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TALES OF AKARANA

Getting to Game…the right game.  

When one partner has a really strong strong no-trump hand (18 count) and their

partner a good long heart suit, you would think getting to 4Heart-small would be a formality…

but this was not always the case on one board last night. The problem was caused by an

opponent’s weak jump overcall:

 

Board 25
North Deals
E-W Vul
Q J 7
A 9 5
8 7 3
A 7 6 3
K Q 7 4 3 2
9 4 2
J 10 4 2
 
N
W   E
S
 
K 9 8 5
J 8
A K Q 6
K Q 8
 
A 10 6 4 3 2
10 6
J 10 5
9 5
West North East South
  Pass 1  2 
?      

 

West would like to bid but lacks the point count to call 3Heart-small. The options, without employing science, seem to be double or pass. If West doubles and East bids a minor at the 3 level, the theory is West can now call 3Heart-small to show the type of hand they hold. In this case, had West doubled, North might choose to raise the stakes to 3Spade-small. Now, East must be watchful as although they would like to bid 3NT, what turns out as reality is that one hold in no trumps is not enough. A “do something sensible” double by East of 3Spade-small would be wiser. Yet, should West really be happy with 3NT as the final contract? For West, with a void,it should be a case of bidding what you have got and preparing the apology note if it is wrong! On this occasion, the note can be torn up!

After West’s double of 2Spade-small, North could do better by passing. East might also choose to pass, a disaster for East-West. The other option of 3NT should be converted to 4Heart-small but the onus is on both players to bid sensibly to reach the routine game.

If West chooses to pass over 2Spade-small, then only a strong 2NT call by East, not my favourite action, would save the day for East-West.

However, I did mention science above…and lovers of Lebensohl can come to the fore with a competitive “forcing to 3C” 2NT by West who certainly would like to try a competitive 3Heart-small. After that, with East far from minimum, reaching 4Heart-small should be a formality with North saving a little for his partnership by diving in 4Spade-small, doubled but only -500.

No South scored a club ruff which holds 4Heart-small to only 10 tricks. A few East players found themselves in 3NT on a low spade lead. When the jack appears from North, East can afford to duck, but disaster beckons if the Spade-smallQ is also ducked. When the king appears, it is South’s turn to assess the situation. If East holds both the Spade-small9 and Spade-small8, the suit will not run for South. Thus, South must duck too and hope North has a third spade. Accurate defence is then rewarded when after Heart-smallJ is ducked, a second heart is taken by North and four more rounds of spades will initiate an East-West discussion as to why “Hamman’s Rule” of trying 3NT does not apply on the East-West cards.

Richard Solomon

 

 

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