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Stay Safe at trick 1.

It’s Fri  Day  for Junior, Intermediate and Novice players…and others.

We learn quite early in our bridge careers about playing transfers when a player opens 1NT. Although their partner may turn out to have more high card points, the no-trump opener should have a balanced hand with at least 2 cards in every suit. They are likely to have an honour and if that honour is the king, or indeed a holding like AQ, then it is much better for that hand to be declarer than dummy.

It makes it harder for the opponents to take tricks in that suit quickly and by making the balanced hand declarer, it may be possible to eliminate the dangerous suit by discarding losing cards, as long as the suit is not led at trick 1.

 If a contract is played with KJ opposite two small cards, we would like the hand with the honours to be declarer. That hand is often the no-trump opener, hence the transfer.

Transfers though do not always apply but this principle does. Take the following deal where South opened 2, a game force bid:

 

What has North shown and what should South bid next?

You will be pleased to know that at that point there are at several correct answers but the key moment is still to come. South could bid 3 to show their heart suit or they could bid 2NT to show a balanced 23-24 hcp hand, even a direct ace-ask.  All are correct.
Yet, we have already found a fit as our partner has shown a positive response (at least 7 hcp) and at least 5 spades. So, bid 3 to confirm the fit and see how interested your partner is in slam (You certainly are!). If you had bid 3, your partner will simply raise to game but had you bid 2NT (my preference) or 3, your partner will now bid 3, almost certainly showing a 6-card spade suit.

You would now take control by asking for aces, or key-cards. Let’s say you are using simple Blackwood and that you had raised 2 to 3. The auction will go:

North             South

                        2
2                   3
4                   4NT
5 1 ace        ?

What now? An ace is missing but you would like to have a shot at slam. Rather like a transfer situation, you want the balanced hand, and in this case the very strong balanced hand to be declarer. So, try 6NT rather than 6. Keep your hand protected from a dangerous attack on the opening lead. Look at your club suit.

 

There is a big danger if you allowed your partner to play 6. East has a choice of three side-suit leads and might just pick a passive club. That would be far from passive as the defence would take the first two club tricks. As long as South is declarer, West can only cash A and then the next 12 tricks would belong to the declarer.

If South is declarer in 6NT, they can take six spade and five heart tricks along with A even if West found a safe heart lead. Of course, North may have Q or East might not find the club lead. Yet, it is a wise precaution for South to be declarer just in case. Also, playing Pairs, 6NT scores that bit better than 6 as well.

It is usually better for the balanced hand to be declarer, especially if they are strong just in case there is a dangerous lead like the club lead above. If there is a choice of contracts, play the safer one.

Richard Solomon

 

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