Bridge

IN the modern style South overcalls IH instead of making a take-out double. North’s 2C, a cue-bid in the opponent’s suit, indicates a sound raise to at least 2H and the heart game is reached. West leads a club and East scores three rounds of the suit. You must now score all the remaining tricks. How will you attempt to do this when East switches to a trump? It is quite a difficult play to find, so feel free to look at all four hands. East surely holds the spade king for his opening bid. You must aim to squeeze him in spades and diamands. Play all five trumps, throwing the spade nine from dummy. East must find one more discard from K-7 of spades and J-9-6-4 of diamonds. Whatever he throws, you will be able to untangle a fifth trick from the spades or diamonds. If he throws a diamond, you will cash the A-Q of that suit and cross to dummy with the spade ace to enjoy two more diamond tricks. If instead East bares the spade king, you will cross to the bare ace of spades and return to your hand with a diamond to score the queen and jack of spades. You do not need to guess which cards East has kept because his 1C opening marks him with 4-1-4-4 shape.

What response will you make to partner’s opening bid of IH?

Answer

It is a common error to respond 1S here and then to wounder what to do when partner rebids 2H. Since you are worth two bids, you should respond 2C with the intention of continuing with 2S over a rebid of 2H. Prefect! You tell partner that you hold longer clubs than spades.

AWARDS: 2C-10, 1S-6, 2NT-3.

HOME