Australia-Wide Restricted Pairs

[rod]

Pauly and I played in this by accident, as it was offered at the last minute by the club in yesterday's regular game. We placed first at the club level but it didn't matter beyond that because we have too many masterpoints to qualify at the restricted level. Lyn Smith and Jenny Archer were just behind us and placed 38th nationwide.

We did get a handy Souvenir Booklet with analyses of the deals, also available online.

I thought board 23 was interesting. South deals, all vulnerable.

♠ AK653
♥ AJ6
♦ J6
♣ A64

♠ J9
♥ 82
♦ 10852
♣ J10852

♠ 1074
♥ KQ54
♦ KQ73
♣ 93

♠ Q82
♥ 10973
♦ A94
♣ KQ7

I sat North and opened 1NT after two passes. With her square hand Pauly sensibly raised directly to 3NT, eschewing Puppet Stayman and the defensive clues that it would reveal.

The matchpoints depended entirely on overtricks. As East I probably would have led a small heart, figuring that since the offense had not explored for a major suit fit then a major suit lead was most likely to find a weakness. However that would have given declarer 12 tricks with astute play. East actually chose a small diamond which rode around to my Jack, and I then made the same 12 tricks when East did not find the right discards in hearts and diamonds. 100% for us. If East had somehow divined to lead the ♦K our result would not have been as good.

Everybody else played in spades, with +680 being the usual result after a high heart was led. It seems uncommon to open 1NT with a 5-card major as I did. If I had chosen 1♠ then Pauly might have bid a Drury 2♣, I would try 3NT and she could choose between pass and 4♠.

But what if you're in first seat and open 1♠? Partner responds 1NT and then you're in an uncomfortable position because 2NT would be a mild overbid while 2♣ would be vague and misleading. Furthermore with West on lead you won't be getting a top in 3NT.

There's actually a convention for this called Gazzilli which most club players have never heard of, but has a following among experts and advancing young players. Using that the auction would start like this:

North   South
1♠      1NT
2♣      2♦
2NT

which shows precisely this type of hand. 2♣ showed either a normal 2♣ rebid or 16+ HCP, and 2♦ showed any hand with 8+ HCP.

However North won't be declaring 3NT with that method either.

[rod]

I should elaborate on "astute play" for taking 12 tricks after a low heart lead. After the first trick and seven rounds of black cards the hands will come down to:

♠ 5
♥ A6
♦ J6
♣ --

♠ --
♥ 2
♦ 1085
♣ J

♠ --
♥ KQ5
♦ KQ
♣ --

♠ --
♥ 1097
♦ A9
♣ --

East is in a pickle when the last spade is cashed. If she discards a heart then a diamond is thrown from dummy and declarer plays Ace and another heart. If she discards a diamond then a heart is thrown from dummy and the defence takes only the last trick.

This is called a "squeeze without the count" because declarer will give up the lead after playing the squeeze card.