Through the Pack at Glenfield

 

The King of Hearts

 

 

I came into action early in the play  to prevent North/South making their slam on this freakish deal from Glenfield Bridge Club on 25th June 2003.

Board 12

Dealer W

NS Vul

North

 

S K92

H T542

D KQT86

C 8

 

My owner opened one spade.   North passed and East bid two diamonds.   South made a take out double.    My owner jumped to three spades and North bid four hearts.  That seems a little ambitious with the king and queen of diamonds being badly placed and the singleton sitting opposite one of partner’s suits.  Nevertheless, all would have been well had South passed.  However, with that massive hand I could not really blame South for making one try.  After all, it is not that likely that North would have bid four hearts without me.   In any case South bid four no trumps, Roman Key Card Blackwood.    North bid five clubs to show no key cards.   South should now visualise the way the play is going to go and pass.   West must hold me for the opening bid so South should expect to lose a trick to me and the ace of spades.   This particular South blasted six hearts regardless.   East, reasonably enough, led the ace of diamonds.  He must have been disappointed to see dummy.  Declarer ruffed and cashed the ace of clubs.   The contract now has a faint chance if declarer can get back to hand.  A club was played but my owner had me on the table in an instant and only slightly later the ace of spades was played.  Incidentally, had my owner refused to ruff the second club, North would have gained access to hand and would have thrown a spade on the king of diamonds and taken the trump finesse.  My owner would have won and can lead the ace of spades.  This is ruffed in dummy and a club is cashed.  Again my owner refuses to ruff and North discards a spade.  A fourth club is led,  declarer discards a diamond but now East can ruff and lead a trump.  Eventually declarer will lose either another trump trick or the jack of diamonds for two down.   That is why it would have been better for South to pass five clubs than bid five hearts.

 

Most pairs did play in five clubs by South making eleven tricks.   Had South passed North’s five clubs bid the impact of playing the hand the wrong way round would have been quite interesting had East chosen to lead the ace of diamonds.  Declarer ruffs and draws trumps.  A spade is then led.  My owner wins the ace but then cannot prevent the lead passing to declarer.  Three hearts are thrown from dummy on the king and queen of diamonds and the king of spades.

West

 

S AQT8743

H K98

D 42

C Q

 

East

 

S J5

H 63

D AJ9753

C 763

 

South

 

S 6

H AQJ7

D –

C AKJT9542

 

 

 

 

Like many people, I am more vulnerable when on my own.

Board 14

Dealer E

Love All

North

 

S T652

H J9854

D Q73

C Q

 

In this deal from the match between Glenfield A and County C on 6th March 2003 not only was I gobbled up by declarer’s ace but I betrayed the location of my owner’s partner’s jack. 

 

West opened two no trumps, East looked for a four-four fit but settled in three no trumps.  North had a difficult lead but eventually chose a heart. Declarer played well by playing a small card from dummy, felling me at no cost.  Subsequently declarer  located the queen of diamonds and the jack of hearts for eleven tricks and a one imp gain to County.

West

 

S AKQ9

H A63

D AJ

C A974

 

East

 

S J74

H QT72

D KT6

C 863

 

South

 

S 83

H K

D 98542

C KJT52

 

 

The next card is the Queen of Hearts.

 

The previous card was the Ace of Hearts.

 

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5.1.4.1 Conventional Opening Bids

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5.1.6 The Protective Position

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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5.2.1 General Technique

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Unblocking

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.4 Probability

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.5 Glossary of Terms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6 Through the Pack