Improve Your Play #2

IMPROVE YOUR PLAY #2 with Larry Matheny

To slam or not to slam is often the question. Do you and your partner have the tools to avoid slam on this hand?

Hand #1 – East-West vulnerable at matchpoints.

Hand #1
Dlr	S
Vul	E-W

	A
	A10743
	AK875
	52

	J1032
	9
	J9
	AKQ974

	987654
	5
	1042
	J86

	KQ
	KQJ862
	Q63
	103

West	North	East	South
			1
2	2	pass	3
pass	5	all pass

BIDDING: After hearing his partner open 1, North was thinking slam but he was obviously concerned about the club suit. His leap to 5 asked South to cue bid 6 with first round control (in case a grand slam was possible), bid 6 with second round control, or pass with two (or more) losers. So many partnerships rely on some form of Blackwood for all slams but as you can see, it would not help here.

PLAY: West quickly won the first two club tricks after which declarer claimed. Several pairs reached the unsuccessful slam.