Bridge

SOUTH's rebid of 4S indicates a hand with good playing strength in spades but relatively few points. With a few more points,South would rebid a forcing 3S to allow more space for slam investigation. (South needed very little for a slam on his actual hand and some players have rebid 3S here too.) West led the seven of clubs to his partner’s ace and East returned a trump. West tool the king with the ace and tried to cash the king of clubs. Suppose you had been the declare. How would you have continued after ruffing the second round of clubs? The original declarer had no reason to be sure that the spades were 2-2, so he decided to ruff his diamond loser with dummy’s last trump. He cashed the queen and ace of diamonds and ruffed the diamond nine in dummy. He then needed to return to his hand to draw trumps. He cashed the ace of heart and led a second heart. East could see that the dummy was dead and made the cost-nothing false card of the heart king, feigning shortage in the suit. Declarer ruffed carelessly with the nine and West overruffed. A diamond ruff then defeated the game ! south should have ruffed with the queen of trumps and continued with the trump ten, guaranteeing his contract.

What opening bid will you make?

Answer
Although you have to intermediate cards (tens or nines), there is little reason to downgrade your 18-count to a strong 1NT. Should you open 1D or 1C? For some reason, bridge teachers tend to favour a 1D opening. This is a throw-back to the days when players were willing to open one suit and rebid in a lower suit with 4-4 shape. It is much better to open 1C, allowing a fit in either minor to come to light.

Awards: 1C — 10, 1D — 6, 1NT — 4.

David Bird — Knight Features

HOME