IMPROVE YOUR PLAY #10 with Larry Matheny
The goal of most preemptive bids is to make it difficult for the opponents to reach their best contract.  Often these bids also allow you to find a good sacrifice against their contract.  Of course, some preempts merely aid the opponents in playing the hand or cause them to reach a good contract they may not have bid without your interference.  See how you would have done with this hand.

North-South vulnerable at IMPs.

Hand #10
Dlr   E
Vul N-S
S Q10632
H AQ1064
D AKQ
C
S A987
H
D J8762
C AKJ5
    
S KJ5
H 982
D 3
C Q109863

S 4
H KJ753
D 10954
C 742
West North
 East
 South

  Pass
   Pass
  1D
   2D  Pass
 4H
Pass
      5D     Pass
     5H
All Pass




BIDDING:  North cue bid 2D to show a major two-suited hand and South jumped to game.  If North was weak, it might be a good sacrifice; if North was strong, there should be a good play for the game.  North tried for slam by cue bidding 5D, but South had nothing more to say.

PLAY:  West led the ace of clubs and South had no trouble bringing in twelve tricks.  What does this have to do with preempts?  This was a team game and I was North at the other table.  East opened the bidding with 3C, South passed, and West raised to 5C.  I doubled hoping partner would bid his best suit but he decided to take the "sure plus score" and passed.  East ruffed the opening heart lead and was able to scramble for twelve tricks.  That was +680 at one table and +650 at the other.  We lost the match.  Sometimes preempts work....

Copyright ©2007 Larry Matheny.