A Coup For You

Playing in the tough District 13 Grand National Teams event, with both vulnerable at IMP’s you pick up J 6 K K Q T 9 3 J 7 5 3 2.

Your RHO opens 1, LHO bids 1 and partner doubles. RHO bids 3 and you elect to bid 4. (Would you?) LHO bids 4 which comes around to you. You pass. (Would you?)

Partner leads the A and you see the following situation:

	NORTH K Q 5 2  A J 6 4  A 7 4 2  6
			EAST J 6  K  K Q T 9 3  J 7 5 3 2

You follow to the first trick with the deuce, and partner switches to the 8. After some thought, declarer plays low and you win the Q. What now?

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With both Vul at IMP’s, playing against strong opponents, you pick up the following hand: K Q J 6 5 4 2 K 8 K 9 2 8

You open 1 and your LHO bids 2. Partner passes and RHO bids 3. You try 3 and your LHO bids 3NT. Everyone passes.

Partner leads the 9 and you see the dummy.

	NORTH   7 3   A 6 5 4   A 6 5 3   J 5 3
			EAST   K Q J 6 5 4 2   K 8   K 9 2   8

Declarer ducks the first spade, playing the ten. He wins the second spade, partner following. Declarer now plays the A and continues with a small club, partner winning the queen and declarer playing dummy’s jack.

Plan your defense.

UPDATE 1/27/07. We have some very good answers so far. What if declarer has both red queens? Certainly this is possible, maybe even likely, from the bidding. Does considering this possibility affect your defensive plan?

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As Dealer, with neither vulnerable at IMP’s, you pick up the following:

A Q 5 A K 6 A 7 6 5 4 5 3.

For Goren point counters, this may seem like a routine 1NT opener. For devotees of the Kaplan-Reuben count this is a 17.9 hand, so it is a bit heavy. The problem is that partner, with club length, may respond 1NT and leave you exposed to a spade lead. Alternatively, if partner responds in a major, you have to rebid 2NT with two small in clubs. I realize that most might not even worry about this, but not vulnerable, you choose to bid a heavy 1NT. You are relieved to hear partner invite (via a non-major showing stayman auction) and you land in 3NT.

The Q is led, and partner tables the follwing:

8 4
7 4
K T 8 2
A J T 9 6.

How do you play it?

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?