Letting Go

10th October – Board 23: Game All. Dealer South.

Trusting partner is what it’s all about really and although it might be difficult sometimes you just have to let go.

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

West	North	East	South
			1H
No	2C	No	2H
No	3D	No	3NT
End

Some people would open that South hand 1NT but don’t include me! With an easy rebid whatever partner chooses to respond I can see nothing wrong with opening 1H. I would raise a 1S response to 2S but otherwise rebid hearts and that is what would happen here. When responder reverses with 3D this bid is game forcing so 3NT becomes the standout bid for opener, a decision his partner should respect especially playing match-pointed pairs when the higher scoring game is so valuable, (although it might look tempting to bid 4D (forcing) to show a strong 5-6 hand in the minors.) On a spade lead and continuation there are only eight tricks immediately available in 3NTand it might appear that declarer has to guess whether to finesse in hearts or clubs for the extra trick he needs. However on the run of the diamonds East will find the pressure intolerable and he will have to relinquish a spade winner or two or give up his guards in the rounded suits.