WEST’s 2S was a Michaels cue-bid, showing hearts and an unspecified minor suit. North’s 3H showed a sound raise to 3S at least and the next three bids were control-showing cue-bids. How would you play the spade slam when West leads the queen of hearts? It is almost certain, after West’s bid, that the ace of clubs is offside. Does this spell defeat for the slam? No, because when you run your winners in spades and diamonds, West will have to bare the ace of clubs in order to keep the hearts guarded. You win the heart lead with the ace and draw trumps in three rounds. You then play four rounds of diamonds, throwing a heart from your hand. A fourth round of trumps returns the lead to the South hand and you then lead your last trump. West must find a discard from J-10 of hearts and A-Q of clubs. If he throws a heart, you will have two heart winners in Dummy. So, let’s assume that he throws the queen of clubs. Dummy is down to K-5 of hearts and 4-3 of clubs. You throw a heart from dummy and then exit with a club to the bare ace. When west returns a heart you win and score the club king. Slam made!
What will you say now?
Answer
In the old days you would have to redouble because 1H was used as a rescue bid. Nowadays players prefer to ‘ignore the double’. In other words a response of 1H is forcing and carries the same meaning that it would have done without the take-out double. If instead you redouble and then have to bid 2H over North’s 1S, this would be forcing — not what you want on a 10-count.
WEST’s 2S was a Michaels cue-bid, showing hearts and an unspecified minor suit. North’s 3H showed a sound raise to 3S at least and the next three bids were control-showing cue-bids. How would you play the spade slam when West leads the queen of hearts? It is almost certain, after West’s bid, that the ace of clubs is offside. Does this spell defeat for the slam? No, because when you run your winners in spades and diamonds, West will have to bare the ace of clubs in order to keep the hearts guarded. You win the heart lead with the ace and draw trumps in three rounds. You then play four rounds of diamonds, throwing a heart from your hand. A fourth round of trumps returns the lead to the South hand and you then lead your last trump. West must find a discard from J-10 of hearts and A-Q of clubs. If he throws a heart, you will have two heart winners in Dummy. So, let’s assume that he throws the queen of clubs. Dummy is down to K-5 of hearts and 4-3 of clubs. You throw a heart from dummy and then exit with a club to the bare ace. When west returns a heart you win and score the club king. Slam made!
In the old days you would have to redouble because 1H was used as a rescue bid. Nowadays players prefer to ‘ignore the double’. In other words a response of 1H is forcing and carries the same meaning that it would have done without the take-out double. If instead you redouble and then have to bid 2H over North’s 1S, this would be forcing — not what you want on a 10-count.