Bridge

WEST leads the king of spades against 3 NT and you hold up your ace until the third round, discovering that spades were 5.3. How will you continue? There are eight tricks on top and you must aim to develop a ninth from the minor suits without allowing West (the danger hand) on lead. Looking for a 3-3 break in the club suit can wait. The first priority is to seek an extra trick from the diamonds. If the suit breaks 3-3, the extra trick will drop in your lap. Life will also be easy when East holds four diamonds, since you can concede a fourth round of the suit to the safe hand. 
The key case is when West holds four diamonds. In that case you must aim to duck a diamond trick into the East hand. At Trick 4, you should lead the ten of diamonds with the intention of running the card to East. Let’s suppose that West thwarts you temporarily by covering with the jack. You win the trick in dummy and return to your hand with the club king. You then lead the four of diamonds towards the dummy. West cannot afford to rise with the diamond eight or you will make all five diamond tricks. He plays low and you cover with dummy’s seven, ducking the trick into the safe hand. East wins with the nine and the contract is yours. You will win East’s return and score four diamond tricks to go with your five top winners in the other suits.

What will you rebid?

Answer
If partner had opened 1S, you would be worth a raise to 4S. You are not quite worth a raise to game when partner opens 1H. Instead you should bid 2S. A jump shift by a passed hand traditionally (and logically) shows a very big fit for partner’s first suit. If partner has a sound opening bid, which cannot be assumed in the third seat, he will advance to at least 4H. Note that 1S is non-forcing and therefore not a good bid.
Awards: 2S — 10, 3H-7, 4H — 6, 4 C (splinter bid) — 5, 1S-4.

David Bird — Knight Features

HOME