Archive for the 'Card Play' Category

The Barking Dog

Tuesday, March 6th, 2007

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

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

Partner leads the Club Graphic A and you see the following situation:

NORTH
Spade Graphic K Q 5 2 
Heart Graphic A J 6 4 
Diamond Graphic A 7 4 2 
Club Graphic
EAST
Spade GraphicJ 6 
Heart Graphic
Diamond Graphic K Q T 9 3 
Club Graphic J 7 5 3 2 

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

Click for Solution

A Tough Defense

Sunday, December 24th, 2006

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

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

Partner leads the Spade Graphic 9 and you see the dummy.

NORTH
Spade Graphic  7 3
Heart Graphic  A 6 5 4
Diamond Graphic  A 6 5 3
Club Graphic  J 5 3
EAST
Spade Graphic  K Q J 6 5 4 2
Heart Graphic  K 8
Diamond Graphic  K 9 2
Club Graphic  8

Declarer ducks the first spade, playing the ten. He wins the second spade, partner following. Declarer now plays the Club Graphic 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?

Click for Solution

Play 3NT

Monday, November 13th, 2006

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

Spade GraphicA Q 5 Heart GraphicA K 6 Diamond GraphicA 7 6 5 4 Club Graphic5 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 Heart GraphicQ is led, and partner tables the follwing:

Spade Graphic8 4
Heart Graphic7 4
Diamond GraphicK T 8 2
Club GraphicA J T 9 6.

How do you play it?

An Old Rival

Sunday, December 18th, 2005

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:

Spade Graphic Q63Heart Graphic 873Diamond Graphic 1072Club Graphic J743

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

Spade Graphic 9754
Heart Graphic 5
Diamond Graphic Q985
Club Graphic KQ108

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

His hand: Spade Graphic AJ, Heart Graphic AQJT962, Diamond Graphic AJ3, Club Graphic 2.

As your old friend (and current screenmate) is sorting his cards for the next board he asks if you had the Diamond Graphic 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?