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FUN / COMPETITIONS

BRIDGE WITH THE HACKETT FAMILY

Sunday August 17,2008

TODAY'S fascinating hand came from the Bonn Nations Cup.

North-South were playing the popular opener of 2H to show a weak hand in hearts and a six-card suit, typically 5-9 points.

2NT is a relay asking partner to describe his hand in greater detail. There are several ways and conventions, which are played in this position.

The two most popular are “August” and feature showing. In feature showing you rebid your suit if you are minimum, but if you have extra values such as an Ace or a King you bid the suit showing that feature.

Our pair today were playing August. Here the choices of response were as follows: - 3C show a poor suit and a weak hand.

3D show a weak suit and maximum points.

3H show a good suit and minimum points.

3S show a good suit and maximum points.

3NT shows AKQxxx.

When South showed a good suit North had no problem in raising to 4H.

West led the 2C. The East-West pair where playing 3rd and 5th leads and the 3 did not promise an honour.

South quickly calculated that if the hearts were 3-2 his contract was secure and he could play for overtricks.

He won the KS and cashed his two top hearts, discovering the bad break.

It looks natural to play West for the QC, but declarer found a better line. He led his singleton diamond and finessed the QD.

This lost to the KD but there was nothing East could now do. If he returned a diamond declarer could throw one club and one spade. He could now afford to test the clubs for 3-3 and even if they were not he had the spade finesse to fall back on.

A club return does not do any harm and even the spade return gives declarer options of discarding a spade or a club on the AD and playing for that suit to be 3-3.

It looks simple to take the club finesse after two top hearts but East can win and return a club and with both finesses wrong there is no longer a winning line.

Paul’s tip: Although it may appear wrong to take a finesse with a singleton you may be able to throw a loser on the Ace even if it loses.

KEY
S Spades
C Clubs
D Diamonds
H Hearts