Simple Saturday columns focus on basic technique and logical thinking.
Borrowing a page from Orwell’s “Animal Farm”, all subtleties are equal but some are more equal than others: they may have more to gain or lose.
In today’s deal, North’s bid of 2NT was a conventional forcing heart raise. Since South’s hand was close to a minimum, he called the match. West led the ten of spades, and declarer fine-tuned with dummy’s queen. The finesse lost, and East switched to the diamond queen.
DOWN ONE
Söder took the ace, drew trump with the AQ and let the club queen ride. East won and the defense discarded two squares. Down one.
The subtleties of the black suits were unequaled; club finesse had something to gain even if it lost. South must take the first spade, draw trump and pass the queen of clubs. East can win, take out its king of spades and switch to diamonds, but South wins, unlocks its jack of clubs and reaches dummy with a trump to hit a diamond on the ace of clubs.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: SAQHK 6 4 3 D 5 4 2 CA 9 6 3. Your partner opens a heart and you call 2NT, a forcing raise as in today’s deal. Partner then bids three diamonds. What are you saying?
ANSWER: The way the 2NT response works, opener’s second bid in new suit shows a single there. The idea is to let you see if you have a useful stance opposite the single. Since you don’t have any “wasted” diamonds, you should be encouraged. Cue bid three spades.
Southern Dealer
NS vulnerable
NORTH
SAQ
HK 6 4 3
D 5 4 2
CA 9 6 3
WEST
S 10 9 8 7 2
H 10 2
DK 6 3
C 5 4 2
EAST
SKJ 5 3
H 5
DJ 10 9
CK 10 8 7
SOUTH
S 6 4
HAQJ 9 8 7
DA 8 7
CQJ
Southwest Northeast
1 H Pass 2 NT Pass
4 H All Pass
Opening line — S 10
©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.