Vil Gravis's blog

Declarer play is not just a matter of following basic tips, but also about timing and thinking ahead. Every trick counts in a match point session. Many declarers failed to get the most out this hand in what should have been a very easy 4S game. Most did manage to make their game but some even failed to do that. Only a few made the overtrick that was there to be made without the help of Deep Finesse. All that was required was a knowledge of how to finesse and how to organise your play so that you take the finesses when it suits you.

Board 20 from Thursday 6/10/22
Dealer West All Vul

	AQJT6 6 AQT8 AQ4
987 T5 J764 K762		42 KQJ8743 9 JT9
	K53 A92 K532 853

This one is about opening leads and defence. Any partnership, and I stress PARTNERSHIP, that can develop a good understanding about opening leads, signals, and working on the plan that has been set in motion by the opening lead, will regularly score about 6% more than their counterparts in any one session. That is my estimate, based on the fact that you will be defending half the time (yes, the good, more aggressive pairs will be defending much less often!) and not all defensive situations will require more than very basic defence and no real thought or imagination. Is a regular score of 58% in your sessions better than 52%? You decide and if you have a partner you can work with, take defence more seriously and don’t just put it in the too hard basket.

Board 2 from Monday 19/09/22
Dealer East NS Vul

	T KT2 AT97 KQJ54
AQ9 QJ97 J62 872		J8743 843 54 AT9
	K652 A65 KQ83 63

The final contract nearly all the time was 3NT, usually arrived at when South opened 1NT and North raised directly to 3NT. What should West lead?

Unfortunately, Board 23 was not played at every club, so I can’t say just how many NS pairs managed to bid to this very easy 7NT. I say very easy because that is exactly what it should be. Let’s take a look.

Board 23 from Wednesday 9/08/2022
Dealer South All Vul

	K8 K2 AK AKQ9732
Q932 J7 986542 T		J74 QT654 QJT J5
	AT65 A983 73 864

“Thou shalt not transfer” is one of my commandments. But there is an addition to that: “when it can be avoided if need be”. The unfortunate thing about this deal is that the NS hands were as they were. Had South had North’s hand and vice versa, the results would have been totally different for all EW pairs where West played the hand, be it in 3NT or 4S or a slam in either spades or No Trumps. But let’s take a look at the hands as they were dealt by a benign computer.

Board 8 from Tuesday 26/07/22
Dealer West Nil Vul

	9765 AT987 52 98
KQ 642 K43 KQT43		AJT32 K3 AQ76 A2
	84 QJ5 JT98 J765

You are South and dealer at match points. NS vul.
The bidding has been:

South	West	North	East
1	Pass	2	Pass
2	Pass	4	Pass
Pass	Pass

West starts with two top diamonds, the ace and king (East following with the 2 and 3 (standard signals). Then West shifts to the five of hearts. How would you continue from there, here is the layout of your hand and dummy.

Dummy (North)

K94

KQJT3

J4

K32

You (South)

QT853

A7

QT

AJ86

Any ideas to me please --- villyn@xtra.co.nz