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Set 31Results

Set 31Results

Author: Larry Cohen

Date of publish: 11/6/2017

Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Results for Set 31

 
(for instructions, click here)

#1) West Deals, Both Vul.

bridge card suitA K Q J 3
bridge card suit8 7
bridge card suitA K 8 7 6 3
bridge card suit--
bridge card suit--
bridge card suitA Q 6 5 2
bridge card suitJ 10 9 3
bridge card suitA J 4 3

 
Scores for Board 1:

7bridge card suit:10
7NT: 8
6NT: 6
6bridge card suit: 5
6bridge card suit: 4
7bridge card suit: 3
5NT: 2
Other Games: 1

 I strongly recommend West to bid his great 6-5 by opening 1bridge card suit and then planning to jump in spades and then repeat spades. So, the start is:

WestNorthEastSouth
 1bridge card suit Pass 1bridge card suitPass
 2bridge card suit Pass 3bridge card suit Pass
 3bridge card suit

By now, East knows his partner has a big 6-5 hand. If East can find out about the bridge card suitAK (not easy), he might take a shot at the diamond grand slam. Asking for those two keycards (when holding a void) is tricky. If East uses RKC, he will get lucky, because partner shows all 3 missing keycards.

#2) West Deals, Nobody Vul.

bridge card suitA K Q 10 5 4
bridge card suitA 9 3
bridge card suitK 4
bridge card suitA 3
bridge card suit8 7 6
bridge card suitK 8 4 3
bridge card suitA J 3
bridge card suitJ 7 2


Deal 2 Scores:

6bridge card suit:10
5bridge card suit:8
5NT:7

6NT:3
7bridge card suit:2

Slam (small) in spades is worthwhile for a few reasons. If the opponents don't lead a club, declarer can draw trumps and try for 3-3 hearts (to throw the club loser). Even if hearts aren't 3-3, there is the 50-50 diamond finesse to fall back on. With a club lead, declarer is still on the 50-50 diamond finesse.  (Of course, spades could be 4-0 offside, but why be so negative?). To balance that out, opening leader might have the bridge card suitKQ and lead one -- which will set up the bridge card suitJ for a heart pitch. As to the bidding, I think West is too strong for 1bridge card suit. Why not open 2bridge card suit when there is an easy 2bridge card suit rebid? After that, East will raise to 3bridge card suit (stronger than 4bridge card suit). West might control-bid 4bridge card suit, East 4bridge card suit -- and then who knows.   There is no "right" auction.

#3) East Deals, Nobody vul.

bridge card suitQ 6 5
bridge card suit5 4
bridge card suitA K 10 9
bridge card suit8 7 6 4
bridge card suitA K 3
bridge card suit9 6
bridge card suitQ J 3
bridge card suitK Q J 5 2

Deal 3 Scores:

3bridge card suit: 10
3bridge card suit: 9
4bridge card suit:9
4bridge card suit:8
1NT: 5
5bridge card suit/bridge card suit: 4

2NT:3
3NT: 2


Obviously, the trick here is to avoid the notrump trap. Unfortunately, a common auction will be 1NT-3NT. It could go 1NT-2NT (invitational--if available) and then East can bid 3bridge card suit (this shows 5+ clubs and no desire to play 3NT). This deal isn't really fair.

#4) West deals, Nobody Vul.

bridge card suitQ 6 5
bridge card suitA 4
bridge card suitK 10 5
bridge card suitA Q 9 6 5
bridge card suitA K 10 5 2
bridge card suitQ 8 2
bridge card suitQ 4
bridge card suitK 10 2


Board 4 Scores:

6bridge card suit:10

6bridge card suit:9
5bridge card suit:7
3NT: 6
4NT: 5
5NT: 4
5bridge card suit: 3
6NT: 2

If the black suits come in (odds on), slam in either black suit is good. Those black-suit 10's are nice cards (meaning you can pick up the suit even with many 4-1 breaks). West will open 1NT and East will transfer to spades. Is East then worth a slam try? Is 1N-2bridge card suit-2bridge card suit-4N quantitative? It should be (use Texas then 4NT for RKC in spades). Over an invite, West has a great hand for a spade slam (points schmoints).

***Full Book by Larry Cohen with Bidding Practice and results/analysis.***