THE USA faced China in the qualifying round of the Olympiad and the American North-South pair bid boldly to 6S after an opening bid by the opponents. North’s 4C was a splinter bid, agreeing spades and showing at most one club. 4H was a cue bid and 4NT was Roman Key-card Blackwood, the 14-30 response showing one key card. West led a trump, giving the American declarer a chance, but he did not take advantage. How would you have played 6S? One possibility is to win the trump lead in your hand, cross to the ace of hearts and ruff a hart, you then re-enter dummy with a finesse of the diamand queen and ruff another heart, setting up the suit. After a diamond to the jack, you draw trumps and claim twelve tricks, conceding just and trick in clubs. Weinstein chose to finesse the queen of diamonds at Tricks 2, hoping to enjoy five diamond tricks, four trump tricks, two hearts and a heart ruff. This line was defeated by the 4-1 trump break and the Chinese gained a big swing.
What will you bid now
Answer
You have a relatively weak hand that is worth only one bid. It is better to show the diamond support than to introduce the spades, hoping for a fit there. If you raise to 2D and North raises to 2H, Your partner can complete to 3D with a bit extra. If you have not shown the diamond support, partner cannot complete so easily. If instead partner has something like the 19-count that you need to make game, he can introduce a four-card spade suit himself.
Awards: 2D — 10, 3D (if pre-emptive) — 8, 1S or negative double — 5. pass — 2.
THE USA faced China in the qualifying round of the Olympiad and the American North-South pair bid boldly to 6S after an opening bid by the opponents. North’s 4C was a splinter bid, agreeing spades and showing at most one club. 4H was a cue bid and 4NT was Roman Key-card Blackwood, the 14-30 response showing one key card. West led a trump, giving the American declarer a chance, but he did not take advantage. How would you have played 6S? One possibility is to win the trump lead in your hand, cross to the ace of hearts and ruff a hart, you then re-enter dummy with a finesse of the diamand queen and ruff another heart, setting up the suit. After a diamond to the jack, you draw trumps and claim twelve tricks, conceding just and trick in clubs. Weinstein chose to finesse the queen of diamonds at Tricks 2, hoping to enjoy five diamond tricks, four trump tricks, two hearts and a heart ruff. This line was defeated by the 4-1 trump break and the Chinese gained a big swing.
You have a relatively weak hand that is worth only one bid. It is better to show the diamond support than to introduce the spades, hoping for a fit there. If you raise to 2D and North raises to 2H, Your partner can complete to 3D with a bit extra. If you have not shown the diamond support, partner cannot complete so easily. If instead partner has something like the 19-count that you need to make game, he can introduce a four-card spade suit himself.