Strangely Similar

22nd September – Board 20: Game All. Dealer West.

The featured hand seemed strangely similar in makeup to a hand from last week when it arose on Thursday and what happened depended largely on what course of action North decided to take for his opening bid. It is miles too good for 3D and not offensive enough for 1D so the choice lies between opening 4D and 5D. While I originally inclined towards the latter I can see now that perhaps it might be more prudent to open at the lower level. That would give South an easy bid of 4H, to play, but if North chose instead to open 5D most players would now play 5H to be a cue-bid and a grand slam try in diamonds….. Not so good.

West	North	East	South
No	4D	No	4H
End

4H makes an easy eleven tricks but 5D can be defeated on a spade lead. Suppose three rounds of spades are led. West can trump the third round with the king of diamonds – the so-called uppercut – thus promoting the jack of that suit in his partner’s hand.