IMPROVE YOUR PLAY #20 with Larry Matheny
One of the most important factors when bidding is the vulnerability.  Many players will make a decision to overcall or make a penalty double without taking this into consideration.  Take a look at this hand.

VUL: N/S
SCORING: Matchpoints

Hand #20
Dlr   S
Vul N-S
S K107542
H 65
D QJ98
C 6
S J83
H Q872
D 1076
C 543
    
S 9
H KJ9
D AK43
C KJ1098

S AQ6
H A1043
D 52
C AQ72
West North
 East
 South

 
1NT
 Pass 2H*  3C 3S
  Pass
    4S All Pass
     
   
    


*Jacoby Transfer

BIDDING:  South had a classic 1NT opener and the lack of a diamond honor did not deter him.  If he opened 1C, he had no good rebid after a 1S response from his partner.  North made a transfer bid of 2H showing at least a five-card spade suit.  East had a nice hand but overcalling at the three level with only a five-card suit is very dangerous.  South had to decide whether to double or bid spades.  The vulnerability was the deciding factor.  If game was possible in spades, they would have to defeat 3C four tricks (+800) to beat a score of +620 for making 4S.  With any other vulnerability, double would have been more appealing.

PLAY:   West led a low club won by declarer.  South looked at the situation and as is usually the case after a transfer sequence, saw it would be easier to establish dummy.  At trick two declarer led a diamond to the queen.  East won the ace and shifted to a trump won in hand by declarer with the ace.  South now led another diamond to the nine and king.  The percentage is for the ace and king of diamonds to be split but East's overcall marked him with both honors.  South won the trump continuation with the queen and ruffed a club to get to dummy.  He now ruffed a diamond to his hand and then went back to dummy with a club ruff to pull the last trump.  Dummy's heart loser was discarded on the club queen and declarer scored eleven tricks for +650. 

Note that East would have scrambled at least six tricks for down three and a score of only -500.  Also see how East's overcall helped declarer find the outstanding high cards.

Copyright ©2007 Larry Matheny.