Vil Gravis's blog

Here is the actual deal that our opening lead problem was based on. Maybe you won’t agree with the bidding, but the bidding of opponents is not your concern, only what you can infer from it. I believe that the opening lead against the bidding that took place is not difficult to find IF you take notice of the bidding and the correct inferences. Let me repeat the bidding: 1S from West, 2NT from East, 6NT from West. Looking at the South hand, what should you be thinking? I was hoping that at least one of my readers would find the correct answer, and I do believe that there is only ONE card that South should lead.

Dealer W Nil Vul

	7 43 K8743 T9854
AKQJ93 AJ AT J73		T5 KQ7 Q762 KQ62
	8642 T98652 J9 A

The closest to the right (and you will agree that there IS a RIGHT when you read on) answer came from one of the many readers who would lead the ten of hearts. His rationale was perfect up to a point but he missed the punchline.

This is the year of “Evil Twos” and “Evil Acol” for anybody who wants to try something a bit different yet not overly difficult to add to their bidding and play repertoire. Did you notice that this is the year 2022 so Evil Twos is an apt description of our opening two level bids and defence against an opposing 1NT opening, so let’s start there.

The reader should by now be familiar with the basic structure of the weak two openings, and overcalls when an opponent opens 1NT. However, to start this series, I want to make one interesting addition to our defence against a 1NT opening by opponents. Our basic “Evil” structure of bidding over an opposing 1NT is as follows:

• 2C: clubs and hearts
• 2D: diamonds and hearts
• 2H: hearts and spades
• 2S: spades and a minor
• 2NT: both minors
• all 3 level bids natural and 6+ cards
• Double: Essentially Penalty (15+HCP)

This deal comes from Thursday 9/12/2021. Perhaps not surprisingly, the final contract almost always was 4S by East, even though a 5C sacrifice should be found without too much difficulty. That is, if NS play “Truscott” and North uses his or her imagination rather than follows what the book says. Let me show you the deal so you can judge for yourself.

Board 3 Dealer S EW Vul

	Q432 T87532 T92
9863 J85 AKQ6 K4		KQJ542 AT6 J9 Q7
	AT7 K97 4 AJ8653

Thanks for your input. The question, once again:
Match Point session.
Dealer E. EW Vul
You are South

South	West	North	East
1	Pass	1	Pass
?

What's your rebid, holding:

6

AK832

AQ743

AT

There were a number of different views on this one, the main issues being:
a) is a rebid of 2D forcing?
b) is a rebid of 3D GAME forcing?
c) after a response of 1S and then 3NT when opener rebids 2D, what can opener expect from partner's hand?

This deal from recent play was sent to me by one of my regular panelists. The declarer play rather than the bidding is what will interest the reader. It is not very often that we find a vulnerable vs not vulnerable sacrifice paying off, and as my correspondent writes, this one did not either, because when this was played, 5C doubled went down two, with nearly all other tables returning a +480 when only one EW pair bid to a very good heart slam. I find it difficult to see how NS would end up in 5C doubled rather than EW in either 5H or 6H. But let’s not puzzle over the bidding, but look at the play.

Dealer N NS Vul

	T865 3 5 AKJ9863
Q973 KQ87 QJ742		KJ AJT95 AKT98 4
	A42 642 63 QT752