Some points of interest from this fairly innocuous looking deal. They are worth discussing.

Board 4 from Thursday 20/09/2018
Dealer W All Vul

There were some amazing deals this week and I have selected one that I will be featuring in the first chapter of my new series “Evil at the Bridge Table”. I will describe the play and then set you another problem to solve.

Board 4 Thursday from Thursday 13/09/2018
Dealer W All Vul

	T8532 Q76 J872 5
6 53 KT953 KJT98		QJ74 T84 Q A7643
	AK9 AKJ92 A64 Q2

I guess I could say I have written this “extra” 'due to public demand'. I have been chastised for being so uncomplimentary about South's defence, and I have also been asked by a couple of readers just what the proper defence should have been and what would have been best practice on the board in question - even if the defence's line ultimately proved more profitable for them. So, here goes, let me try again, without any scathing comments.

Board 26 Dealer E All Vul

	T4 43 AT64 QT954
J732 QT2 Q3 KJ63		KQ9 KJ9865 92 A8
	A865 A7 KJ875 72

For some hands, some systems are better than others. The following is a clear illustration of that. If you adhere strictly to what you have been taught, then only a “Big Club' system like Precision will get you to 4H on the NS hands. Many of the Acol players in our session languished
in 1S when, after three passes, South opened 1S and North, not having the required “6+ high card points”, passed. North also could have opened a weak 2H but for the same reason (North would have been taught that a weak 2H opening should have “6-10 HCP”) didn't. This was the deal:

Board 9 from Thursday 23/08/2018
Dealer W EW Vul

	4 JT9872 QJ72 96
T93 A53 AT93 JT5		QJ72 4 865 AQ842
	AK865 KQ6 K4 K73

No matter how often I write about it, things don't change much when players encounter competitive hands. This one should have been bid to 4H one way and at least 4S the other but, at the Hutt club, only about half the field bid to 4S when NS bid to 4H. Some Souths then soldiered on to 5H which was down one, but one brave East pushed on to 5S, which was duly doubled. Alas for our Braveheart (should I say Bravespade?) he somehow lost the way and down four was the result! It is the declarer play that I want to talk about, but to bid 5S was to ignore the well known teaching that “the five level belongs to opponents”.