“Book learning” can benefit your game quite often. “Textbook” play problems appear in real life.
In the Senior Swiss Teams at the Summer NABC, Richard Oshlag played at four hearts. His first two bids showed some type of strong hand. North’s two spades asked for clarification; South’s 2NT indicated a huge hand, balanced. When North transferred to hearts next, South jumped to game.
West led a trump, and Oshlag looked for a way to avoid four losers. He won the first trick in dummy and led a spade: deuce, king, ace. West led a second trump, and declarer won, discarded a diamond from dummy on the queen of spades and ruffed his last spade in dummy.
LOW CLUB
Oshlag next led the ace and jack of diamonds. East won and led a low club, but Oshlag put in his seven. West won with the ten but had to return a club from his king or concede a ruff-sluff. Making four. If declarer attacks the clubs without setting up the end play, he loses two clubs and goes down.
Oshlag’s team didn’t gain on the deal. At the other table, Ken Kranyak played four hearts exactly the same way.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S A 10 7 5 H 7 5 D K 10 6 3 C K 10 6. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade, he bids two clubs and you try 2NT. Partner then bids three hearts. What do you say?
ANSWER: Most experts — not all — would treat partner’s auction as showing six hearts, four clubs and extra strength. With a minimum hand and the same shape, he would have rebid two hearts to limit his strength. Your 2NT was slightly aggressive, but you can’t change course now. Raise to four hearts.
South dealer
N-S vulnerable
NORTH
S 4
H J 9 6 3 2
D 9 7 4
C 9 8 4 2
WEST
S A 10 7 5
H 7 5
D K 10 6 3
C K 10 6
EAST
S J 9 8 3 2
H 8
D Q 8 5 2
C J 5 3
SOUTH
S K Q 6
H A K Q 10 4
D A J
C A Q 7
South West North East
2 C Pass 2 D Pass
2 H Pass 2 S Pass
2 NT Pass 3 D Pass
4 H All Pass
Opening lead – H 5
©2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Originally published at Frank Stewart