Hand of the day #398
You can now play the hand of the day on BBO+ and compare how you get on with the...
You can now play the hand of the day on BBO+ and compare how you get on with the players in the article.
The Aces On Bridge by Bobby Wolff
Opening Lead: ♣7
Today's deal was played in the quarterfinals of the world championships in Beijing years ago. At most tables East showed both minors, West selected diamonds, and North doubled for takeout. Can you guess what should happen next? Let's see what happened in the match between the Netherlands and Germany.
In the first room the German South, Joseph Piekarek, sat for the double of three diamonds. The heart lead got the defenders off on the right track (not everybody found it). Declarer now had no chance to avoid losing one trick in each major, two clubs and two trumps, down 500.
The Dutch South, Huub Bertens, escaped from three diamonds doubled to three spades, and I’m sure if the German East-West had known their teammates had collected 500, they would have happily conceded 140. But East chose to double Bertens in the pass-out seat to show extras for his two-suited action, a good idea in theory. West passed it out, and his opening club lead went to the queen and king. But that persuaded East to continue the suit rather than shift to diamonds. Declarer won the club ace, then led a heart to the queen and another heart to the 10 and ace. Now he ruffed a club, led a spade to the six, cashed the heart king, and led a fourth heart, pitching a second diamond.
West could ruff in, but Bertens could trump the next diamond in dummy, draw one more round of spades, then run hearts and give West his trump trick for plus-730.
Bid with the aces
Answer: 2♠
You have more than enough in the way of shape and values to bid two spades now. Remember, at your second bid you showed a bad hand and strongly suggested no major. In context you have real extras in high cards, and real additional values in terms of shape.
This Hand of the Day was originally published on aces.bridgeblogging.com.
You can now play the hand of the day on BBO+ and compare how you get on with the players in the article.
The bid problem is based on error. The response to dbl should be 1S (!), NOT 1D. Diamonds may be bid later to show 4M5+D distribution. A bit shameful for someone who is trying to teach bridge...
dkkreager@aol.com