Hand of the Week

South has a lovely hand, but of course North doesn't have a lot.   Where do we play ?

East passes and South will open 2C super-strong, gameforcing.   West passes.

North should respond 2D, less than 8 points. East passes.

South's rebid is 2H, as long as you trust partner not to Pass ! There's no need to jump to 3H, partner might want to show another suit.   But remember that 2C can be opened on less than 23 points with a lot of shape, so North may get a bit nervous.

You could rebid 2NT, (23-24) and hide the heart suit. There's no need to jump to 3NT (25-26).

After 2C - 2D - 2H North should rebid 3NT. You don't like hearts but you have enough for Game. Partner will have the stoppers.   If the South hand has a flaw, e.g a singleton spade, then South will be rebidding a suit, either a long heart suit or a second 5-card minor suit.

I like this sequence, but strangely no-one played in 3NT by North, so I guess North chose to rebid 3C or 3D, or possibly raise in hearts.

Most pairs ended in 3NT or 4H played by South, fair enough. 3NT is probably going to make as many tricks as 4H, but will be 10 points more.

In 3NT by South, West leads a club.   BridgeSolver tells me that this is the only lead to keep it to 10 tricks.   The two of clubs promises an honour, I would lead the 6 or maybe the 9.   Either way East has to reluctantly play the King or Jack and South is making the AQ.

South counts their tricks - 4 diamonds, 4 hearts, 2 clubs, maybe another somewhere. If the queen of hearts is with East you can finesse and maybe make 5 heart tricks. So cash the diamonds - AJ and then KQ ending in dummy, and try the heart finesse. It doesn't hurt when West wins the queen, they were always making this trick and now West can't attack you in spades.

And now, West has a difficult choice.

BridgeSolver tells me that a spade is bad. A club is OK as long as East doesn't play their Jack, as the queen drops. Best is actually just to exit with a heart and leave South in their hand.   South cashes the hearts and CQ and leads the Jack of spades (the King makes it too easy). West needs to duck this and give their partner a chance to win it, and now East gets the SQ and CJ. 

In 4H declarer is only going to lose the ace of spades and queen of hearts, 450.   So if the defenders can keep 3NT to ten tricks for 420 you are a winner !  Unfortunately you can't control what happens at the other tables.

- Giles