IMPROVE YOUR PLAY #06-07 with Larry Matheny

It's an unstated rule that if you are going to bid aggressively, you better be a good declarer.  That is, of course, if you want to keep your partner.  See if you would have brought this contract home.

Scoring:  Matchpoints

Hand #7
Dlr  S
Vul N-S
S KJ9874
H AJ4
D J106
C 7
S 6
H K1076
D Q82
C 109854
    
S 105
H Q53
D 754
C QJ632

S AQ32
H 982
D AK93
C AK
West North
 East
 South



2NT
   Pass     3H*      Pass
     4S
   Pass
     5H     Pass
     6S
All Pass


*Jacoby Transfer

BIDDING:  After hearing his partner's opening bid of 2NT, North thought that slam was possible if South had a great spade fit.  This partnership uses both Jacoby and Texas transfer bids, so South decided to transfer with 3H and then raise his partner to 4S to show a 6+ card suit with invitational slam values.  With no slam interest, he would just transfer to 4S and pass.  When South jumped to 4S showing a great hand and four card support, North cooperated by cue bidding the ace of hearts.  This was all the encouragement South needed to bid the slam.

PLAY:  After West's bold lead of a low heart, declarer could count only eleven tricks.  It was clear the extra trick would have to come from the diamond suit.  He could finesse East for the queen but he saw a slightly better play.  After winning the heart ace and drawing trumps, he played the ace and king of diamonds hoping the queen would drop.  Failing at that, he next played his two club honors discarding dummy's last diamond.  South then ruffed a diamond in dummy and was delighted to see the queen appear.  He then entered his hand with a spade to discard one of dummy's low hearts on the good diamond.  He conceded a heart and had his twelve tricks.

Note this line of play in the diamond suit loses only to QXXX or longer in the East hand.  Also, note that without an opening heart lead, declarer would have an easy play for the slam by taking the diamond finesse.  When it lost, he could discard dummy's low hearts on the club king and the fourth diamond.  The opening lead dictated the correct play in the diamond suit.

Copyright ©2007 Larry Matheny.