A Coup For You

After an unlucky loss on the first board of the 4th quarater, you suspect that you are down about 40 IMP’s as you pick up the following hand, vul vs. not:

98, JT432, KJ103, A2.

Your RHO opens 1 and it is up to you. Would you bid?

Let us suppose that you pass. Your LHO now responds 1 and partner bids 3. Your screenmate passes again, and you have your second bidding decision of the hand. Your partner obviously has a good hand at these colors. Do you have enough to raise? Are you influenced by the likely state of the match? If so, which way should you lean?

The scene was the final quarter of the Semi-final match of the Senior KO in Denver. We trailed by 25, having lost our substantial first-quarter lead in the second set and making no headway in the 3rd quarter. The quarter started with a big decision by our opponents. With N dealer and none vul and South held the following:

A4
AKQ62
K82
AJ5

He heard partner open 2D Multi, and inquired with 2NT. Partner rebid 3H, showing a maximum hand with spades. South now placed the contract in 6S. I do not know their style or agreements, but someone had it wrong in this long-standing partnership, since North tabled this hand:

KQ10953
J
A3
8762

Our teammates, Gene Freed and Jim Murphy, bid well to 7S which seems to be about 75%. Alas, the spades were 4-1 with no stiff J, so we suspected that we had lost another 14, instead of winning 11.

It was a painful start to the final segment, and put extra pressure on the remaining decisions.

Give your answer to this old Bridge World Master Solvers’ Club problem. We can then discuss why it is typical and how to learn from the answers.

IMPs, neither side vulnerable. You, South, hold:

K 3 10 4 K Q 10 9 8 6 5 J 2

3	Pass	3	Pass
?

What call do you make?

It is the Quarter-Finals of the Senior KO in Denver. You are playing an old rival, an expert player and author who has given you a lesson or two over the years. Going into the fourth quarter you have a big lead, but your team needed one more swing in the 3rd quarter to earn an early dinner. On the second board you pick up a dull hand:

Q63 873 1072 J743

Partner opens 1 and your old rival bids 4, red on white. Everyone passes and you lead the club 4 and look at the dummy:

9754
5
Q985
KQ108

Partner wins the ace and returns the 2, declarer winning the A. Declarer now tries the J , but you give count and partner ducks. Unable to reach dummy, declarer eventually loses a trick in each suit for down one.

His hand: AJ, AQJT962, AJ3, 2.

As your old friend (and current screenmate) is sorting his cards for the next board he asks if you had the 10. When you admit that you did, he mutters under his breath, “Hmm, I could have made it….” Meanwhile, as dealer on the next hand he has placed his card on the tray. What should you do?