Deals 85 - 88 : Bidding and Play

Lesson 23 - Links page

(Down - Deal 84)
Declarer (N *)
- A 9 6
- A J 10 7 5 2
- K 7
- K 6
East
- Q J 10 7 5
- 3
- 5 4 3
- J 10 8 5
West
- 8 4 3
- 8 6
- Q 8 6 2
- Q 7 4 2
Dummy (S)
- K 2
- K Q 9 4
- A J 10 9
- A 9 3

Deal 85 - Dealer is North - None Vulnerable

Bidding : 1H (N) - 3H (S) - 4NT (N) - 5C (S) - 5D (N) - 5S (S) - 5NT (N) - 6D (S) - 7H (N)

4NT (N) = Roman Key card Blackwood
5C (S) = 0 or 3 key cards (obviously in this case 3)
5D (N) = "Do you have the trump Queen ?"
5S (S) = "Yes, I do"
5NT (N) = "Any other Kings ?" (not counting trump King)
6D (S) = "Yes, one King"

Opening Lead : Queen of Spades (E) = top of a solid sequence

Declarer (N) counts 1 possible loser : a Spade in his hand, which can be ruffed by Declarer.

Declarer Play
Roman Key card Blackwood   -   Ruffing losers in Dummy
Declarer wins the opening lead, draws two rounds of trumps, then two rounds of Spades ending in his own hand. At trick 6 Declarer leads his last remaining Spade and ruffs it in Dummy. The remaining tricks are all his, 13 in total.

Score = 7 x 30 pts + 1300 bonus pts = 1510 pts



(
Down - Up)
North
- Q 10 5 3
- 9 7 3
- 10 3
- K 10 7 3
Declarer (E *)
- K 8 6 2
- K Q J 8
- A Q J 5
- 5
Dummy (W)
- A 9
- A 4
- K 9 7 6 2
- A 6 4 2
South
- J 7 4
- 10 6 5 2
- 8 4
- Q J 9 8

Deal 86 - Dealer is East - NS Vulnerable

Bidding : 1D (E) - 3D (W) - 4NT (E) - 5D (W) - 7D (E)

4NT (E) = Roman Key card Blackwood
5D (W) = 1 or 4 key cards (obviously in this case 4)

The 7D bid is rather aggressive, East hoping Partner has extra values. A 6D bid would be more prudent and quite OK.

Opening Lead : Queen of Clubs (S) = top of a interrupted sequence

Declarer (E) counts 2 possible losers : both in Spades in his hand. Provided the trumps break 3-1 or better both losers can be ruffed in Dummy.

Declarer Play
Roman Key card Blackwood   -   Ruffing losers in Dummy
Declarer wins the opening lead in Dummy with the Club Ace, then draws two rounds of trumps, followed by two rounds of Spades ending in his own hand.
At trick 6 Declarer leads a small Spade which is ruffed in Dummy. Dummy then plays the Heart Ace followed by a small Heart to Declarer's King. At trick 9 Declarer leads his last remaining Spade which is once again ruffed in Dummy. Dummy then leads a small Club ruffed by Declarer, who then cashes his remaining winners in Hearts and trumps, winning all 13 tricks.

Score = 7 x 20 trick pts + 1300 bonus pts = 1440 pts



(
Down - Up)
Dummy (N)
- A 7 5
- K Q 7 5
- A 5
- 9 5 4 3
East
- Q 4 3
- J 10 9
- 9 6 4 3
- J 10 2
West
- J 10 8 2
- 3
- 10 8 7
- K Q 8 7 6
Declarer (S *)
- K 9 6
- A 8 6 4 2
- K Q J 2
- A

Deal 87 - Dealer is South - EW Vulnerable

Bidding : 1H (S) - 3H (N) - 4NT (S) - 5C (N) - 5D (S) - 5S (N) - 7H (S)

4NT (S) = Roman Key card Blackwood
5C (N) = 0 or 3 key cards (obviously in this case 3)
5D (S) = "Do you have the trump Queen ?"
5S (N) = "Yes, I do"

Opening Lead : King of Clubs (W) = top of touching Honours

Declarer (S) counts 1 possible loser : in Spades

Declarer Play
Roman Key card Blackwood   -   Creating a situation where Declarer can ruff his loser in Dummy
Declarer wins the opening lead in his hand with the Club Ace, then draws three rounds of trumps ending in Dummy. At trick 5 Dummy plays the Diamond Ace, followed by a small Diamond to Declarer's King. At trick 7 Declarer leads the Diamond Queen on which Dummy discards a small Spade. Declarer then leads a small Spade to Dummy's Ace, after which Dummy leads his last remaining small Spade back to Declarer's King.
At trick 10 Declarer leads his last remaining Spade which is ruffed in Dummy. The remaining tricks are won by Declarer's trumps and Diamonds, a total of all 13 tricks.

Score = 7 x 30 trick pts + 1300 bonus pts = 1510 pts total



(
Up - Top)
North
- J
- 7 6 2
- 10 9 7
- Q J 9 6 4 2
Dummy (E)
- K Q 6 5
- Q J 9
- A Q J 6 4
- 5
Declarer (W *)
- A 9 8 4 2
- A K 8 3
- K 5
- A 7
South
- 10 7 3
- 10 5 4
- 8 3 2
- K 10 8 3

In RKC Blackwood East shows only 9 HCPs (A K Q). He must therefore have at least 4 more points in his hand. Without the Club King it must be two Queens. On that basis a 7S contract would also be a good prospect.


Deal 88 - Dealer is West - All Vulnerable

Bidding : 1S (w) - 3S (E) - 4NT (W) - 5S (E) - 5NT (W) - 6C (E) - 6S (W)

4NT (W) = Roman Key card Blackwood
5S (E) = 2 key cards plus the trump Queen
5NT (W) = "Any other Kings ?" (not counting trump King)
5C (E) = "No other King"

or : 1S (W) - 3S (E) - 4C (W) - 4D (E) - 4H (W) - 5C (E) - 5NT (W) - 6H (E) - 7S (W)

4C (W) = 1st round control in Clubs
4D (E) = 1st round control in Diamonds
4H (W) = 1st round control in Hearts
5C (E) = 2nd round control in Clubs
5NT (E) = Trump Ask bid
5H (E) = 2 of top three trump Honours

Opening Lead : Queen of Clubs (N) = top of an interrupted sequence

Declarer (W) counts 1 possible loser : in Clubs, which can be ruffed in Dummy

Declarer Play
Roman Key card Blackwood or Cue bidding   -   Ruffing losers in Dummy
Declarer wins the opening lead (South having made an encouraging signal playing his 8 !) with the Club Ace, then draws three rounds of trumps. At trick 5 Declarer leads his second Club and ruffs it in Dummy. The remaining tricks are all won in trumps Hears and Diamonds, a total of 13 tricks.

Score = 7 x 30 trick pts + 1250 bonus pts = 1460 pts (for 6S making 13 tricks)
or
Score = 7 x 30 trick pts + 2000 bonus pts = 2210 pts (for 7S making 13 tricks)


(Lesson 23 - Deal 89 - Links page)

Copyright © 2006 Michael Furstner (Jazclass).