X-Clubs Play_06
Freak deals do occur from time to time. This one cropped up on a recent Tuesday in a teams contest at the Hutt Club (and presumably in match point sessions at other X-Clubs).
Board 13 from Tuesday, 19/10/21
Dealer N All Vul
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874
KQJ62
Q7643North opened 2C, showing a weak hand of 7-9 HCP and at least 4-4 in hearts and clubs and no more than 5-5. That was our “Evil Two” opening bid. Not too different to what some people now call Tartan Twos” but the opening there would, I believe, be 2H and the minor would be undisclosed. Not Tartan Twos as we knew them 40 years ago.
But I digress. East doubled my partner’s 2C opening, intending to bid 4S next. I had a no-brainer decision and bid 4H. Would YOU have bid 5C sitting West?
And if you had, would your partner have removed the makeable contract to an unmakeable one? Our West, understandably, did not, and after two passes, East of course bid 4S and I pushed on with 5H, expecting down one doubled would make us a profit. After two passes, East doubled, and West led the ace of clubs. I ruffed and immediately ruffed a low diamond in dummy. A low club followed and East was delighted to be able to make the trump ten, ruffing with it. His delight was short lived because I discarded my losing spade, a loser for loser as it turned out: no spade trick for EW but an extra trump trick instead. Why, then, does Deep Finesse tell us that 5H is unmakeable? Leading a spade does not do that (I don’t think), despite East’s chastisement of West for not leading his suit!
Now here is a double dummy problem for the reader: How do you defeat 5H? I have a prize for the reader with the correct answer. Just send it to me at villyn@xtra.co.nz. And if you would like to know more about our “Evil Twos”, which are far better than anything else I know of, I can send you some information on them as well.
