Test Your Bridge Skills #33

Best Answer: 3NT

You showed Diamond and Spade suits and 3 cards in Hearts, but there's something you didn't reveal: a Club stopper.

What does your partner have? Only 4 cards in Hearts (otherwise they would've bid 4♥) and probably only 3 cards in Spades (or they would've supported earlier on).

Partner's cue bid (3♣) is game forcing, so you can't pass.

3NT will complete your hand description.

And what does West have that makes them bid after passing earlier on? Most likely a good Club suit, but without the necessary values for a direct 2♣ overcall.

A possible hand could be:

You can see that 3NT makes here: On a Club lead you make 2 Clubs, 3 Hearts, and 4 Spades. On any other lead you'd need to try to develop a Diamond trick as your 9th trick.

Note:

1. Partner's 3♠ bid could also be an invitation to slam with a good Spade fit. If that is the case, they'll bid on after you bid 3NT.
2. A direct 3♠ bid would show 10-11 points, 4 cards in Spades and be an invitation to game. A cue bid followed by 3♠ is game forcing, showing either 3 cards in Spades (probably asking for a Club stopper to find the best game), or looking for a slam try in Spade.

Hand 3

You're sitting East.
Against 4♥ your partner leads the ♠Q and declarer plays the ♠3 from dummy.
What will you play?

Best Answer: ♠K and ♣

You're sitting East.
Against 4♥ your partner leads the ♠Q and declarer plays the ♠3 from dummy.
What will you play?

Partner's Double shows an opening (12+ points), likely shortness in Hearts, and at least 3 cards in all other suits (tolerance). Therefore, partner must have 3-4 cards in Spades. From declarer's play you can see that declarer has ♠xx otherwise they'd surely have won trick 1 with the ♠A; so partner must have ♠QJX.

Which means now is your only chance to win a trick and open a new suit (if you think it's necessary). If you allow partner to win here, and declarer wins any return, they'll pull out ♥AK and the ♦A followed by a 2nd Diamond. Partner will be able to take it with the ♦K, but the defense can't win more than a single Club trick (and 3 in total with the Diamond and Spade tricks) as the declarer can discard a Club loser on the ♦Q (entering dummy with a trump). Therefore, to prevent this from happening, you should overtake with the ♠K at trick 1 and play Clubs. Doing this results in the defense taking 2 Clubs, a Diamond and a Spade. The same happens if declarer has 3 cards in Diamond: they can still play ♦A then another Diamond which will promote the 4th Diamond for a Club discard.

Note:

1. A Heart return could work if declarer's hand is ♠xx ♥KJ1098x ♦A ♣AKxx - it would still prevent Club ruffs in dummy as partner can take ♥AQ and play the 3rd Heart.
2. However, the Club return seem most practical, as partner probably holds a Diamond honor, ♠QJ and good Clubs rather than Hearts.
3. Some players agree that Double on 1♥ must have 4 cards in Spades. It’s a matter on style and agreement.

Hand 4

You're playing 4♥ and West leads the ♠2. East follows with the ♠K. How do you plan the play?

Best Answer: ♠6. If opponents play ♥A, followed by Heart then I play ♥K, ♣A, and ♦ to the ♦J.

You're playing 4♥ and West leads the ♠2. East follows with the ♠K. How do you plan the play?

You have 9 tricks on top. The 10th trick can come from one of the following three possibilities; a Spade ruff in dummy, a successful Diamond finesse (or dropping ♦QX), or from a 3-3 split in Diamonds (resulting in the 4th Diamond will be the 10th trick).

You need to find the best way to test (if needed) all the options in order to maximize your chances of winning the 10th trick.

The best way to do this is to hold up trick 1. If opponents continue with Club, Diamond, or another Spade, you'll manage to ruff the 3rd Spade in dummy to guarantee the 10th trick.

If opponents continue with ♥A and another Heart (which makes sense, as East knows you have the ♠A, planning a ruff in dummy), then you're no longer able to ruff your Spade loser in dummy. Now you need to find the 10th trick from the Diamond suit and your best chance here is to pull out opponents' 3rd trump, play Club to the ♣A and try the finesse to the ♦J which if it works will be 10th trick, and if it fails, you'll then need to hope that Diamonds are 3-3, which will allow you to discard your Spade loser on the 4th Diamond.

If you play Diamond to the ♦A and then try the Diamond finesse, West will take the ♦Q, play Clubs and knock out your ♣A entry to dummy for the 4th promoted Diamond, as the Diamonds are blocked now. Doing this means you'll go down even if Diamonds are 3-3. So, you need to keep the ♦A as your entry and use the ♣A for the Diamond finesse. West will take the ♦Q and then probably play another Spade but you can take it with the ♠A and play ♦K, diamond to the ♦A and discard your Spade loser on the 4th Diamond.

Note:

1. You've more chance of winning a Diamond finesse than dropping ♦QX.
2. A 3♥ bid shows 15-17 points. Given you've 14 points and the solid Heart suit you can justify upgrading the hand and jumping to 3♥.
3. If you play ♠A followed by a Spade, opponents will win the trick and play ♥A and Heart. Now when you try the Diamond finesse and fail, West can cash the ♠Q before you manage to discard it on the 4th Diamond. That's why it was important to play a low Spade at trick 1.