Flights Of Fancy

9^th September – Board 13: N/S Vul. Dealer North.

	North: S A K 8 4 H Q 10 6 D 9 7 6 5 C 10 8
West: S J 10 9 H A K 4 2 D A K J C A Q J		East: S 6 5 3 H J 7 3 D Q 10 3 2 C 7 5 3
	South: S Q 7 2 H 9 8 5 D 8 4 C K 9 6 4 2

I thought the hand shown above would prove interesting when I first saw it because it seemed so difficult for the defence to get it right. Just goes to prove what I know!

West	North	East	South
	No	No	No
2C(2D)	No	2D(2H)	No
2NT	N0	3NT	End

The bidding could hardly be simpler, with West showing a blockbuster with either 2C, or 2D if playing Benji. Following a negative 2D or 2H the 2NT rebid shows 23/24 points in a balanced hand and East has an easy raise to game. The difficulty comes when North leads a small spade to his partner’s queen who would return the suit allowing the defence to take the first four tricks, declarer discarding a club from dummy and a small heart from hand with no trouble. But what now? An alert North could figure that his partner holds three more points at most but what should he switch to? A heart would allow declarer to try the jack from dummy, a winning option, and the ten of clubs – my choice - would allow declarer to make three club tricks which together with two hearts and four diamonds would be enough for game. No, North has to switch to a diamond and now declarer can only take the club finesse once and would ultimately concede defeat. Why did none of that happen? Well at one table West mysteriously opened 1C and played there. At another East forgot to raise to game and at a third East responded 3NT to his partner’s 2C opening, played there and received a club lead which made declarer’s task simple. I do not know what happened the fourth time the hand was played. Perhaps someone could inform me?