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Thanks for your input to the tricky questions and answers. Maybe we will do this again next year if there are any interesting ones, maybe you will have some to add from your own experiences, please do send me anything of interest. In the meantime, here is the result, in Tricky Answers No.5

1. Match Points

Dealer S Nil Vul

Q4

2

AQJT4

AKJ63

The bidding has been:

South	West	North	East
1	21	3	Pass
?

What would you bid?

1. Teams
Dealer E All Vul

9873

A972

3

QT74

The bidding has been:

South	West	North	East
-	-	-	1
Pass	1	Pass	2
Pass	2	Pass	3
Pass	3	Pass	4
Pass	4	Pass	5
Pass	Pass	Pass

Your lead?

Good to get a near unanimous verdict here. Even I, despite my abhorrence of singleton trump leads, would lead my singleton diamond, trying to protect what club tricks I have, since they are in danger of getting ruffed in dummy, which will almost certainly have three diamonds and a singleton club, as in fact was the case.

You are SOUTH each time.

1. Match Points
Dealer W EW Vul

A

Q3

AK64

AKT964

Partner opens 1H, you bid 2C, partner 2H.
a) What is your bid?

Everybody should be looking at the possibility of a grand slam, but how to get to it and should it be 7H or 7C, or even 7NT as one of the more optimistic panelists thinks. Some panelists believe that the 2H rebid will be at least a six card suit so it should be an easy matter to use Key Card and then, if you’re sophisticated enough (I am NOT) find out if partner has the CQ and bid 7NT. If that card happens to be singleton, partner will need six hearts to the AK and the king of spades for 7NT to make for certain, but then again, six hearts to AK without the jack will also founder against a 4-1 break. A singleton or doubleton small club would make a grand slam in hearts odds on when opener has AKxxxx when the grand slam in No Trumps is impossible.

You sit South for each hand and play at matchpoints:

1. Dealer E Nil Vul

QT9732

2

K943

AQ

East opens 1C, natural. You bid 2S (you play ‘intermediate jumps’ but West does not ask and doubles. Pass from North, 2NT from East, 3NT from West.
a) No questions asked, but do YOU think 2NT from East is 15-16?
b) What would you lead?

Vil is starting a new series that he's sure will be both interesting and helpful for those who enjoy a challenge or two. All hands come from recent sessions and you can join an email list for direct access by contacting Vil at villyn@xtra.co.nz The questions are floated past a panel at time of publishing here. In this series Vil will comment on the responses in his following article but, for this first one his thoughts follow on. Cover up the prognostications at the end while you work through the hands with your favourite partner.

You sit South for each hand and play at matchpoints:

1. Dealer S Nil Vul

K9873

62

AKQ

862