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TALES OF AKARANA

It’s Easier for Some

Just not for me. Somehow, when I pre-empt the opposition, the sky is the limit if they want to be aggressive. Yet, when the boot is on the other foot, the roof is just about to fall in!

I held what seemed a pretty standard 3Spade-small pre-empt after an opponent’s 1Heart-small opener, holding at favourable vulnerability:

Spade-small KQT8743

Heart-small -

Diamond-smallJT

Club-small 9872

4Spade-small even appealed but there is always the chance that partner can exact a 4 level penalty. That was not the case here:

 

Board 2
East Deals
N-S Vul
5 2
10 9
A K Q 6 5
Q 10 5 3
K Q 10 8 7 4 3
J 10
9 8 7 2
 
N
W   E
S
 
6
Q 7 6 3
9 7 4 3 2
K 6 4
 
A J 9
A K J 8 5 4 2
8
A J

 

North doubled negatively with South contenting themselves with 4Heart-small. Other tables bid on to 6Heart-small which just has to make after the normal Spade-smallK lead.

However, I had a more torrid time on another hand when my partner opened 1Diamond-small and South bid 3Heart-small at equal nil vulnerability. I held as West:

Spade-small AKQT9

Heart-small K6

Diamond-smallT8

Club-smallKQT5

3Spade-small was easy but what to do after partner’s 3NT? I was two tricks better than I might have been. Partner’s range was anything from 11 up. I had to move and rather than just bid a quantitative 4NT, I tried my second suit. When partner did very well to revert back to 4Spade-small, I decided that was enough. I would make a quiet 420 or 450. “Quiet”? No way!

 

 
Board 1
North Deals
None Vul
J 7 6 5 4 3
8
K 4 3 2
9 6
A K Q 10 9
K 6
10 8
K Q 10 5
 
N
W   E
S
 
8 2
A 3
A Q J 9 6
J 7 4 3
 
Q J 10 9 7 5 4 2
7 5
A 8 2
West North East South
  Pass 1  3 
3  Pass 3 NT Pass
4  Pass 4  All pass

 

North had very wisely not opened their weak 2. Why do that when you get to defend the suit at the 4 level! They led their heart and I was a tad surprised and disappointed when South showed out on the first round of trumps. I won and turned my attention to clubs. South took their ace and gave their partner a heart ruff. The club exit only prolonged the evil moment.

I had now to draw trumps as I could not allow West a second ruff and the Spade-smallJ. After scoring the jack, North switched to diamonds. It was a finesse that just had to work and did. Winning in hand, I could finally extricate North’s last trump and claim.

In a sense, I had it easy. Had South bid 4Heart-small first time, I had a choice of making a negative double (3 tables did and collected 500 when East converted) or dipping my toe in the water with 4Spade-small. In another sense, I was unlucky as one table played and made 4Spade-smallx. At my table, it would have made redoubled! We did avoid 5Club-small (thanks, partner), down played by West after a spade lead, ruffed, and heart switch.

However, I look forward to being able to exert in the future the same kind of pressure I was put under here rather than the rather easier actions my own pre-empt produced.  

Richard Solomon

 p.s. On the second example, there was a making slam…6NT on the diamond finesse and a squeeze. Just another of those unbiddable making contracts.

 

 

 

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