Just do what you're told

Here's the hand I held as East:

♠	8 7 6 5 4 3
♥	4
♦	9 4 3 2
♣	9 5

To prove that I can be disciplined I passed. First in chair, green against red and I passed. I know.

The next hand opened 1♦^* and partner bid 1♠. Well well well!

Fourth chair called 2♥ but I didn't care much because I had the 4♠ card already warmed up. Back round to righty it went who ventured 5♦ which partner doubled.

North	East	South	West
-	Pass	1♦	1♠
2♥	4♠	Pass	Pass
5♦	Pass	Pass	X
Pass	?

How good are you feeling about a pass?




It doesn't matter, just do what you're told! You bid correctly and if partner doesn't think they can make 11 tricks so be it. Silence that demon on your shoulder.

	♠ A ♥ Q T 9 7 6 ♦ J 8 6 ♣ K 8 4 2
♠ K J T 9 2 ♥ A K 3 2 ♦ Q ♣ A J 3		♠ 8 7 6 5 4 3 ♥ 4 ♦ 9 4 3 2 ♣ 9 5
	♠ Q ♥ J 8 5 ♦ A K T 7 5 ♣ Q T 7 6

When all is revealed N/S have clearly overstretched on marginal hands. Quite an out pouring of IMPs but you weren't really considering pulling it were you?

* Either 5+♦ or 15+ bal (weak NT system).

Little defensive slips

Defence is hard. Really hard. Often minor errors are never even recognised as mistakes and we go on thinking we're doing well.

I'll talk through a hand and you see if you can spot the mistake.

	♠ K 9 6 3 ♥ 7 ♦ 9 7 5 4 2 ♣ A 6 4
♠ J 7 4 ♥ J 6 3 ♦ K 6 3 ♣ Q J 9 2		♠ A 8 2 ♥ Q 9 8 4 ♦ Q T ♣ K 8 5 3
	♠ Q T 5 ♥ A K T 5 2 ♦ A J 8 ♣ T 7

South	North
1♥	1♠
1NT	End

The opening lead was the ♣Q to which partner flew with dummy's Ace and played a diamond to the Ten, Jack and King. The defence cashed three clubs and fired back a heart.

Partner now cashed the ♦A felling the ♦Q and played a spade towards the table. When the ♠K lost to the Ace partner claimed one spade, two hearts, four diamonds and a club; +120. The 8 of diamonds being the critical entry to the 9 on table.

In a weak NT field where most of the room can't open or rebid 1NT we got a great board for a plus score but there were a few NS making +110 in spades or diamonds so that over trick was crucial.

See the mistake?

It's all in the diamonds, imagine if West ducked the first round. The layout would look like this:

	♠ K 9 6 3 ♥ 7 ♦ 9 7 5 4 ♣ 6 4
♠ J 7 4 ♥ J 6 3 ♦ K 6 ♣ J 9 2		♠ A 8 2 ♥ Q 9 8 4 ♦ Q ♣ K 5 3
	♠ Q T 5 ♥ A K T 5 2 ♦ A 8 ♣ T

Now how will you get to dummy?

That's good but declarer can concede a spade to collect 7 tricks. Say East throws the Queen on the first round? It can hardly cost but now the pressure comes off West and rests back on South.

Suddenly with the diamond suit unclear declarer can see just 1 spade, 2 hearts, 1 diamond and 1 club. A diamond guess (continuing the Jack after covering the Queen with the Ace) will provide the 7th but a miss step will now lead to defeat.

Awful things happen (R18)

This post is unsuitable for those under the ages of 18, infirm or of delicate constitution. Reader discretion is advised.

If you're still here then you've admitted that you want to see horrible things.

Vul: EW Dealer: West	♠ Q T 9 8 7 5 ♥ 3 ♦ A K 8 2 ♣ T 3
♠ K J ♥ Q T 7 6 5 ♦ 7 5 ♣ A J 8 6		♠ A 4 3 2 ♥ 9 8 2 ♦ Q 6 4 3 ♣ K Q
	♠ 6 ♥ A K J 4 ♦ J T 9 ♣ 9 7 5 4 2

West kicked off the auction with 1♥. Presumably one of those sevens looked like a King the first time.

North with a weak jump overcall available decided that if two was good then three was better. 3♠.

East having heard their partner open at the one level figured a bad 11 count was worth a vulnerable game (we are playing match points after all) and bid 4♥

South stared into their crystal ball and then at the vulnerability. Finally, under no duress, deciding that +200 wasn't going to be any consolation when +420 was available and so bid 4♠.

To recap:

West	North	East	South
A	non	y	mous
1♥	3♠	4♥	4♠

Passed back to East who made the only good decision by doubling.

After cashing two clubs though East played a diamond letting declarer escape just one trick short.

There's no way I'm telling you which seat I was in.

10 tricks in hand

It's not often you don't need a partner to make game.

♠	A K Q J 9 6 3
♥	A
♦	9 6
♣	K Q J

No one liked my 5♣ opening last week but surely we can all agree this is worth 2♣. It can be tough to find out exactly what you want to know on these hands.

South	North
2♣	2♦
2♠	3♣
3♠	4♠

Seems normal. At my table it was:

South	West	North	East
2♣	2♦	Pass	Pass
X	Pass	2♥	Pass
2♠	Pass	4♠

Who bids over a game force at unfavourable? West it seems. I doubled on the chance partner wanted to defend, sadly not so we bid the spade game.

	♠ 7 4 ♥ Q J 4 2 ♦ Q 4 ♣ T 8 6 4 2
♠ 5 ♥ K 9 ♦ K J T 8 7 6 2 ♣ A 9 7		♠ T 8 2 ♥ T 8 7 6 5 3 ♦ A 3 ♣ 5 3
	♠ A K Q J 9 6 3 ♥ A ♦ 9 6 ♣ K Q J

It's a trap for those who fall in love with the hand. One little ace ask and you're over the edge.

Would you open 5C?

I thought everyone would open at the 5 level with this hand but half the room didn't. Would you?

♠	T
♥	-
♦	K T 8 7
♣	J T 9 8 7 6 3 2

Butler pairs (IMPs scoring) and you're first to act at nil vul.

Who passed?

If you bid you're unlucky. The auction is passed round to RHO who doubles and LHO leaves it in. If they get the defence right (or you miss guess the play) you go -800 against a game.

During the same set there was another interesting decision:

♠	A Q T 8 7 5 3
♥	A 8
♦	K 8 7
♣	5

This time you're favourable and RHO opens a multi 2♦^*.

You only have 13 highs but there's no useless values and a 7 card trump suit is worth a lot.

Imagine a "dummy" like:

♠	x x
♥	T x x x
♦	J x x
♣	J x x x

Often opposite this rather tragic sight you'll make 6 spades, a heart and a diamond, 8 tricks. That's about 3 tricks more than a more normal 15 count 5332 shape overcall. If partner has

♠	K
♥	T x x x
♦	Q T x
♣	J x x x x

You need to be in game. I antagonised briefly and bid 3♠.

Partner raised with ♠J ♥QJ3 ♦AQ965 ♣J864 and 10 tricks rolled home. I'm pretty sure I got lucky.

^* Weak two in either major, 20 - 22 balanced or strong two in either minor.