Maybe that's a stretch but they are a fun part of the game. Sometimes the difference between opening a weak two on QT9874 or QT8532 is two doubled undertricks.
Here's a little hand that came up recently. North opened 1
♦, you bid 1
♥ and when South bid 1NT everyone was speechless.
| | ♠ | K T 7 3 |
|---|
| ♥ | K 9 |
|---|
| ♦ | A Q J 4 |
|---|
| ♣ | T 4 2 |
|---|
|
|  | | ♠ | Q 2 |
|---|
| ♥ | A T 7 6 4 3 |
|---|
| ♦ | K T 3 2 |
|---|
| ♣ | A |
|---|
|
| |
Declarer plays small off the table fairly quickly at trick one but you'd better think. If partner has 8x and declarer QJx then any heart will do. But if partner had only the eight then you must play the ten.
Declarer wins and loses a diamond finesse to you. Cash the Ace of hearts and now using your magic
♥7643 force out declarers remaining Q5.
Any other card at trick one gives declarer 3 hearts and the contract.
| | ♠ | K T 7 3 |
|---|
| ♥ | K 9 |
|---|
| ♦ | A Q J 4 |
|---|
| ♣ | T 4 2 |
|---|
|
| ♠ | J 9 8 5 |
|---|
| ♥ | 8 |
|---|
| ♦ | 8 7 6 5 |
|---|
| ♣ | K J 6 3 |
|---|
| | | ♠ | Q 2 |
|---|
| ♥ | A T 7 6 4 3 |
|---|
| ♦ | K T 3 2 |
|---|
| ♣ | A |
|---|
|
| | ♠ | A 6 4 |
|---|
| ♥ | Q J 5 2 |
|---|
| ♦ | 9 |
|---|
| ♣ | Q 9 8 7 5 |
|---|
|
Wow, I tried to comment and it went into a black hole before I could finish! I'm working on BridgeBlogging.com doing some web work for Master Point Press, a Canadian company. We carry a number of feeds on our Home page and your blog is one of them. If you would like to have your picture (or any reasonable small image) displayed beside your posts, sent it to me (john.r.goold@gmail.com or john@goold.net). You can check out bridgeblogging.com at that address.
ReplyDeleteKinda cool how stiff 8 is better than stiff Q or J. Maybe one to bear in mind as declarer with K9 opp Q8xx without the 6 when LHO leads what could be a singleton J (or T with RHO erring by ducking): ducking the first trick completely will prevent RHO running the suit without three entries.
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