Having no takers, so far, I will answer a bit of it myself.
J5
Q82
KJ2
65432
A83
K7
AQ54
AQ97
Pretty clearly, or at least pretty likely, if the opponents stay silent the auction will go 1
- 1NT - 2NT - 3NT. We have a 19 count facing a 7 count, so probably that's how it goes. I suppose a pessimistic N might pass the 2NT or perhaps an imaginative N might bid 3
over 2NT but holding five clubs to the 6 it does not really seem like a 3
call.
Now where should it be? If E holds
Kx we can make 3NT but we can also make 6
. We draw trump playing a small club to the Q and then the A, we cash four diamonds throwing a spade from the board, we lose one
and claim.
in the actual hand, E holds
KJ8. As long as E holds at least three diamonds we can make 5
: Play a
to the Q and cash the A. Run the diamonds tossing a
on the fourth D, not caring if this fourth
is ruffed. Lose a
and claim 11 tricks.
3NT will not go well on a spade lead. After the
finesse works there are 7 tricks in view but we need to give up a
to get our total to 9, and when we give up that club the opponents can take spades a heart and the club. Off 1.
At my table I opened 1
, Lho bid 2
, passed back to me, I decided to try 2NT, partner raised to 3NT. I am making this if they do not lead a spade, but the
T was led. I ducked. Lho switched to a
. Whew. +600.
As to what I might have made of the auction. W dealt and it was three passes to me. I open 1
, what should I make of W's 2
call? He could have opened 2
. Perhaps I should not be surprised to find that he holds four spades to go with his six hearts. And maybe at least some of his high cards in spades. Making the club finesse seem like it might be a winner. Getting to 5
would be very nice, but no one did and I do not find that surprising.
Bridge isn't chess. In chess nothing is hidden. In bridge we miss makable contracts, and setable contracts are sometimes made. I like this feature of bridge.
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