The second deal from 21/06/24. Unfortunately, it seems that the Hutt club was the only one to play more than 26 boards, but Board 27 is still worth reviewing because of the lessons that can be learnt from it with respect to opening leads. Too few of us think of how an opening lead may be read by partner and any possible unintended consequences.
Board 27 from 21/06/24
Dealer South Nil Vul
Looking at this deal, the most likely bidding will land North in 4H after South opens 1D, West overcalls 2C, and North makes a ‘free bid’ of 2H which South raises to game. We can all see that despite Deep Finesse being able to make 4H, nobody in their right mind would play trumps that way. But I do know of one case where the ‘unintended consequence’ factor came into play. East led the three of clubs and when West won the ace, he instinctively switched to a trump in an attempt to stop declarer ruffing clubs in dummy. A moment’s thought should have told him that this was almost certainly futile. He should also have taken note of the unwritten rule that you don’t lead singleton trumps, which should also apply to switching to singleton trumps. Fortunately for West, a myopic declarer failed to see the value of covering the nine with the ten! 4H down one was a common result, but there were some Norths in 3NT, in one case when, after beginning of the sequence mentioned, 1D-1H-1S (West did not feel like overcalling) North leapt to 3NT (no such thing as fourth suit forcing!). That is also a possible result if West makes a jump overcall of 3C and North does not want to miss 3NT by bidding 3H and finding South is now unable to either support hearts or bid 3NT. At the table where West was silent, East decided that he should lead the unbid suit, that seemed sensible enough. But he led the three of clubs, per ‘the book’. The unintended consequences came into play again, when West won the ace and returned another. But if East had considered what partner might expect from the lead of the C3, East would have led the JACK of clubs. That would have been of assistance no matter what partner held in the suit, and told partner about the exact club situation. If necessary, West could duck the first club and deny declarer another club trick.
This was not a fine example of why you should play a 5-3 major suit fit in the major rather than 3NT but that does not alter the theory, which of course is backed up by DF who makes 4H but only 3NT! Check it out here.
JT
AQT82
T83
KQ6