This deal came up at the club a couple of days ago.
North
♠ Q962
♥ AQJ1052
♦ 75
♣ 3
South
♠ AK105
♥ 9
♦ AQ109
♣ A1054
Matchpoints, North deals, none vul, EW passing throughout. Would you open as North? Either way, how would the auction go with your favourite partner?
Then suppose you're declaring 6♠ as South against a ♥7 lead. What's your plan? Would it change if the contract is only 4♠?
When Right Feels Wrong
Re: When Right Feels Wrong
I did open 1♥ as North. In close situations I count losers and this hand has only 6 of them. My rule of thumb is 6 yes, 7 maybe, 8 no. Of course points matter more -- you can have 4 Aces and 8 losers.
The lead looks like a singleton, doubleton or maybe top/middle from nothing. You've got some thinking to do.
Cross-ruffing to 12 tricks seems unlikely. You'll need the ♦K and probably ♠J onside and nothing overruffed. Better to use that lovely source of tricks in dummy's hearts.
The simplest line is to win the Ace and hope for friendly splits in hearts and trumps. Draw trumps ending in dummy, ruff out the ♥K and Bob's your uncle 12 tricks.
But what if a defender has a singleton in hearts or spades?
If hearts are 5-1 I see no chance for 12 tricks; winning the Ace and later ruffing out the King yields only 3 heart tricks. So let's move on and see if something can be done about a bad trump break.
It goes against all instincts, but look what happens when you duck the opening lead; East will surely win and return a heart thinking partner will ruff. When West doesn't ruff cash A and K of trumps; if everyone follows you have the rest. If West turns up with 4 trumps continue with the 10 to make sure you end in dummy when the last trump is drawn, and in that case after you run hearts you'll need the diamond finesse to work.
If West does ruff trick 2 then nobody will be taking 12 tricks, but you'll have an easy path to 11.
That took a minute or two of thought; at least one opponent has looked at their watch by now and partner is stifling a yawn. But you will make up for it by playing quickly!
At the club two of seven pairs bid slam. Breaks were friendly and most took 12 tricks.
The lead looks like a singleton, doubleton or maybe top/middle from nothing. You've got some thinking to do.
Cross-ruffing to 12 tricks seems unlikely. You'll need the ♦K and probably ♠J onside and nothing overruffed. Better to use that lovely source of tricks in dummy's hearts.
The simplest line is to win the Ace and hope for friendly splits in hearts and trumps. Draw trumps ending in dummy, ruff out the ♥K and Bob's your uncle 12 tricks.
But what if a defender has a singleton in hearts or spades?
If hearts are 5-1 I see no chance for 12 tricks; winning the Ace and later ruffing out the King yields only 3 heart tricks. So let's move on and see if something can be done about a bad trump break.
It goes against all instincts, but look what happens when you duck the opening lead; East will surely win and return a heart thinking partner will ruff. When West doesn't ruff cash A and K of trumps; if everyone follows you have the rest. If West turns up with 4 trumps continue with the 10 to make sure you end in dummy when the last trump is drawn, and in that case after you run hearts you'll need the diamond finesse to work.
If West does ruff trick 2 then nobody will be taking 12 tricks, but you'll have an easy path to 11.
That took a minute or two of thought; at least one opponent has looked at their watch by now and partner is stifling a yawn. But you will make up for it by playing quickly!
At the club two of seven pairs bid slam. Breaks were friendly and most took 12 tricks.