IMPROVE YOUR PLAY #12 with Larry Matheny
We continue to discover how the experts always seem to guess right against you.  To do this, we look at the basic techniques of counting, remembering the bidding, and taking proper inferences from the cards as they are played.  Sit in the South seat and see how you would have done with this hand.


East-West vulnerable at IMPs.

Hand #12
Dlr   W
Vul E-W
S 876
H AQJ5
D 43
C 8765
S Q2
H K107
D QJ987
C AQ2
    
S 543
H 9843
D A52
C J109

S AKJ109
H 62
D K106
C K43
West North
 East
 South
1D Pass  Pass
 Dbl
 Pass 2H  Pass
 2S
 Pass
     3S  All pass
   






BIDDING:  In the pass-out seat, simply bidding a suit usually shows a hand of around 8-13 high card points.  With more it is usually correct to start with a double.  North was aggressive, first jumping to 2H and then raising your spade bid.  Holding no extras values, you find a pass.

PLAY:  West's lead of the queen of diamonds is won by East with the ace.  East now switches to the jack of clubs which you duck.  He continues with a club won by West with the queen.  West cashes the ace of clubs and exits with a heart.  You've lost four tricks so how do you bring in the rest?

Just REMEMBER THE BIDDING and the solution is easy.  East passed his partner's bid and has shown up with the diamond ace and the jack of clubs.  That means the heart king and the spade queen are both in the West hand.  You must play for the spade queen to drop under your ace or king.

Copyright ©2007 Larry Matheny.