Hand of the Week #27

Today's deal is from the Friday 12 September game, a classic example of how a hand with 4-3-3-3 shape is weaker than its high-card count might suggest, especially in a trump contract. At favorable vulnerability you hold

Q 6 4
Q T 7 6
Q 5 2
K Q 7

and with the opponents silent, your partner opens 1NT. Some people are in the habit of always using Stayman with a 4-card major; but with 4-3-3-3 shape, you're not going to get any benefit of ruffs in a trump contract, and you have another stopper in every suit to go with what your partner has. Better to just jump to 3NT, than to start with 2.

If you do choose to bid 2 and your partner responds 2, you're now committed to 4, in which you'll likely take the same number of tricks as you would in notrump. (And you REALLY don't want to switch horses in midstream, using Stayman and then changing your mind and bidding 3NT -- partner might correct to 4, "knowing" you had spades if you used Stayman but didn't raise hearts.)

Dealer West EW vul	A 7 5 A 9 5 2 K 8 4 A 8 3
9 8 3 J 8 4 3 A J 7 6 J 6		K J T 2 K T 9 3 T 9 5 4 2
	Q 6 4 Q T 7 6 Q 5 2 K Q 7

Sure enough, on the full deal, both heart and notrump contracts are held to nine tricks unless the defense makes a serious mistake.

Along with your three club winners, you have three interesting card combinations to handle as declarer. In spades, you have one sure spade trick, and a second when you lead low toward the queen and the finesse works. In hearts, the best line for three tricks is to first cash the ace, planning to finesse the ten next (but this time, you get a surprise when the king falls under the ace, and you get your three tricks just by forcing out the jack.) In diamonds, you have a slim chance for two tricks if one of your opponents has a doubleton ace, but you'd really rather make your opponents lead them for you; you'll put off leading these until after you've used up all your options elsewhere.

You will make four if West ever leads a diamond, and three if he doesn't. At my table, my partner put me in 4, and I pulled three rounds of hearts (West chose to duck, for no particular reason), took the spade finesse, and cashed my clubs when I got in. When I led my last club, this was the position:

	— 2 K 8 4 3
— J A J 7 6 —		J — T 9 3 T
	— 6 Q 5 2 K

West gave in to temptation, ruffed my K, and endplayed himself. If he discards on the diamond, he will win two diamonds and his heart to set 4.

One pair was allowed ten tricks in notrump at another table; everyone else was held to nine tricks.