A continuing theme. This was another problem that came up, with a similar theme to earlier. This one was somewhat different because declarer did not have the luxury of being able to duck the first round of the danger suit. Let me show you the two hands as they were this time. Similar, but quite different.

1. TEAMS. Dealer E NS Vul
North

AJ87

763

QJ

KJ65

KT9

AQ

K9652

QT9

EAST opens a weak 2H
Here are some things to consider.
1. Would you have bid 2NT or passed? Or doubled?
2. If you had doubled the 2H opening, what should your partner then bid?
3. If you passed and partner then doubled, would you then bid 3NT or something else?

The answers to the declarer play problems in W&W15 told me that there is a big difference between Open players and Intermediates and Juniors, and also between TEAMS and MATCH POINT thinking. Let’s take another look at the problems presented and look at these differences in a way that the advancing players can understand and use to improve their play to the standard that all our open players showed by their answers.

1. TEAMS. Dealer S All Vul

Q4 AQ2 QJ652 QT9

AJ72 76 KT9 KJ65

The following deal came up in a recent match point session. When you see the full deal you may not believe the bidding but whatever the case, there are a lot of lessons to be learnt, which is why I set it as a progressive exercise for our panel of advanced and advancing players. Here is the full deal so the reader can appreciate all the ramifications.

Dealer N NS Vul

	5 852 KQ63 KQT95
KT842 QT3 8 J842		973 AJ94 JT954 A
	AQJ6 K76 A72 763

Vil says .. Hi, hope you’re up for another ‘progressive’ exercise. This time it is a match point session.
You are South and hold the following hand:

5

852

KQ63

KQT95

At favourable vulnerability you pass as dealer. West passes and partner opens 1NT (12-14). East bids 2S. No alert. You do not play Lebensohl or anything fancy in this situation. Your bid?

This will be a progressive problem, so answers to villyn@xtra.co.nz as quickly as possible please. The next question will then come depending on your answers to the earlier one.

Teams all vul. Partner opens 1S as dealer. What will be your bid holding:

5

AQ72

J

AKQJT82