dummy and discard his two heart losers on the good clubs. 

The opponents' spade contract could be defeated by the unlikely lead of a low heart or ace and another heart.  Then when in with the spade ace, South can give North a heart ruff.  This was certainly an interesting hand.

Copyright ©2009 Larry Matheny.